Rickards will be no more and Ludlow will lose one of its most distinctive independent retail shops. Rickards has sold hardware and domestic wares since 1864. Now, the property is up for sale and the vendor is inviting anyone who wants to also buy the business to contact them. An application for planning permission has been made to allow a wider variety of uses for the ground floor. The next use could be anything from a café to a financial adviser. The vendors have a clear preference for “a mixed space which will incorporate retail, spaces for local artisan crafters to utilise, sale of drink and food from local suppliers, spaces to hire for meetings and small events and the display of historic artifacts associated with Rickards and Ludlow.”
Category: Ludlow
Empty shops: Ludlow has a lot, it has a lot to offer – we need to help it back to full health
Ludlow is still a lively town and well worth visiting to shop and explore its heritage, cafes restaurants, pubs market and really good shops. But it cannot be hidden that there are more empty shops than there used to be. At present there are 23 vacant retail units in the town centre. In November 2017, there were just seven vacant units the lowest number for years. The empty shops are more obvious in Ludlow than they have ever been, particularly on King Street. The recent closure of the Fruit Basket on Church Street was another blow to the town centre. But it is not all gloom and doom. And there are clear signs of a revival, including on King Street. Shops are being refurbished and new tenants moving in. We need a task force to promote short term improvements while the town centre recovers.
M&S Food store approved for outskirts of Ludlow
Shropshire Council’s Southern Planning Committee this afternoon approved the application for a foodstore off Sheet Road outside the A49 bypass. There were concerns about the impact the store will have on the town centre. Committee members were more concerned about the safety of pedestrians crossing Sheet Road between the Eco Park bus stops, Ledwyche Rise and the M&S site. There was a motion to delay a decision until the committee had more information on what improvements could be made to the current plans for Sheet Road but that was defeated on a majority vote. The committee went on to approve the application and delegate to officers resolving the issues on Sheet Road.
Now is time to tackle the Ludford Question – should Ludlow Town Council expand into Ludford parish?
Shropshire Council is consulting on the parish boundary between Ludlow Town Council and Ludford Parish Council. This is the last stage in a series of reviews of local governance. It began with a review of parliamentary boundaries, leading to the creation the new South Shropshire constituency. This was followed by a review of Shropshire Council’s electoral divisions (wards), Now, Shropshire Council wants to review boundaries between five town and parish councils, including Ludlow and Ludford. This is necessary because the market towns have expanded into neighbouring parishes. Some major town developments are now not represented town councils but by parish councils. That means that towns like Ludlow have no overarching governance and outlying developments do not contribute to town services.
Plans for Gather at Ludlow Community Hospital explained
This is a guest post from Annabelle who is one the entrepreneurs moving into SY8 Studios in the formerly redundant workhouse and maternity unit at Ludlow Community Hospital. In the post, Annabelle Brousse de Gersigny explains the plans for Gather and Hundred House Coffee. The current applications (planning, licence) are open for consultation.