Arts Centre proposal put forward to save Bridgnorth's iconic New Market Buildings
A meeting is being arranged as part of the next step of attempting to save an iconic building in a Shropshire market town.
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The New Market buildings at the bottom of Bridgnorth's High Street have fallen into "a dangerous state" according to resident Huw Rees, who started a petition last year to force Shropshire Council to act.
He wants the council to put pressure on private owner, a hotelier in the South East, to maintain it or to issue a compulsory purchase order to bring the building into public ownership.
Shropshire Council held a debate on the future of the New Market Building after Mr Rees' petition attracted more than 1,000 backers.
Mr Rees, who addressed the council earlier this year, called for the authority to step in and purchase the building - using compulsory purchase powers, which allow public bodies such as councils to forcibly buy buildings or land off the owner.
Mr Rees was told the council would need to 'exhaust all other options' before compulsory purchase was considered and have to have a plan for the future use of the building.
Now the Bridgnorth resident, who himself is standing for election as a councillor to represent the town for the Labour Party in May's local elections, has now arranged a meeting to discuss possible future plans for the building.
He said: “I've been working with a local artistic director with experience on the West End to put together a proposal to transform the building into an Arts Centre, with a view to bring the arts into the heart of our town.
“This is one of a number of proposals being put together, so this meeting will give everyone an opportunity to hear more about them and to put forward other ideas.
“Shropshire Council have indicated they want to see these proposals before they consider taking any action against the owner of the building, so by developing the proposals collaboratively, we can present them to Shropshire Council as a town effort.”
The campaign to save New Market Buildings has received the backing of South Shrophire MP Stuart Anderson and Bridgnorth Town Council.
Mayor Ian Wellings said he would be attending the meeting but pointed out: “We must not forget that this building is still privately owned.”
He added that they could make an offer to the private owner following a fundraising drive, which was something he would raise at the meeting.
The meeting is at AFC Bridgnorth next Thursday at 6:30pm.
