Fish Street, Shrewsbury to close for repairs to Grade II* listed building

A small section of Fish Street in Shrewsbury will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles from Monday 15 February [2021], to allow essential repairs to be carried out to the grade II* listed Bear Steps building.

The building has suffered significant damage to the timber frame as a result of a vehicle strike to a section of the building in the recent past, which includes a weak point in the timber frame that was identified last summer.

To enable the repairs to be carried out and for the building to be supported adequately, scaffolding is to be erected across the width of Fish Street and this will replace the propping which was installed as an emergency measure when the defects were identified.

The section of road to be closed is approximately 20m in length and runs along a section of the Bear Steps building. Grope Lane will remain open as will the steps from Fish Street to St Alkmund’s Place which run underneath Bear Steps.

Due to the complexity of the repairs required and the statutory process which must be followed, the road closure is expected to be in place until at least November 2021.

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for assets, economic growth and regeneration, said:

“The repairs to the timber frame will be complex and PSG, the council’s property services group, is working closely with conservation architects and engineers to develop an appropriate design to be agreed with Historic England, with the repairs then carried out within a realistic timescale.

‘We appreciate people’s understanding and co-operation whilst these essential repairs are carried out.”

Appropriate signage will be put in place by Shropshire Council’s highways team, and letters are being delivered to local residents and businesses in the vicinity of Fish Street to advise them about the work.