The future of two major tourism initiatives – Shrewsbury in Bloom and the Summer Season – will be discussed at meetings next week following a series of resignations.
A fourth committee member has stood down from the award-winning Shrewsbury In Bloom, leaving just six.
Former chairman Richard Cooper, who is also a former chairman of Shropshire Horticultural Society, made his announcement this week after more than ten years’ service to the Bloom effort.
The committee led the town to victory in the International Communities in Bloom and Entente Florale competitions this summer but has since lost its chairman Stan Sedman and members Philip Davies and John Edwards.
Remaining members are due to meet next Thursday (November 15), to discuss their next move, appoint a new chairman and decide what competitions to enter next year. Mr Cooper said: “I have stepped down from the Shrewsbury In Bloom committee and I’ve done it to help progress the committee further and bring fresh blood in. Hopefully the committee can go on to bigger and better things in the future.”
Key member
Gary Farmer, Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council horticultural services manager, said: “Richard was a key member of our committee representing Shropshire Horticultural Society and we will be approaching the society to seek another representative.
“We have not yet decided what we will do about replacing the committee members who have resigned nor what competitions we will enter next year, and that will all be decided at our meeting next week.”
Meanwhile, trustees of Shrewsbury Summer Season are due to meet on Sunday, November 18, to discuss the departure of organiser Chris Eldon Lee. One of them, Lorna Crosse, said they were ‘devastated’ that he was leaving. “There is a meeting for trustees to discuss recent events,” she said. “He did such a brilliant job of putting us on the map. He has contributed a great deal to the festival.”
Summer season patron Tony Bywater, whose company Salop Leisure is a major supporter, said: “I’m so disappointed that we have lost such a talented guy like Chris who has been the driving force behind what Shrewsbury has achieved. I think he will be difficult to replace and without his leadership and vision I am seriously worried about its future success.”
It was announced last month that Mr Eldon Lee was stepping down from his role with Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council after four years.
Council spokesman Jon King said the three-month programme of events would now be managed ‘in house’ by other staff.