The former Budgens Store on Upper Galdeford has been for sale for several months. In the last couple of days, it has been boarded up with OSB sheets. The contractors tell me there are no plans to paint the boarding. It is an utter eyesore and makes this part for the town centre look like a rundown inner city district. The boarding is also an open invitation to fly-posting and graffiti.
If it is to remain boarded up, it should be painted as a giant mural.
I have contacted the property agents, Sanderson Weatherall to find out what their plans are. I will also raise the matter with Shropshire Council’s conservation team. The building is just outside the Upper Galdeford Conservation Area but does have a major impact on it.
Ultimately, the building needs knocking down and rebuilding, perhaps as smaller shops and apartments above. But the retail market is very slow, with national chains shutting stores or concentrating on larger prime sites.
More immediately, we need to find a way to improve the look of this building, which is damaging to the reputation of the Galdeford and Tower Street area, and to Ludlow’s reputation as an historic town.
I saw this happening yesterday morning and sent photos to Tim Gill saying exactly the same and suggesting the Town Council find out what is going on from the sales agents.
I agree that it should be painted. If not by the owners then as it is school holidays, by young people in the town.
A series of murals would be great
Clearly the retail sector is currently in turmoil everywhere. However, it seems to me that the opportunity might be taken – if the current premises are to remain empty or were to be demolished – to totally rearrange this most awkward but extremely important corner of the town. If agreement could be reached between all interested parties(???) on potential ‘swapping’ of land, new building could take place where the car park entrance currently exists and the new car park entrance would be roughly where the former Budgens now sits. The current sharp (and unnaturally awkward) corner at the junction of Upper and Lower Galdeford would therefore have room for a small roundabout – thus improving turning capabilities for all vehicles, and also improve traffic flow, plus access to the car park beyond. The latter would now (visibly) lie straight ahead. In an ideal world, this important ‘gateway’ to the town demands far better treatment – however that seems most unlikely in the near, or any future.
It would do away with the current ‘staggered’ road layout which is surely a
I too saw the building being boarded up. It seemed to me to imply that it would remain unoccupied for a lengthy period. this is such an important access route to the town particularly for visitors walking up from the car park.
Liked Paul Hayward’s suggestion, Budgens building was never a thing of beauty and some creative thought could be valuable for the future of this area.
Maybe it can be used as an arts centre where crafts can be bought and sold. It is a tourist area.