Shropshire Star

18 haunting photos show inside abandoned Shrewsbury shopping centres just before demolition

Photographs show the final days of two of Shrewsbury's disused shopping centres set for demolition.

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The demolition of the former Riverside shopping centre, which closed earlier this year, and medical practice in Shrewsbury town centre is currently under way.

As part of the project, Shropshire Council has taken a series of pictures showing the site just a couple of weeks before demolition began.

The apocalyptic-esque pictures show inside the abandoned shopping centre that hosted hundreds of stores and thousands of shoppers over the last half a decade.

The authority has also shared photos from inside the adjoining Pride Hill centre, which closed in 2021.

The work is part of the wider Smithfield Riverside regeneration scheme – an ambitious plan to revitalise the area between the River Severn, The Darwin centre, Roushill and Raven Meadows.

The demolition, which began in August, is expected to take around three months.

Photo: Shropshire Council

To mark the milestone, Shropshire Council and Shropshire Archives have been compiling a history of the area over the last 50 years, calling the project 'Riverside Remembered'.

Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
The escalators which once carried shoppers between the Riverside and Pride Hill centres. Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council
The empty Pride Hill centre. Photo: Shropshire Council
Inside Pride Hill, looking towards Riverside. Photo: Shropshire Council
Photo: Shropshire Council