High street award said to boost trade and pride

Shrewsbury's Business Improvement District (BID) has said being named home of Britain's best high street will bring in more visitors and create local pride.

The town was given the accolade by The Telegraph newspaper which also praised Wyle Cop and the market, saying the area was "ideal for wandering and window shopping".

It is one of a number of awards the town has collected this year, including Britain's Favourite Market 2024.

"You just see the buzz that's created immediately when you get something like this," said Seb Slater, from the BID.

"The message will go out regionally, nationally…. we think visitors will definitely come on the back of that," he told BBC Radio Shropshire.

"It instils that local pride, people just suddenly say 'yeah, this is my town and we're winning national awards'."

The BID was told that Shrewsbury was in the running, and was asked to "sell the story of Shrewsbury".

"We sent a load of stuff their way about the amazing shops we've got, and the history, the heritage... and then we just found out on the day when it got published," said Mr Slater.

The newspaper said Wyle Cop and its 39 listed buildings was "hard to beat".

"It really is a very special street, and even in quite challenging times for retail, you see all the shops pretty much filled."

Shrewsbury was also recognised this year with three awards at the Heart of England in Bloom competition

"The heritage environment, those 600 listed buildings just create the most wonderful environment for people to come and spend time, and then you add on our independent shops," said Mr Slater.

Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.