Cycle hub pedals into new home at historic Oswestry building
Shropshire Cycle Hub has been announced as the new tenant of one of Oswestry's historic town centre buildings.
The community charity has moved into the Cross Market Hall, which has lain empty since 2020 when the Edinburgh Woollen Mill closed as the national firm went into administration.
The building is owned by Oswestry Town Council and, following extensive renovations during the past year, the council says it is delighted to welcome new tenants into the historic building.
Oswestry Town Mayor, Councillor Jay Moore said: “This is great news for Oswestry and we welcome Shropshire Cycle Hub into Cross Market Hall, who will breathe new life into this historic building. We wish them every success.”
Cross Market Hall was built in 1842 and after an extension in 1848, the building became home to Powis and Cross Markets in 1849.
In the 1970s it was home to fashion store Wilsons and more latterly Edinburgh Woollen Mill.
Shropshire Cycle Hub, founded in 2020, is a community charity focused on improving access to healthy sustainable transport across the county.
Its objective is to help people overcome all types of barriers to enable them to benefit from the many advantages of cycling for transport or leisure and it hopes to achieve a five-fold increase in the number of bike journeys by 2025 to help towards a sustainable net zero carbon Shropshire by 2030.
The charity, which already has a successful hub in Shrewsbury, has donated over 1500 bikes across Shropshire and currently operates the Oswestry Rickshaw service.
Chris Jennings, Chief Executive of Shropshire Cycle Hub said: “We have big plans for our new hub.
"Oswestry’s Rickshaw will be based at the hub, and we will continue to offer rides and deliveries to residents, visitors and commercial customers – all with the aim of reducing traffic in our town and offering service with a smile. This in turn can help to improve mental and physical well-being and reduce carbon emissions in the town.
“We will offer secondhand bikes for sale and on long-term loan, provide organised cycle rides to people of all ages and abilities, educational events, e-cargo bike deliveries and be a drop-in meeting point for the community offering refreshments.
“Our network of volunteers and qualified mechanics will retrieve, repair and redistribute donated bikes back into the community. We are always looking for bikes and volunteers who can help our great cause, so if anyone would like to get involved, we’d love them to get in touch at oswestry.shropshirecyclehub@gmail.com or call 07946 045593.
“With our new premises in Oswestry, we will grow our team and have lots of opportunities for anyone who wants to volunteer with us.
Open days will be held at the Cross Market Hall from 9am to 5pm on March 24 and 25.
