Shrewsbury business community optimistic for 2022 as Covid restrictions ease

Shrewsbury BID, which represents more than 500 businesses across the town centre, said it had received lots of positive feedback from members - with a number of new businesses opening their doors in recent weeks and the hope of fewer disruptions during 2022.

Looking back at 2021, executive director Seb Slater said business owners were reporting strong sales performance since most businesses were able to open back up in July.

He said: “The pandemic is still understandably affecting people’s shopping and spending behaviours, but the overall impression from local businesses has been that trading over the past six months has been positive.

“We have recently acquired access to a new range of data for Shrewsbury, which shows that money spent in the town centre since July has been above or very close to pre-pandemic levels - exceeding the performance of many UK cities during the same period.

“There are always some differences between sectors and individual businesses, but there is certainly a great deal of optimism about the future.”

One of Shrewsbury’s longest-established town centre businesses, Tanners wine merchants, recorded one of their best-ever recent periods.

Private sales director, Robert Boutflower, said: “Tanners’ Christmas saw a continuation of the strong trading throughout 2021, but we were particularly pleased with the local support in Shrewsbury.

“Our Cellars Shop posted a gain of over 10 per cent on last year, itself a record, yet the shopping experience seemed calm and pleasurable for all.

“In recent times Tanners has been voted the best wine retailer in the country, and we’re delighted that more and more local people are discovering us for themselves in Shrewsbury.”

Kevin Lockwood, manager of Shrewsbury Shopping Centres, said businesses in the Darwin Centre were also feeling positive.

He said: “Feedback on Christmas and January trade from many of our tenants supports the data – slightly fewer customers, however the average spend has increased. Many of the retailers are reporting strong sales.”