Town sees benefits of summer castle concerts

An annual series of concerts at Ludlow Castle have been a huge economic boost for the town, traders have said.

This year's events got underway on Thursday night with Snow Patrol as the headline act, with Paul Weller due on Friday, The Human League on Saturday and Tom Grennan on Sunday.

The Streets, Rick Astley, Richard Ashcroft and the Scissor Sisters are also due to perform this summer. Event organisers, Futuresound Group, said the gigs brought in more than £1m to the Shropshire market town last year.

Ian Evans, chair of Ludlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce said his shop saw a 25% increase in trade while the concerts were on and described them as a "massive event" for the town.

Evans has run the Broad Bean delicatessen on Broad Street for 10 years and said there was "lots of excitement" in the build-up to the concerts, which began in 2023.

He said his shop saw people come in for food and drink for picnics and businesses in the town were not the only ones to benefit - their suppliers were also getting a boost in sales.

Reannon Hicks from The Olde Bull Ring Tavern has also seen an upturn in trade during the concert-season.

"They give all of the businesses in Ludlow a welcome boost but the impact goes further than that, I think it really just builds atmosphere."

This year pubs have also benefited from the World Cup and two heatwaves.

"Everybody likes to come out for a drink when the sun is out," she said.

Hicks and her staff have all got tickets for Tom Grennan - an example of how the events were bringing the community together.

"I do feel like we have got something quite special here," she added.

"I'd love for people to leave with the feeling that they want to come back to Ludlow, because it has got so much to offer."

Visitors to the town appear to have been impressed.

Dan Robinson from Toronto in Canada was visiting with his wife and two friends.

"I just got here yesterday, but it's just a great little town. Went to the Blue Boar yesterday and had dinner and we just love it here. It's so relaxing."

His friend Paul Robinson said they were thinking of buying property in Ludlow and thought the local people were "fabulous" adding concerts like the ones at the castle offered more "for the community" than big arena events.

Linda Spyby from Wrexham described the castle venue as "magical".

She was enjoying her first visit to the town and said: "I'm just starting to have a look around the shops and the cafes and they're all independent rather than these big chains and it's a real friendly atmosphere."

Nick Wingett, who came from Yateley in Hampshire, said he had never been to Ludlow before, but was impressed by the friendliness the locals.

He said said a market trader had handed out free water to people outside the castle gates.

"I thought that was wonderful, he didn't have to do that," he said.

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