Shropshire welcomes water sports business to Ellesmere as part of English Tourism Week
As part of VisitEngland’s English Tourism Week, Shropshire Council, Visit Shropshire and Ellesmere Town Council have welcomed The Paddle Bros to Mere Cottage, Ellesmere, marking an exciting addition to the town’s growing visitor offer.
Chris and Tim Harris, Cllr Liz Woodbridge and Mark Hooper
The Paddle Bros will be opening their new centre at Mere Cottage on the shore of the Mere over the Easter weekend, underscoring the continued importance of tourism to Shropshire’s economy.
Each year, more than 10 million people visit the county, with tourism contributing roughly £910 million annually. The sector creates jobs for over 9000 individuals both directly and indirectly, making it one of the area’s largest employers. Tourism also fuels local economic growth, benefiting town centres, rural areas, and supply chains in food, retail, transport, accommodation, along with support services and trades.
The Paddle Bros will be opening their Mere Cottage centre over the Easter weekend where they will operate their business. The cottage, owned by Shropshire Council, sits on the shores of the Mere and provides a prime location for water sports including guided paddles, lessons and equipment hire for Stand-up Paddle Boarders, Canoeists and Kayakers.
Having the Paddle Bros on the Mereside will help to strengthen Ellesmere’s position as a destination for active and nature‑based tourism.
Councillor Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for economic growth and transport, said:
“The visitor economy is vital to Shropshire, supporting jobs, businesses, and communities. Improvements for visitors also benefit residents by creating jobs and enhancing local life. Companies such as The Paddle Bros contribute to tourism growth, encourage visitors to extend their stay, and provide facilities and jobs for the local community. Shropshire Council has been working with visitor economy stakeholders and is finalising a new Destination Management Plan (DMP) that will be reviewed by Shropshire Council’s Cabinet in April.”
Councillor Liz Woodbridge, Mayor of Ellesmere, welcomed the move and highlighted the town’s ambitions for visitor growth:
“Ellesmere’s visitor economy is incredibly important to our town. While the Mere is a major draw, our ambition is for people to stay longer and explore everything Ellesmere has to offer. We have a around 100 retail businesses in our historic high street and market hall and The Ellesmere Yard canal basin is seeing transformative developments. Ellesmere is also a fantastic hub for exploring North Shropshire, including the area’s wonderful landscape, canals, heritage and market towns such as Oswestry, Wem, Market Drayton and Whitchurch.”
Mark Hooper, project manager at Visit Shropshire, added:
“Our role at Visit Shropshire is to promote the county as a great place to visit and to support the businesses that make up our tourism sector. New ventures like The Paddle Bros add real value to the visitor experience, helping us showcase Shropshire’s landscapes, waterways and market towns while encouraging people to discover more and stay longer.”
Chris and Tim Harris from The Paddle Bros concluded:
“We’re thrilled to be moving to The Mere and look forward to welcoming visitors to Ellesmere. Our aim is to help boost the local economy by providing new water based experiences and encouraging people to explore the town and its surroundings. We are also committed to protecting the Mere’s ecology and ensuring that our operation supports and safeguards local wildlife.”
Notes to Editors
English Tourism Week celebrates the quality and diversity of England’s tourism sector and recognises the businesses, destinations and people that help drive local economies.
