Bishop's Castle market outlook leads to tree trimming talks
Calls have been made to trim two old yew trees in a Shropshire market town – because they are obscuring the view to a potential visitor attraction.
Evelyn Bowles, a member of Bishop's Castle Town Council, said the trees at Old Market Place were needed to be cut back.
She said the site was being looked at as potentially the location for the return of the town's market but added that people needed to be able to see it.
But other members of the council were not so sure any work needed to be done. A final decision has been deferred so council chiefs can find out whether planning permission is needed to trim the trees.
The Old Market Place was renovated in the 1990s and is a popular picnic area and well used throughout the year.
Councillor Bowles said: "The Old Market Place is an important area we want to make use of, it is a potential site for market stalls. People need to see it and we need to see activity on that site."
Councillor Jock Wright said he would be in favour of "giving them a haircut".
But his colleague Ian Wall added: "I am told on good authority that these are Irish yew trees, not the big kind you find in churches and such like. These sort are smaller and more decorative.
"They don't respond very well to removing branches, although they are very good for topiary if you wanted to make a nice shape out of them.
"I would question whether we actually have to do any of this at all."
Councillor Jane Carroll agreed, adding: "I think there was a fear that these were just going to get bigger and bigger because people had in mind the big yew trees you find in churchyards.
"I would be in favour of a haircut rather than taking down branches, light pruning."
