Cautious welcome for new chain stores in Ludlow (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Cautious welcome for new chain stores in Ludlow

2:11pm Thursday 19th April 2012 in Ludlow By Adrian Kibbler

LUDLOW Chamber of Commerce has said it has mixed feelings about the arrival of several national outlets into the town.

The face of shopping in Ludlow is changing, with clothing shop Tara closing down and national chains Crew Clothing and Fat Face planning to move in.

Newsagent W H Smith has also just opened a shop in the town.

Tish Dockerty, secretary of the chamber, said: “We are aware of a number of new chain shops that are opening up in the town presently and in the near future.

“These are national chains that are new to the town and the hope is that they will add attraction for shoppers and hopefully bring different people in to shop.

“We are a small market town in a period of heightened recession and the chamber is proud that we don’t have the same number of empty premises which blight so many other similar high streets up and down the country.

“However the chamber, whose members comprise many of the local independent shop owners which make up the rich and diverse shopping offered by the town, understandably feel threatened by major chains.”

Chamber chairman Carole Clayton said it would be a shame if Ludlow lost its distinctive character.

“What we don’t want is Ludlow to become the same as any other high street, full of the same old names you get everywhere,”

she said.

“Part of the town’s charm and attractiveness is that we have such a rich variety of shops, mainly independently owned by local business people that range from butchers and bakers to high end interior design. There’s something for everyone.”