Here at Invest in Oswestry, our core mission is to champion the independent businesses that make our market town thrive, while promoting the vibrant economic future of our high street.

A topic currently drawing a lot of attention in the community is the future of Church Street. Local favourite Gillhams Deli recently shared their disappointment after planning permission was declined for an expansion into the neighbouring, vacant former Radfords Butchers building. The proposal aimed to extend their popular deli and café area, a move that would have brought an empty premises back into active use and created five new local jobs.

Shropshire Council’s decision was based on preservation grounds, noting the need to protect the historic, Grade II listed storefront. While safeguarding Oswestry’s unique architectural heritage is incredibly important to all of us, long-term vacant shop fronts, currently marked by temporary wooden hoarding, present their own challenges for the high street’s visual appeal and footfall.

As an independent platform, we believe that economic growth and heritage preservation don’t have to be mutually exclusive. High-quality local businesses like Gillhams Deli are the lifeblood of our town centre. Finding a constructive compromise that respects the historic features of the butchers’ shop front while allowing a successful local employer to expand would be a massive win for Church Street, local job creation, and the town as a whole.

Oswestry has a brilliant track record of adaptive reuse, where historic character meets modern business innovation. We hope to see a positive resolution in the future where this empty space can once again contribute to our bustling town centre economy.