Michael Sargeant from Wem has sent us a photo of his 'cascade of clematis' with the doves of love and peace in the background If you have any photos you would like to share with readers you can submit them via Your World, here - don’t forget to select the Shropshire Star so your photo reaches us and as much information as you can about the photo including any questions you would like help in answering So dust off your photo album and send us your old school pictures - from sports days to end of term class photos; Scouts and Girlguiding groups village or town carnivals - maybe you were carnival queen - whatever the memory - we want to hear from you Key takeaways from the report include the following: For more information or to find out how to become a subscriber, contact Piers Beesley © 2025 Aurora Energy Research. Terms Cookies Policies and Compliance Renovation of Wem’s White Horse Hotel took a step closer recently following Shropshire Council’s appointment of Buttress Architects to carry out surveys and options appraisal of this Grade II listed building The Council purchased the building in 2023 after years of it lying derelict Now thanks to a Heritage at Risk grant from Historic England and working with the local community Shropshire Council can move closer to the repair of this prominent property and bring it back into use providing a boost the town’s High Street renewal The upcoming analytical work on the site courtesy of Buttress Architects will provide the Council with the necessary information to chart a path toward reopening the building ensuring its future safety and sustainable use while also fostering local economic development Part of this initiative includes an appraisal of several options the Council plans to consult the Wem community seeking their input and preferences on potential developments Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for Housing & Assets “Shropshire Council took the bold decision to buy the White Horse after many years of neglect in order to bring it back into use and create a positive uplift at this important part of Wem high street We are pleased to have received funding from Historic England as it allows us to move the project forward” “The appointment of architects to begin the survey work of Wem’s historic White Horse Hotel is an important next step not only in this building’s history but also in the future prosperity of our town.” “We see this regeneration project as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Wem and its surrounding area and a much-needed improvement to the look of our High Street.” “We look forward to hearing the appraisal options coming from the survey and working with the local community to agree a way forward for this historic and prominent Wem building.” For more information about the White Horse Hotel follow this link: https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2023/07/white-horse-wem-purchased-shropshire-council-renovation/ Email: communications@shropshire.gov.uk Phone: 01743 252826 Email: customer.service@shropshire.gov.uk Phone: 0345 678 9000 The egg business in Shropshire that was forced to cull 1.4 million hens earlier this year following an outbreak of avian influenza is to close its packing centre permanently Oakland Farm Eggs will close its packing centre at Wem in Shropshire while continuing to operate its second packing site at Rubcon The site is currently under disease control restrictions and is being disinfected A farming source told PB: “The Oaklands site has been at the heart of the family’s operation since 1972 when it started production with its first shed As I’m sure you will appreciate this has been a challenging time for the family and some difficult decisions must be made for the long-term future of the business the family have reluctantly taken a decision to close the Wen packing site permanently.” The Griffiths family is in discussions about the future of the site in general The earliest option to bring birds back on to the site would be in six months The family is reviewing several options as it looks for an alternative site near to Oaklands Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions A Wem road will be closed for several days over the next few weeks for surface dressing works Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 As part of Shropshire Council's surface dressing programme the B5065 near Wem will soon face a series of closures which involves applying and rolling aggregate ‘chippings’ onto a bitumen binder to seal the surface The site forms part of a countywide programme of schemes, which Shropshire Council said is scheduled to deliver the work in the most efficient and cost-effective way directing drivers towards the A49 via Lee Brockhurst Questions relating to the schemes should be sent to Shropshire Highways via email: Highwaysconsultation@shropshire.gov.uk Firefighters were called out to deal with a car fire in Wem The Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had been called to the incident at Wem Lane One fire crew from Prees was dispatched to deal with the incident An update from the fire service said that the crew had worn breathing equipment while using hosereel jets and a thermal imaging camera to tackle the blaze They said the car had been '100 per cent' involved in fire A tractor has been destroyed by a fire on a farm near Wem The Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service received a call at around 3.17pm reporting a fire on Creamore Three fire crews were sent from Shrewsbury Wem and Whitchurch fire stations to the scene Reports from the fire service said one tractor was "100 per cent" damaged by the fire a muck spreader that was attached to the vehicle has also been severely damaged Firefighters used one hose reel jet while wearing breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire A devastating outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or H5N1) has struck a major egg production site near Wem leading to the reported culling of over a million laying hens a significant player in the UK egg industry confirmed the outbreak at its Oaklands Farm near Wem prompting immediate action to contain the spread of the disease one of the largest single outbreaks of bird flu in the UK has significant implications for the entire egg industry The Oaklands site not only houses a large flock of hens but also serves as a major processing centre handling a substantial portion of the UK’s barn egg production The outbreak has created a ripple effect across the supply chain The processing centre at Oaklands is currently unable to receive or ship any eggs and other businesses reliant on the facility acknowledged the devastating impact of the outbreak including increasing throughput at the company’s Ruabon packing centre he also warned of potential supply shortages due to the reduced production capacity The UK government’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has implemented strict movement restrictions around the infected site A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been established to prevent the spread of the disease The British Free-Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) expressed deep concern over the outbreak emphasising the long-term consequences for the industry The loss of such a significant production site will undoubtedly impact egg availability and prices in the coming months This outbreak serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of avian influenza Defra has urged all poultry keepers to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of the disease immediately Shropshire Live has been providing Shropshire news and entertainment since 2009 We reach tens of thousands of readers per month making us the biggest online-only news publication in the county You can now also listen to Shropshire Live Read more about us For general enquiries and press releases email interact@shropshirelive.com or call 01743 818 095 For advertising opportunities call Fiona on 01743 816 817 or email sales@shropshirelive.com Shropshire Live is regulated by impress Read our Privacy Policy or find out more about our use of cookies and change your personal settings by viewing our We and our {{count}} partners use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your experience on our website We may store and/or access information on a device and process personal data audience research and services development we may utilize precise geolocation data and identification through device scanning Please note that your consent will be valid across all our subdomains You can change or withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the “Consent Preferences” button at the bottom of your screen We respect your choices and are committed to providing you with a transparent and secure browsing experience A North Shropshire football competition that was enjoyed by thousands of players for over 40 years is to hold a reunion The Wem and District Sunday League – which included teams from the Oswestry Wem and Whitchurch areas – folded just over 10 years ago the brainchild of Wem footballer Derek Hutchinson The first winners were a Gobowen team - an Orthopaedic Hospital side which featured future England cricketer Andy Lloyd A number of clubs in the league went on to win Shropshire county competitions Why the demise of Sunday football in North Shropshire The strict interpretation of new international clearance rules for players who also played Saturday football in Wales or who lived on the “wrong side” of the national border commitment and a lack of the type of volunteers who used to keep clubs going,” said the league secretary at the time Now a group of former players and officials want to remember and share the good times and are inviting anyone who had any involvement with the league to a get-together It’ll be held at the Institute at St Martins near Oswestry on the afternoon of Sunday 1 June with a buffet (there’ll be a small charge to cover the cost) and a charity raffle who used to play for and then manage village side Trefonen FC said: “I’m sure there are so many who will remember the joy of Sunday morning football the friendships going back over many years added: “We’d like to get in touch with as many clubs as possible who played in the league over its whole history and we’d encourage anyone interested in coming or who can point us towards people involved with clubs all those years ago to contact me as soon as possible - it would be fantastic to have as many clubs team officials and referees as possible represented at the reunion.” You can contact Russ Ellis at: russis@btinternet.com Both the town and parish councils have objected to a proposal to build 100 homes in Wem and the Harrison family have jointly submitted a reserved matters application for the development on land west of Lowe Hill Road after their outline plans got the green light following an appeal Shropshire Council refused the original application in June 2020 due to landscape and visual harm issues evidence was provided to overcome these matters have had the opportunity to fully appraise this information and in preparation for the planned hearing the agreed Statement of Common Ground confirmed that the council no longer wanted to rely on the first refusal reason,” said Mr Chandler who granted permission for the outline plans in January 2022 Wem Town Council says it continues to have ‘serious concerns’ about the proposed single access into and out of the site due to its proximity to the entrance to Thomas Adams School and the junction with Pyms Road “The increased number of vehicles entering and leaving the development will cause significant traffic issues in the town,” said a spokesperson “The town council would request an urgent meeting with council officers to discuss these concerns over access in more detail “It is the council’s aspiration to extend the route of the current town bus to include new housing developments in the town which would reduce residents’ reliance on vehicles for shorter journeys within the town itself the proposed road layout within the development should be designed in such a way as to provide for a potential bus route along with sufficient space for associated public transport infrastructure to facilitate any future expansion of the bus network in the town.” The spokesperson added that the council is also concerned about the design of the proposed play area on the development “No other public open spaces in Wem have wooden play equipment and the council has serious concerns over the longevity of wooden equipment in this location,” said the spokesperson the equipment to be provided is uninspiring for such a large development and not designed for the two-18 age group as stated in the application The town council would wish to see equipment provided that is of high quality inclusive and installed on a surface that accessible for all “The town council consider that as part of any planning permission a 106 agreement should be agreed that can be put towards infrastructure improvements in the town that may be impacted by a development of this nature.” The parish council said it also shares concerns about the proposed single access into and out of the site has says that should planning permission be granted there should be a condition that a minimum of 100 swift nest bricks be installed to enhance biodiversity “Swifts are now a ‘red-listed’ species on the list of birds of conservation concern and a priority species for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB),” said Mr Davison swifts will be lost as a breeding species in the UK which will be of great concern to local communities who really value these unique summer visitors.” said she is satisfied with the bat and bird boxes proposed on the Ecological Enhancements Plan although added that some of the boxes are going to be illuminated by proposed lighting Shropshire Council is set to consider the application in due course A host of roads are set to get 20mph limits under new proposals to improve safety outside a school in Wem Several roads in Wem are set to become 20mph zones as Shropshire Council reveals plans to improve safety outside The Thomas Adams School A consultation is currently underway over the proposals which would also see the formalisation of the existing advisory 'school keep clear' markings and the introduction of waiting restrictions along Lowe Hill Road and Pyms Road "The introduction of a 20mph speed limit along Lowe Hill Road Pyms Road and a number of their adjoining streets is proposed to improve road safety outside The Thomas Adams School," the consultation documents state Roads set for a new 20mph limit include 84 metres of Lowe Hill Road and 27 metres of Pyms Road can be viewed at Wem Library during usual opening hours Alternatively, copies may be requested by emailing traffic.engineering@shropshire.gov.uk by writing to the Traffic Engineering Team or make any other comments about these proposals are asked to email or write to the adresses above but for legal reasons objections cannot be accepted over the phone Shropshire Council has also recently proposed a speed reduction and an extension of parking restrictions outside the Grove School in Market Drayton The council is proposing to introduce a 20mph speed limit along Stafford Street, and for the whole of Grove Gardens, as part of a new programme to "improve road safety outside the Grove School and Sixth Form" an extension of current waiting restrictions is being proposed that will see a reduction in 'school keep clear' markings and new double yellow lines in their place The council intends to impose a 'no stopping, keep clear' markings restriction on Stafford Street and Great Hales Street and a 'no waiting at any time' restriction on Stafford Street A "first class" parcel of land ideal for the grazing of all kinds of livestock has been listed for sale The grass/arable land off Woodhouse Lane near Wem extends to approximately 8.49 acres It has hit the market with Halls Estate Agents with a guide price of £85,000 The listing says the land is situated in an "unspoilt" rural location and offers "good access" onto a quiet country lane The land has been described as "ideal" for people with horses and has a hard to come by listing The listing states: "The land is currently retained within a single enclosure of grass/arable land which is ideal for the grazing of all kinds of livestock fertile and in good heart with clearly defined and mature boundaries and access on to a quiet council maintained country lane sandy loam and would be considered 'early' The land is located in a noted farming district so should certainly be of interest to local farmers looking to supplement their existing acreages and also by those with equestrian interests "It is rare for such a good quality and handy sized parcel of land such as this to become available for purchase in this area have no hesitation in recommending it for an immediate inspection." Further information can be found on Rightmove Two years after securing permission to redevelop The Old Post Office in Wem and build a block of apartments on site The building, on Wem's high street was formerly the site of The Seven Stars Inn until it was demolished in 1908 The property was then rebuilt as a Post Office which continued to be used until 1995 when the sorting office was moved to another site and the counter operations to the Morris Centre the pub permanently closed in December 2022 the then-owners were given permission to redevelop the site for domestic use converting the ground floor to a retail unit demolishing several outbuildings and building a block of seven new apartments The B5476 from Wem to Tilstock is to be surface dressed between 2 and 30 July [2024] with work to be carried out in three stages The work is currently programmed to take place as follows: Work will take place from 9.30am to 4pm on each day While the road is closed a signed diversion will be in place and access will be provided to residential properties and businesses within the work area Depending on their vehicle type people may be able to choose their own shorter diversion route The road will have an initial sweep within 24 hours of the new surface being laid and the sweeper will return after seven days to remove any residual loose chippings For a detailed, interactive map and further information visit and search the One Network website. efficient and cost-effective way of preventing potholes maintaining skid-resistance and waterproofing road surfaces It forms a major part of the council’s annual road maintenance programme and is being carried out alongside other preventative and reactive maintenance work Almost 50 stretches of road across Shropshire are set to be treated this summer as part of Shropshire Council’s 2024 surface dressing programme – work that will play a key role in improving the county’s roads Signs will be erected in the road before work starts and the work will be completed as quickly as possible access to the works area will be restricted to: People are asked to ensure that vehicles are not parked on the road during the day whilst the work is in progress All planned roadworks are subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. Any changes will be displayed on the yellow advanced warning signs and on https://one.network/ A north Shropshire electrical distribution firm has been acquired by Lancashire-based Ipsum for an undisclosed sum Specialist engineering services provider, Ipsum, announced its acquisition of Wem-based transmission and distribution engineering company, Wootton & Wootton Ipsum is a leading provider of engineering services in the Power It works in partnership with customers across regulated and non-regulated environments to optimise asset performance supporting the security and resilience of critical networks The company says the addition will complement Ipsum’s work with UK Transmission and Distribution Network Operators They added that the company's Shropshire location will allow Ipsum to "better serve the Midlands and Wales" “This acquisition marks a pivotal moment for Wootton & Wootton," said Lee Wootton we’re not just combining resources; we’re amplifying our ability to innovate we’re poised to unlock new opportunities that will benefit our customers while driving sustainable growth and reliability in power distribution and transmission This partnership is a testament to our shared vision of powering a brighter Wootton & Wootton is a specialist transmission and distribution services provider with extensive knowledge of cable installation “We are thrilled to welcome Wootton & Wootton into the Ipsum family," said Andrew Cowan "Not only will the acquisition bolster existing capabilities in electrical cable systems up to and including 275kV its Shropshire location will allow Ipsum to better serve the Midlands and Wales "This acquisition represents a strategic step forward in our Power division combining our strengths to create a powerhouse of expertise This acquisition not only expands our market presence but also allows us to better serve our existing client base "We’re excited to deliver even greater value to our shareholders Chorley-based Ipsum says it works in partnership with customers across regulated and non-regulated environments to optimise asset performance supporting the security and resilience of critical networks.