The Parade Shopping Centre, Shrewsbury

Image: © Jaggery Taken: 15 Oct 2013

The shopping centre's website states that the building was originally The Royal Salop Infirmary, built as a subscription hospital for the people of Shropshire. Work began in 1826 and was completed by 1830. The architect, E.H. Haycock, designed the building in the Greek Revival style. In the mid 1970s the hospital faced closure on the completion of a new hospital. Many local people considered it a grimy white elephant worthy of demolition. The building was offered to the local authorities, national and government bodies. All declined and the building was put on the open market. By 1979 the hospital had been empty and deteriorating for two years. The building was eventually purchased by RMJ Freeman, a local businessman who had a reputation for conservation work on local historic buildings. The top floors would become residential with the lower two floors used for specialist shopping. The corridor plan of the building allowed a simple division of the ward spaces into 31 apartments. Key ingredients were the removal of the whole of the top floor operating suites, rear concrete balconies and 4 storey sluice block. The adjoining sheds and boiler rooms were demolished and the stonework repaired and replaced, according to the original design. From a conversion point of view the scheme is an undoubted success and broke new ground in Shrewsbury. The project set high standards in conservation at a time when demolition was still a likely option for an old building with no readily apparent reuse. A banner over the entrance at the October 2013 date of this view shows CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF 30 UNIQUE SHOPS.

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