Councils look at options for Victorian building

Enforcement action could be taken to give an elaborate Victorian building a "new lease of life".

The owner of the New Market Building in Bridgnorth received planning permission in 2014 to convert it into a hotel, but nothing has happened.

While it is not in a dangerous condition, the Victorian Society has included it in a list of the top 10 most endangered buildings for 2026.

Shropshire Council and Bridgnorth Town Council said it was affecting the rest of the high street and that while funding was scarce, they would look for "a solution that benefits the whole community".

The building was designed by a local architect and built in the 1850s.

It was originally intended to be an indoor market, but has served a number of uses over the years.

The two councils said it was now "suffering from the effects of a prolonged period of under use and neglect".

They also said the responsibility for the building lay with its owner, and while it recognised repairs would take time, the councils wanted to find a "better future for it".

The building had the "potential to boost the local economy and revitalise the wider town centre", they said, so with the help of some Heritage at Risk grant funding they were exploring their options.

The council said they would work with "all interested parties", including local campaigners, Historic England and the Victorian Society.

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