Ludlow Town Council was delighted to welcome residents to the Annual Town Residents’ Meeting on Monday evening at the Methodist Church, where community groups and members of the public and Councillors, came together to reflect on the past year and discuss shared priorities for the future.

The meeting featured an informal discussion session, giving residents the chance to speak directly with Councillors, share ideas, and complete a short feedback form. The responses were positive, with one resident describing Ludlow as: “Quite simply the best town in England to live in.”

Many attendees highlighted the Market as one of the town’s greatest strengths, praising its atmosphere, variety and importance to local life.

Residents were also delighted to have the chance to explore the ‘Meals Made Easy’ recipe folder on display — a joint project presented at last year’s meeting by Hands Together Ludlow and Ludlow Town Council. It was funded through a grant from Shropshire Council, the collaborative project created videos and a recipe folder supporting affordable, healthy cooking.

There was strong support for encouraging more community groups to access the Town Council’s core and project grant funding.  Residents appreciated the important role these grants play in sustaining arts, culture, wellbeing activities and volunteer-led initiatives across Ludlow. Residents asked for town centre footfall information and shop occupancy information to be made available on the town council website.  

The meeting also heard presentations from three recent grant recipients:

Ludlow Assembly Rooms & Visitor Information Centre, outlining how funding supports arts, culture and tourism
Ludlow Concert Band, sharing the impact of grants on community music and performance
Ludlow Piano Festival, highlighting the continued success and cultural value of this much‑loved event

Alongside celebrating local achievements, residents raised a number of issues affecting daily life in the town. A key theme was the need for Shropshire Council to address concerns relating to litter collection, highway maintenance, and the upkeep of public buildings and spaces.

Ludlow Town Council reaffirmed its commitment to escalating these issues and championing improvements on behalf of the community — a core part of its ongoing mission of Looking After Ludlow’s Future.

Town Clerk Gina Wilding said: “It was encouraging to see residents engaging so openly with Councillors and community groups. The feedback we received — both the praise and the challenges — will help shape our work for the year ahead. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views.”

Ludlow Town Council extends its thanks to all who attended and contributed to such a positive and constructive evening. The insights gathered will inform future priorities and help ensure the Council continues to support projects and services that matter most to local people.