New business initiative is launched to boost appearance of Wellington

A new guide to help the town's businesses to make the most of their shop fronts has been published by Wellington’s Regeneration Partnership

The document is a collaboration between Rob Francis of arts and heritage group Wellington H2A and Telford & Wrekin Council conservation and planning officers.

“Much of Wellington town centre is a conservation area so we want to help preserve its history and continue to make it appealing to residents and visitors,” explained Rob, who wrote a town centre vision for Wellington Town Council a decade ago.

“The guide aims to give business owners practical advice about colour schemes and signage that not only enhances individual properties but also the town overall.

“Collectively, the choices that businesses make have a huge impact on the look and feel of the place.

“This new guide doesn't just set out the hard-and-fast rules of design in the conservation area, but also offers guidance and ideas for making that work as strong as it can be.”

Jon Drew, of Wellington’s Boardroom Café in New Street, is keen to see more businesses getting this sort of advice early when it can still make an impact.

“We benefitted from a start-up grant from Telford & Wrekin Council so had to work closely with the council's planning team in designing our shop front,” he said.

“A lot of other businesses don't get that sort of input, however, and often don't know the rules they're supposed to be following until it's too late. Anything that helps others to design their shop fronts well is a good thing and ultimately benefits us all.”