Campaigner aiming to restore Bridgnorth's landmark building is told council is too broke to help
A Shropshire resident who is battling to get one of his town's landmark buildings restored has vowed to continue his fight despite being told the county council has no cash to help.
Huw Rees launched a petition in August to get Shropshire Council to act to save Bridgnorth's New Market Building in Listley Street, which he said had fallen into a “dangerous state of disrepair”.
He said the authority should force the owner to repair the building or place a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on it so it could be fixed and used by the community.
The Grade II listed building was built as a market hall and assembly rooms in the late 1850s.
Designed by Robert Griffiths of Quatford, the building includes the prominent Postern Gate tower and was bestowed with Grade II listed status in 1987.
Over the years, it has hosted the Childhood & Costume Museum, but today it is home to just a handful of shops and Costa Coffee, with much of the building standing empty.
Mr Rees, who grew up visiting the Childhood Museum, said much of the building was now “derelict” and described it as “dangerous”.