A ‘SWAP-SHOP’ style event to promote tourism in Ludlow and south Shropshire has been staged as businesses gear up for the start of the season.

The Great Shropshire Hills and Ludlow Swap Shop was an afternoon event held yesterday (Wednesday, March 25) at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm.

It provided a pre-season opportunity to network and promote tourism in the Shropshire Hills.

The event was a joint initiative supported by Shropshire Council and Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership’s Sustainable Business Scheme.

Nigel McDonald, sustainable business officer for the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership, said: “Local tourism thrives on meeting people and making contacts.”

Suzy Gibson, the farm manager at Acton Scott, said the venue will open for the 2015 season next Monday (March 30).

“This year we will be demonstrating hand milking, encouraging children to bottle feed our cade lambs, and some beautiful chicks are just hatching,” she said.

“There will be demonstrations by our blacksmiths and wheelwrights. The farm is a really special place at Easter, with its promise of new life.”