Business boost for town from Euro tie

A town's Business Improvement District (BID) has said traders reaped the benefit of 2,000 visiting Swedish football fans last week.

Shrewsbury Town Football Club hosted The New Saints' (TNS) European clash with Djurgarden on Thursday, with hundreds of supporters travelling to watch in person.

Despite reports of vandalism at the ground, Shrewsbury BID and the town's Pubwatch said the experience elsewhere was positive.

Stephanie Mansell-Jones said footfall on matchday was up by a quarter compared to the previous Thursday and equivalent day last year.

"The feedback we’ve had has been really positive from all sorts of different types of businesses," said Ms Mansell-Jones.

"Accommodation all seems to have been full, cafes and restaurants... just last week when I was walking around, you could see fans in there with their scarves and their badges on," she said.

Kev Rippard is co-owner of the Salopian Bar, and is chair of Pubwatch in Shrewsbury.

He said the extra footfall was "brilliant" for the bar.

"It was great really, mid-week trade, much needed," he said.

"The Wednesday night we were pretty much full, Thursday day before the game and after later on we had a good few in.

"I think mid-week some of the pubs are struggling a bit in the town... weekends we do really well, but the mid-week extra footfall does really really help."

Despite the uptick for businesses, Shrewsbury Town said after the match that Djurgarden supporters had caused damage to the ground.

More than two dozen seats were ripped out of the Croud Meadow's West Stand alongside "substantial damage" to lighting, tables and chairs in Smithy's Bar and the Fanzone, a spokesperson said.

The BBC has approached Djurgarden for comment.

"It’s a shame there’s always going to be one or two that are going to spoil things, but I think overall we’ve seen more positives than negatives," said Ms Mansell-Jones.

Mr Rippard said some Swedish fans had left stickers in his pub, but did not encounter any issues.

"If that's the biggest issue we’ve got to worry about, that’s all good," he said.

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