Shrewsbury shop windows give glimpse into past

Two windows - the former Greggs shop in Pride Hill and TUI in Mardol - are now full of information and historical photographs showing how the streets looked in years gone by. 

The displays have been put together by Shrewsbury BID and Shrewsbury Ambassador, Maggie Love, who said the project had been really rewarding to be involved with. 

She said: “The history of the town is one of my passions and I often think about how streets have changed over the centuries in Shrewsbury. 

“The thought of a row of shoemakers as you make your way up Pride Hill to Butcher Row from early Medieval times, and the Pride family living on the hill were two of the inspiring facts I wanted to share in the window display.” 

The windows also include challenges for people to find architectural features in the nearby area, encouraging them to discover more about the town’s hidden history. 

Maggie added: “Shrewsbury is a town where we are always encouraged to look up, so, sending the onlooker on a journey to find cast iron decorations makes the displays more interactive. 

“I observed the other day a father and his daughter reading through the text on the Pride Hill window. He was pointing at the old photographs and showing her how the shops have changed and they set off to go find the Baccus head and fruit decoration. 

“It was lovely to see, and I am really pleased to have been involved in such a worthwhile project to help people explore the fascinating history of our wonderful town.” 

Emma Molyneux, of Shrewsbury BID, said creating window displays was a great way of improving the look of empty shop units. 

She said: “Despite our shop vacancy rates being very low, it is an unavoidable fact that units will be empty from time to time, so we are always keen to make empty shop windows as engaging as possible. 

“These two windows have really been brought to life by Maggie’s words and fascinating old photographs - they are creating a lot of interest from residents and visitors alike.”