New town sign points to forward-looking Shrewsbury town centre
The prototype for Shrewsbury’s new on-street signage system has been installed at Castle Foregate and shows the town’s forward-looking approach.
The distinctive ‘totem’ is set to be the first of 56 signs installed to welcome and help visitors to find their way around the town centre and its historic streets. They will replace outdated fingerpost signs and deliver a more efficient and less cluttered look to the town.
Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID), in partnership with Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, appointed specialist consultants City ID to design the signs in a wayfinding project which has already produced a revamped town map.
Seb Slater, Executive Director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “We are a forward-looking destination with much to offer visitors, businesses and residents. A better on-street signage system will show this and help people navigate their way round to make the most of our retail, food and drink, leisure and heritage offer.
“Many of our existing signs are out-dated, with a mix of styles. We will trial the prototype sign over the coming months before the remaining totems are rolled out. The current mapping inserts on the prototype unit are temporary, and will be replaced shortly with bespoke vitreous enamel inserts.”
International wayfinding experts City ID have worked on the wayfinding systems for London, New York and Moscow. Principal Designer David Gillam grew up in Shrewsbury so was familiar with its distinctive character and appeal. He said: “We have used our expertise and the feedback from stakeholder workshops to develop a unique design for Shrewsbury.”
Shropshire Councillor Steve Davenport, Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport, commented: “Shropshire Council is very excited to see this prototype unit installed following the close partnership working with Shrewsbury BID and Shrewsbury Town Council. The further roll out of the finalised unit design is being delivered by Shropshire Council as part of its ongoing Shrewsbury Integrated Transport Package (SITP), and these units will provide a crucial street level aid to visitors and residents exploring the historic County Town.”
“We are particularly pleased to be able to deliver these units in tandem with the comprehensive package of highways, street and public realm improvements within the SITP, as part of the wider £12m investment in the town that is currently underway,” he added.
Councillor Alan Mosley, Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council, is thrilled about the benefits to the town and its visitors: “The Town Council is greatly committed to supporting our visitor economy. So we are delighted to be part of this exciting development. Our work is not just in encouraging people to visit our wonderful town, for them to truly enjoy Shrewsbury we have to help them navigate our quirky streets so they get the most from their visit, and most importantly they want to tell all their friends, stay longer, and return.”
