Latest news with #BishopsCastle
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
State of Three Tuns pub in Bishop's Castle branded a travesty
Disrepair at a tourist attraction pub has been branded an "embarrassment" one week on from its Three Tuns Inn in Bishop's Castle, Shropshire, shut its doors on 11 July due to "unforeseen circumstances", owner Heineken Star Pubs sits next to the Three Tuns Brewery, established in 1642 and believed to be the oldest licensed brewing site in Britain. But while there has been no direct link between the pair for 20 years, the pub still draws the attention of visitors fascinated by the industrial history next door. Now, though, those tourists can no longer get a pint - an issue which could dent the wider local economy, some observers fear. Town councillor Tim Halford said the pub was the "biggest tourism attraction in this town", but was now "an embarrassment and a travesty"."There's plaster falling off the walls, you can't read the name - it is looking decrepit, it is sad, it is tired," he stated, adding the Bishop's Castle community would fight for the pub to re-open. "We will not let this happen - it is very sad," he Star Pubs said it wanted "to reopen the pub as soon as possible", adding it was "looking to recruit a new licensee". As well as a brewing legacy, the venue boasts a long list of famous patrons, including Rod Stewart and Robert Plant, and bears a blue plaque remembering customer Jerry Lordan - a songwriter for stars including Cliff Richard. The town's mayor Josh Dickin is concerned there will be an impact on tourism as the summer holidays begin."We will see a knock-on effect, because people are coming here and they're very disappointed [by the pub]," he said. "I fear that those tourists may never come back - without the Three Tuns that's now unfortunately shut, and before wasn't firing on all cylinders, it's detrimental to our tourist economy." As well as a place for a drink, the Three Tuns Inn plays an important role in the town's dancers and singers Trevor and Kay Hedges said they were "very sad" about the pub's closure."It's the centre of the community," said Mrs Hedges, adding that her morris side practices there every single week."Without the Three Tuns, there's nowhere quite the same," she said. Mr Hedges recalled that 45 years ago on his "very first night in Shropshire" he was taken to a concert at the venue."I've been to concerts there, I've played at concerts there, we dance there every week - it's very sad," he explained. A spokesperson for Heineken Star Pubs said that "due to unforeseen circumstances the previous temporary operator has had to close The Three Tuns".They added that the company wanted to re-open the pub "as soon as possible" and were "looking to recruit a new licensee", and were "very keen to undertake a major transformational internal and external refurbishment of The Three Tuns once a suitable candidate has been identified to take the pub forward".Three Tuns Brewery told BBC Radio Shropshire that "like many in the community, we're saddened to see [the pub] close and remain hopeful it will re-open under new stewardship that reflects its heritage and potential". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
River Onny waste pipeline plan scrapped
Plans for a pipeline to release treated waste water into a Shropshire river have been Trent Water had proposed building a four-mile pipe to take treated sewage from its plant in Bishop's Castle and discharge it into the River Onny, which sparked a local campaign against the water company said on Friday that the plan would not proceed, as early modelling had shown it was not possible to guarantee that there would be no impact on the company added that, from the start of consultations, it had been made clear the plans would only go ahead if there was no "adverse impact" on the river. The water currently enters the Snakescroft Brook, which runs into the River Kemp and in turn the River Clun is protected by law as it is a conservation area, but the Onny does not have the same Trent said its original proposal aimed to improve the Clun, but it would no longer proceed after the results of the "initial water quality modelling work". Ruth Houghton, councillor for Bishop's Castle at Shropshire Council, posted on Facebook that she was "very pleased" with Severn Trent's decision not to proceed with the Onny Preservation Group, which includes local anglers and landowners, had launched a petition against the plans that attracted more than 9,200 Trent said an alternative proposal would now need to be developed and added that the decision had been agreed upon by all groups involved, which included the Environment Agency and Natural England.A spokesperson for the company said they hoped the decision not to proceed with the Onny pipeline would be "reassuring news" for many members of the community. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
