IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Emstrey, Atcham, SHREWSBURY, SY5 6QS

Looking south east on the old A5.

Salop Leisure sell mobile homes and static caravans and are a very well established local company. The gate guardian here at their newish HQ is this magnificent eagle statue. With the backdrop of the Wrekin, a high young moon and a blue winter sky he looks almost real. His stand though looks a bit jarring to my eye. I think he needs to be displayed indoors by cables. Would any legal firms be interested? For their foyer / lobby etc. Legal eagles and all that... but I bet he weighs many kilos.

This Golden Eagle statue is pretty stunning - but his stand looks wrong. I don't feel that it is keeping with the bird to have a stand - cables or wires maybe would be better, as after all he is in flight.....

Looking towards Emstrey

Salop Leisure started life as Salop Caravans in 1966 - selling touring caravans, used caravans, static caravans and motorhomes. Over the next forty years it expanded so in 2006 a brand new, seven acre, caravan showroom and service centre was built at Emstrey, just outside Shrewsbury on the A5.

At first sight you could think this was a health & fitness centre, except that there are an awful lot of caravans and mobile homes around. In fact it is caravans, mobile homes, and the like, that the company sells. They moved to this new site, accessed from the B4380 (Emstrey Bank) in 2006, having been at Meole Brace in Shrewsbury since 1966, when they were known as Salop Caravans. Salop is the old name often used for Shropshire, but it was dropped some years ago by the County Council and in many other contexts. The word caused some embarrassment in the European Parliament, because it is an impolite term in French. This is rather ironic, as the abbreviation Salop derives from the Anglo-French "Salopesberia".

Caravan dealers on Emstrey Bank.

Shropshire Leisure Fabrications Ltd states that: "The Dragonfly was made over a period of several months and is made of steel plate, steel tube, polycarbonate sheeting and translucent vinyl. It has a wingspan of over 34ft and is also 34ft long. It is now located at Salop Leisure headquarters in Emstrey, Shropshire."

This magnificent Welsh Dragon was commissioned by Salop Leisure. See:- Image It is temporarily residing at their HQ, on part of the extended car park. It is due to move to Wales later in 2011, when it will make its permanent home on the Cambrian Coast. Its role will be to guard the entrance to the five-star Min-y-Don Holiday Home and Touring Park, which nestles below the famous Harlech Castle. The metal dragon is 16ft long, 11ft high and 10ft wide. See also:- Image Image