News
Three cheers as school of gymnastics signs up to richard burbidge ltd regeneration scheme
July 2010
Young gymnasts could be flying high if the Richard Burbidge planning application is approved later this month.
The Border Counties School of Gymnastics has committed to relocating to the historic Cambrian Works building if the regeneration proposals submitted by Richard Burbidge Ltd are approved. The 500-member School has been looking for a new home as the lease on its existing premises runs out next year.
The Club’s neighbour Richard Burbidge Ltd submitted a planning application to Shropshire Council in January 2009 for a new Tesco supermarket, restaurants and a five-screen digital cinema, which will be delivered by market towns cinema specialist Reel Cinemas.
The proposals also include investment to renovate and retain the listed Cambrian Works railway buildings for leisure or community use. The Border Counties School of Gymnastics has committed to taking a 10,000 sq ft unit at the refurbished Whittington Road location. Richard Burbidge Ltd is also considering plans to deliver a flexible community/theatre hall for use by community groups and local residents.
Paula Gandy, Club Chairperson of the Border Counties School of Gymnastics says:
“If the Richard Burbidge application is approved it will allow the club to expand, offering more classes to the children of Oswestry and surrounding areas. It will enable our members to have extra space to continue performing to the standards required of a successful and well-respected club.”
“Our 500 pupils are very excited about the relocation. This site will be fantastic for the pupils, as well as for the parents who will be able to drop children off and walk into town, do their weekly shop or pop to one of the adjacent restaurants.”
“The retained and restored historic Cambrian Works will be a magnificent building and setting to provide inspiration for our members as well as the height we need for many of our activities. We are supporting Richard Burbidge Ltd in its application and hope that the Council makes a positive decision so we can relocate later this year.”
Pupils aged four to 18 years old enjoy both recreational and competition gymnastics at the Border Counties School of Gymnastics, which also offers trampolining, cheerleading, Mummy & Me and Pre-School classes. The School takes part in many competitions and one of its members, Laura Brown, won the West Midlands regional gymnastics championship last year.
Richard Burbidge Ltd, a timber products manufacturer, has outgrown its Oswestry headquarter site during its 45-year history in the town. The company made a decision in 2006 to relocate to a less constrained site in order to improve productivity and efficiency and enable future expansion.
Many competitors have relocated operations overseas, but Richard Burbidge Ltd is keen to remain in Oswestry if possible. An option has been secured on a nine acre site within an industrial area of the town.
Steve Underhill, Chief Executive of Richard Burbidge Ltd, explains: “We employ 260 people in Oswestry alone, committing an £8million wage bill into the town. Our departure from Oswestry would be devastating for the local economy and we are therefore keen to relocate to a local industrial site.
“In order to facilitate this, we aim to secure planning permission to deliver a new supermarket, stemming the current trend for local people to shop in Wrexham and Shropshire. The scheme will bring shoppers back into Oswestry and allow linked visits to town centre facilities as well as funding a cinema and restaurants to boost the vitality and vibrancy of Oswestry.
“We are delighted that the Border School of Gymnastics is committed to taking up residence in one of the refurbished units. With over 500 members, it is one of Oswestry’s best assets and deserves to be linked with the regeneration of the town.”
The Richard Burbidge Ltd application is the only planning application lodged with Shropshire Council which has successfully secured a supermarket and cinema operator. This latest deal with the Border School of Gymnastics further boosts the deliverability of the scheme.
As the scheme is on the edge of the town centre, the company is also proposing to invest in a safe, off-road pedestrian and cycleway along the historic railway line which will enable residents to reach the town centre within five minutes, further encouraging linked shopping trips.
Ends
Notes to editor:
- The Richard Burbidge Ltd planning application can be viewed here
- For more information about the Border Counties School of Gymnastics contact chairperson Paula Gandy on 07854 276239
- Further information about Reel Cinemas, one of the UK’s leading operators of modern cinemas in market towns, is available at www.reelcinemas.co.uk
Could 3D digital cinema be coming to Oswestry?
March 2010
Proposals for a new cinema as part of the Richard Burbidge Ltd planning application have now been changed to become 100% digital and will include at least two 3D screens, and the planning application goes to committee this month.
Market towns cinema specialist, Reel Cinema, has signed up to the regeneration proposal for this gateway site. The company wants to bring cutting edge technology allowing the local community to experience the most recent 3D releases.
Chris Morgan Giles from Reel Cinema’s advisors explains: “Cinema attendance figures are increasing around the UK*.
“At Oswestry, we are keen to invest in the latest cinematic experience. All five screens will use the latest digital technology and this guarantees that you see what the Director intended every time. Up and Avatar have seen record viewer numbers and Alice in Wonderland 3D is set to follow, undoubtedly Digital and 3D is here to stay.
“Reel specialises in delivering entertainment facilities for market towns, and also caters for parties, live sports, opera and music as well as delivering a complete cinema experience at an affordable price.”
With the prospect of 35 mm being rendered obsolete in the not too distant future, this technology looks set to attract visitors from further afield into the town should the Richard Burbidge application be successful.
A planning application was submitted to Shropshire Council in January 2009 for a new Tesco supermarket, five-screen Reel cinema and associated restaurants, as well as delivering in the region of 350 new jobs.
The proposals to deliver a new 3D Digital cinema also include investment to renovate the listed Cambrian Works railway buildings for leisure or community use, which will become home to the Border School of Gymnastics, and a potential flexible community/theatre hall for use by community groups and local residents.
Richard Burbidge Ltd, a timber products manufacturer based in Oswestry for over 45 years, has outgrown its Oswestry headquarter site. The company made a decision in 2006 to relocate to a less constrained site in order to improve productivity and efficiency and enable future expansion.
Many competitors have relocated operations overseas, but Richard Burbidge Ltd is keen to remain in Oswestry if possible. An option has been secured on a nine acre site within an industrial area of the town.
Steve Underhill, Chief Executive of Richard Burbidge Ltd, explains: “We employ 260 people in Oswestry alone, committing an £8million wage bill into the town. We want to remain committed to the town and we are therefore keen to relocate to a local industrial site.
The Richard Burbidge Ltd application is the only planning application lodged with Shropshire Council which has successfully secured a supermarket and cinema operator.
As the scheme is on the edge of the town centre, the company is also proposing to invest in a safe, off-road pedestrian and cycleway along the historic railway line which will enable residents to reach access the site from the town centre in just five minutes.
Ends
Notes to editor:
- The Richard Burbidge Ltd planning application can be viewed here
- Further information about Reel Cinemas, one of the UK’s leading operators of modern cinemas in market towns, is available at www.reelcinemas.co.uk
*Cinema Viewing Figures
- 2009 saw the best year for UK cinemas since 2002, with 173,461,335 admissions, a 5.6 per cent increase on 2008
- Box office receipts for UK and Ireland reached £1 billion for the first time at £1,054,351,651 (the UK only-figure being £943,750,158) after a year when the attractions of 3D cinema increasingly made their presence felt.
- Oswestry would be one of the few towns with a 3D cinema facility which would attract people to the town and pull in, on average, over three times the gross revenues of their 2D counterparts for the same film.
