Audlem residents bid for Kingbur Mill

Following on from the recent articles about the DEFRA cuts to British Waterways and how this might effect the canals, and in particular any effect this might have on the future of Kingbur Mill (The Canal Shop), Pete & Jane Marshall of Day-Star Theatre have teamed up with Ian & Liz Haughey from the village and have made a proposal and offer to British Waterways for the tenancy of the Mill. This offer has been selected as one of four that British Waterways is 'taking seriously' and they will be meeting with them next week for further discussion.

Briefly, their plans would be to continue and develop the shop as a gift, art and craft shop with a greater emphasis on the art and craft as well as also servicing canal users with the more consumable items of chandlery such as rope and fenders and lock keys.

The idea is to make the Mill into a year round facility for both the canal and the village. The middle floor would be used initially for art & craft workshops and the flat would remain at the top for sub letting.

They have also been in discussion with representatives from the Parish Council & the Parish plan and the reaction is favourable and supportive as is the influential Shropshire Union Canal Society.

They have no idea how the discussion with British Waterways will proceed but they hope to impress them with their collective experiences of big and small business, arts & crafts and their knowledge of both canal and village life. The most important point of all is their desire to preserve the Mill as part of the heritage of both the inland waterways and the village of Audlem.

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