An area of Shrewsbury town centre is bucking the national trend and celebrating being fully let by a string of thriving independent businesses.
St Mary’s Street and Dogpole plays an important role in linking the Castle Quarter of the town to Wyle Cop and the latest arrival of a new business means every unit on the street is now fully occupied.
Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “This is really positive news, despite the challenges of the present economic climate, and highlights the importance and popularity of independent businesses here in Shrewsbury.
“It’s not just new businesses that should be celebrated and it is worth highlighting that others have stood the test of time. Teestar, for example, at the bottom of Dogpole, has been there since 1976 and is one of Shrewsbury's longest-running businesses.”
New arrivals Spires Goldsmiths and the Wellness Atelier have both opened this year, the former Darwin's Kitchen unit has been taken on by Shrewsbury Optometry, Cromwell's has been refurbished under a new owner, and Kashmir and Silk relocated to Dogpole from The Parade last year.
Meanwhile, Drapers Hall was recently profiled in The Guardian's top 10 of the best new hotels in Britain, which placed the hotel and restaurant as one of the picks of recent openings and revamps in the UK.
Melissa Jane, of the Wellness Atelier, said: “We are extremely excited to have made the move to St Mary’s Street and Dogpole, it is a particularly vibrant part of the town and it’s nice to think that we are in an area so popular with other independent businesses.
“Variety is important and it is easy to understand why our street is also so popular with tourists and local shoppers - there are so many different types of businesses to explore, a real eclectic mix with something to suit everyone.”
James Austin, of Number 8 in St Mary’s Street, said: “Since opening in 2015 our business has gone from strength to strength, it is great to see St Mary’s Street and Dogpole full of independent shops, restaurants and pubs.
“This part of the Shrewsbury town centre is a true test of how the local community and tourists keep the towns economy healthy, even after pressing times over the last couple of years.”
