After my small involvement withe the Rapid Task & Finish group, set up to look at the Shirehall with a fresh view, the report has finally been delivered to the council. In summary it shows that there are many other options open to the council other than just demolishing the current buildings and selling off the land to developers. It was the product of Dawn Husemann’s group that was set up to appraise the council, made up of surveyors, architects, contractors, council members, MPs, former workers, and other members of the community that could provide expert opinions.
The report has dropped this week, and it is interesting to see the reactions to it from the members of the public who read and then commented about it. It is a very divisive set of buildings and even the fact that a new report was developed is cause for some to complain that the council are wasting more money on the delaying of the inevitable destruction. The report was developed from the Task & Finish group as many members of different societies and groups thought that the council had ignore many options and gone straight to the most destructive of all.
Shropshire Star ran a piece on it https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/shrewsbury/2026/02/20/shirehall-saga-gets-fresh-twist-as-new-report-recommends-exploring-options-to-revive-dormant-council-headquarters/ which aims to set out the stall of those wanting to re-use the infrastructure and develop it into a usable space rather than lose it completely and have to build back something else.
Save Our Shirehall also puts a post out on its group: https://www.facebook.com/SOSSaveOurShirehall this contains links to the report too. They describe the reasons that this report was written also. It also has mentions of a survey that was carried pout by UNISON, the union about the suitability of the Guildhall, where the council are now headquartered as there are a lot of complaints about how its not the correct place for the council to be based. Below is a screenshot showing the benefits of a refurb over demolition by the Save Our Shirehall Group.
Members of Shrewsbury Civic Society who engaged me as a photographer on the tour around the building with the other expert witnesses has also expressed a hope of rescue after the report was submitted too. A few of the group have expressed their hope that with a collection of useful information and opinions not specifically biased towards the demolition will help achieve a more suitable outcome.
With the Rapid Task Force & Finish Group, Shrewsbury Civic Society, Save Our Shirehall, Twentieth Century Society and all of the other interested parties, there is an increased chance that this Modernist Jewell in Shropshire’s Crown might be saved for generations to come. The quality of the workmanship and materials used of surface finishes, even surfaces that are not in direct sight, are a luxury that would not be possible to include in another building if there were one built to replace this.
Star of Screen
Whilst I was writing this I became aware that the Shirehall and Shrewsbury Prison were featured in an episode of Silent Witness, Series 29 Episode 7, which aired this week. I watched some of the show on my iPhone and screen captured some of the scenes from the broadcast. Some of which can be seen below.
From left to right on the top row you can see the underneath of council chamber dome, then the interior of the reception, and the long desk of the council chamber that sits within the dome. Originally this was set up in an amphitheatre style with rows of seats laid out in front the main table. In the lower row you can see two of the characters leaving the under-dome area, via the ramped walkway from the reception area and towards the Processional Way and the courts.
Shirehall also featured as a filming location for the TV series Small Axe and featured John Boyega as a police constable going through the trials and tribulations of becoming a police officer when there is systemic racism within the force.
It features in an episode “Red, White, and Blue” and can be read about here on the Shropshire Star website.
Prison Time
In the same episode of Silent Witness, there were also some scenes shot in the now-decommissioned Shrewsbury Prison. This is the same location Nikki and I went to as assistants for a Pro Photographer a couple of weeks ago as can be read about in this post.
The screenshots from iPlayer are seen above in this small gallery and in the first image you can see the wing of the prison where we shot the photo shoot with Pete. In the next photo you can see the Incoming Reception where prisoners were first introduced and searched before entry onto the wings. The third image is looking up at the balconies above from the ground floor and the final image is a scene showing the exterior of the Victorian built prison.
A hugely popular series called Time which featured Sean Bean and Stephen Graham was also filmed in the same prison https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p09fs2qh/time and was very well received.
It’s great to see these buildings representing Shrewsbury on film and appearing in such prestigious drama series. The fact that Shirehall is under threat and could be lost to posterity means that they might be unable to make such appearances in the future. It would be a huge loss to the Modernist and Brutalist architecture catalogue of the County and the Country if the Shirehall should be demolished.
The prison was originally planned to be changed into a hotel such as the Oxford Malmaison but I’m pleased that it remains in as original condition as it can be. It still needs to make money to stay open so some compromises are essential such as some of the cells being set up as visitor attractions, a shop and cafe etc.
I have been out with my Redscale film and made some photos of the Shirehall and I’ll continue with this too in order to prepare for the following few weeks at Uni and also for the Civic Society Shirehall Exhibition.
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