Tenbury's drive to get the tills ringing for independent traders (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Tenbury's drive to get the tills ringing for independent traders

4:38pm Thursday 2nd August 2012 in News By Adrian Kibbler

A MAJOR drive in the recovery of Tenbury has taken place in a bid to get the town back on its feet.

The final weekend in July saw a traders in Tenbury joining together for ‘independents day’ – while the Regal Cinema also opened for the first time since it closed for an £800,000 refurbishment.

A national day of action to draw attention to independent shops throughout the UK provided the platform for the initiative in Tenbury.

Building on their support for the national scheme, Independent Retailer Month, the traders in the town had their own special day on Saturday.

The posters in the shop windows in Tenbury Wells are raising awareness of the scheme which helps to promote independent shops nationally.

Retailers promoted their businesses to shoppers and showcasing their products and skills.

Special Occasions was gift wrapping, The Little Fish Shop held an oyster tasting session, The Clockhouse had a cheese and sausage tasting, The Little Dress Shop entered customers into a draw for a voucher to use in the shop at a later date, and Ashley’s bakery gave away an Olympic gingerbread lion to customers who spent £5 or more.

Several businesses that trade from home in the Tenbury also came into town for the morning to promote their products and services.

“I am totally behind any opportunity to promote Tenbury Wells and also my business in the Town,” said Graham Smith of The Little Fish Shop.

“Supporting a national scheme is an exciting way of making people aware of what we have here in Tenbury Wells. I have already listed The Little Fish Shop on the Independent Shops website and encourage more traders to do the same.”

The Regal Cinema reopened for a special week to celebrate the 75th anniversary of when the iconic building first opened in 1937.

At the heart of the commemoration was a party exactly 75 years after the cinema took its first paying customer where some people wore 1930’s outfit and there was a special showing of Bugsy Malone.

There was also a gala evening in the style of the 30’s with a showing of The Artist and a showing of a cartoon film from 1937.

Music of the era was provided by Naomi Payne’s Hotsy- Totsy Band.

Movie fans for the future are being encouraged by the launch of a Cine Monkeys film club and Mini Cine Monkeys sessions for the under 7s.

Family tours of The Regal are also taking place throughout August.

The day-to-day running of The Regal that is owned by Tenbury Town Council will be handed over to an independent trust from September.

A new digital projection and audio system will be installed during August and the old 35mm projector that dates back to the 1950s will stay in the Regal on exhibition.

It is also planned that a cafe will open for customers of the cinema and for people in the town.