New future for Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre
The Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre and neighbouring Onny Meadows in Craven Arms are to be transferred from Shropshire Council to South Shropshire Housing Association.
The centre will be run by their partner Grow Cook Learn who plan to start managing and developing the centre this spring.
The plans were formally approved by Shropshire Council’s Cabinet in January, having first been agreed by the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre Advisory Board in 2013.
Grow Cook Learn’s vision for the Discovery Centre is: “to create a training centre for food-related employment, a leisure resource for local people, and a vibrant visitor attraction demonstrating the link between food production and the landscape of the Shropshire Hills”.
They plan to run the Centre as a ‘hub’ enhancing visitors’ experience of the local area, providing training in the food-related industries, creating and supporting local jobs, supporting local businesses, and supporting spend in the local area.
The Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, which was substantially funded by the Millennium Commission, was opened in 2001 as a major visitor centre for the Shropshire Hills.
The Centre currently includes a library, education room, craft room, art gallery, exhibition space, Shropshire Council customer service point, a café, a shop and more.
The plans for the centre mean that the library will move to the Craven Arms Community Centre and will be managed by The Furniture Scheme as a ‘community library’ with support from Shropshire Council. It will be the first wholly-run community library in Shropshire.
The Customer Service Point will move to the nearby Gateway, and continue to be managed by Shropshire Council.
Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for asset transfer, said:
“Grow Cook Learn’s plans to run the centre as a ‘hub’, enhancing visitors’ experience to the local area, providing training in the food-related industries, creating and supporting local jobs, supporting local businesses, and supporting spend in the local area, is a really exciting one. We all agree that it will be a great way to position the centre as a vibrant visitor destination and secure its future.”
