Revealed: Project's long awaited new shop front shown to the public of Bishop's Castle

Bishop's Castle Community Land Trust on Friday (July 14) took the black plastic covers off the front of the old Stars Newsagent in Church Street to reveal the modern shop front.

It came just in time for the town's Charter weekend of celebrations and should provide a talking point in the centre of the town.

The covers have been hiding the work that has been going on to transform the premises that the land trust brought as a part of its mission to increase the number of affordable housing properties in the town.

Work was carried out by Anthony Jones from Shropshire Hardwoods, ably assisted by his apprentice Rosie Hughes, and local craftsman Adrian Ryan.

The work involved complicated repairs to the structure and the insertion of extra steel supports, to ensure all is safe. The adjoining doorway, closed up for many years, is now ready to become the front door of the upstairs flat.

"We are absolutely delighted with how it's looking," said Jim Gaffney, who chairs the trust.

"Anthony has worked closely with the Shropshire Council's Building Control and our architect Mike Cash to deliver a piece of high-quality work which, after years of waiting, is finally removing what has been an eyesore in the centre of our town."

Two flats are set to be created above the premises for local people with the ground floor kept as a base for businesses to be able to grow.

Jonathan Brown, the company secretary of the not for profit exempt charity, said the land trust brought the property some time ago.

They used some of the £250,000 they were bequeathed by Bill Bainbridge who had rescued the Three Tuns Brewery in Bishop's Castle in 2003, at a time when cask ale was on the decline. The philanthropist died in 2014 at the age of 63.

Other monies were used to invest in Numbers 1 and 2 Kings Head Yard to provide affordable rented accommodation to local people in housing need, right in the centre of Bishops Castle. They also provide an income for the trust to invest in other projects. Tenants could be occupying the property as early as the late autumn this year.

"We plan to use the shop part to provide short term letting space to let to local businesses," he said.

The trust is also in the process of working up a business plan to use a former abattoir that was closed more than 30 years ago.

The trust is owned by around 286 shareholder members and managed by a board of local people.

For more information about the trust, visit https://bcclt.co.uk/about/