Campaigners call on council to save art centre

Campaigners have called on Shropshire Council to protect a charity-run art centre amid concerns that the local authority plans to sell the building.

English Bridge Workshop at Abbey Foregate has provided studio spaces for local artists and community groups since 1985. The building is council-owned but run by the charity Makespace CIC.

The charity says its trustees have been working with the council for several years to investigate the possibility of a community asset transfer, which would hand over ownership of the building to the charity.

However, the council, which is facing a £60m funding gap, has announced that "all plans for community use of the building are on hold".

Councillor Kate Halliday told Shropshire Star: "The English Bridge Workshop has been an invaluable asset for the community for decades. So many residents from Shrewsbury and beyond have attended gigs, meetings, events and classes in the building over the years. Many of the regular classes provide a lifeline for people."

Campaigners are hosting a public meeting on 20 May to "unite community members, artists, and historians to brainstorm ways to protect and celebrate" the centre.