Appeal launched for memories of Shrewsbury’s former Riverside Shopping Centre

News from Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership

The Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership is inviting people to share their memories, photographs and stories of Shrewsbury’s former Riverside Shopping Centre as part of Riverside Remembered, a legacy project that will celebrate the history of the landmark site.

The Riverside Remembered exhibition is set to open at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery in January 2027, and will explore the cultural, social and commercial impact of the Riverside Centre, which was demolished in 2024 to pave the way for the transformation of the Smithfield Riverside project between Ravens Meadow and Smithfield Road.

A significant chapter in Shrewsbury’s story, the Riverside Shopping Centre was widely advertised as “the only shopping in the town with mass car parking”, and for decades it served as a hub for everyday shopping, meeting friends and enjoying Shrewsbury’s nightlife.

An artist’s impression of the Riverside Shopping Centre before it was built

Help tell the stories that shaped a place

An online portal has been created for members of the public to share their photos, videos and memories which will contribute to the Riverside Remembered Exhibition.

There will also be opportunities for members of the public to help research themed stories using original newspaper clippings and material preserved at Shropshire Archives.

The Big Town Plan Partnership is especially keen to hear from those who were involved with or remember key aspects of the centre’s history, including:

• Events at the former Tiffany’s Nightclub, known later as Park Lane and various other names before closing its doors for good in 2017. Anyone who recalls memorable nights out, including the iconic performance by The Stone Roses, or took part in any other events including Miss Shropshire beauty pageants is encouraged to get in touch.
• Construction of the Riverside shopping complex during the 1960s.
• Memories of the Riverside Medical Practice on Roushill, which served the community from 1987 to 2008 led by Dr Robert Park.
• Shoppers and workers who remember the centre’s early promotional campaigns and its role as a convenient, car-friendly retail destination.
• Connections to neighbouring stores, particularly those who used the pedestrian link to Woolworths and Littlewoods.

Stories are welcomed from parents, grandparents, past employees, local shop owners, friends and loved ones who have recollections to share—no matter how small.

Personal memories, family anecdotes, community experiences and photographs will help build a meaningful and authentic record of what the Riverside meant to the people of Shrewsbury.

Reminiscence groups starting in early 2026

To support the project, the Big Town Plan Partnership will be holding a series of Reminiscence Groups in early 2026. These sessions will provide a relaxed environment for volunteers to talk about their memories, bring mementos and contribute ideas for the upcoming exhibition. Trained facilitators will help guide discussions and gather details that will later form part of the research and display.

Get involved

If you have memories of the Riverside Shopping Centre—whether from everyday visits, work, nightlife, health services or special events—the Big Town Plan would love to hear from you.

Memories and photos can be submitted by visiting:
www.smithfieldriverside.com/remembered

To join a reminiscence session or contribute material, please email: riversideremembered@shropshire.gov.uk

Further information

The work described above is aligned with the vision of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan (BTP), a collaborative and strategic framework developed to guide the future of Shrewsbury into and beyond 2036. The Plan is delivered through a formal partnership between Shropshire Council, Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury BID (Business Improvement District).

The partnership brings together local government and business-community leadership to shape the town’s economic vitality, environmental quality and movement and place-making.

Through the Big Town Plan, the partners have set out key themes including movement and place, enterprise and economic vitality, nurturing natural and historic assets, and creating an enhanced visitor, resident and investor experience in Shrewsbury.
The partnership provides a delivery mechanism for major investments, public-realm enhancements and policy guidance in the town centre and wider town area, in line with the aspirations of the Big Town Plan.

Shropshire Council purchased the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside Shopping Centres in January 2018, enabling the long-term regeneration project now underway. Public consultation on the future of the Riverside area began in 2023, with many residents expressing nostalgia for the well-loved centre that once connected the town’s retail quarter by a pedestrian bridge to Woolworths and Littlewoods in Pride Hill.