00:07Well, it's been very good for me and my family in that it's been a place where my two daughters have grown up
00:20and been to school here and enjoyed it. So, yeah, for a family place it's been good.
00:29It does have its difficulties, but lots of places do.
00:36Are people generally friendly?
00:39Yeah, I would say they are.
00:41We've had quite a few people talk about it having quite a good community feel. Is that something you've experienced as well?
00:46Yes, I think that's true. I think any community groups and organisations have struggled since the pandemic.
00:55But I think it's kind of slowly coming back.
01:00I think one of the main difficulties that Dawley has is the lack of variety of shops in the High Street.
01:08When we moved here 45 years ago, there was a far greater variety of shops.
01:14Little bookshop, gas showroom, travel agents, quite a number of different variety of businesses.
01:22But it's hairdressers and takeaway food places now. But that's not unlike many disadvantaged communities up and down this country.
01:34Yeah, there's been quite a few people that have said that to us today and said about how good the market used to be as well.
01:40Yep, absolutely. The market used to stretch from the pub at the far end, the Elephant Castle, down to this, what was it?
01:48The Lord Hill. And there would have been 30 stalls, 25, 30 stalls. And we're lucky if we get six now.
01:58Right, so it's been a dramatic decline. But again, that's not so different to many places, is it really?
02:07I think street markets have quite struggled.
02:12There has been a bit of investment in recent years that's started to trickle into Dawley. Is that something you're noticing?
02:19Yeah, I actually was on the Dawley Regeneration Partnership for about 10 years with Mike Lowe, who used to run a business here, Tranchon Lowe.
02:30And we endeavoured during that period to bring investment in. And one of the things, major things that we did was persuade the councils and TCAT to put some investment in the town hall.
02:46Because it had been left derelict for a number of years. And we managed to get some investment. And that's been well used by the community now for dances and activities.
02:58I go indoor bowling there during the winter months. So there are, you know, there's lots of good things about Dawley as a community.
03:08Sorry, remind me how long you've had this shot?
03:10Three years. Well, me and my wife had it for 23 years. A mum and a...
03:16We had it before then, I joined here. So it was me and my wife.
03:20Long-standing family business then here. Yeah.
03:22Yeah. And what keeps you here?
03:25Erm, I enjoy it. I do enjoy it. Coming out. Different people. You know, that's it, yeah.
03:34Erm, what are some of your favourite things about the town?
03:38There's a lot of... It's a good community. Good community. They, erm, everyone knows each other.
03:47It's most of the time friendly. Yeah. You know, it's all, you know.
03:51Good parts, bad parts?
03:53Mainly good parts. There's a few bad parts. That's everywhere though. Yeah, yeah. That's everywhere.
03:57For sure. It's quite a historic town. Is that something you quite enjoy?
04:01Yeah, I went to school, junior school, Captain Web, back in the 80s. So, yeah.
04:06I learnt all about that, Captain Web and all that. It's grown up, yeah. So, I do know of it. History.
04:12And it's got quite a quaint feel, really. Despite being sort of in the centre of a new town, would you say, like the High Street?
04:20Yeah. I'd say, traditional High Street, very old buildings, yeah.
04:26And there's quite a few independent businesses like yourself. Do you think there's quite a support for that here in Dawley?
04:32Yes, yeah. You've had some good, good support. Customers, obviously. The local council, town council, helped us a lot, yeah.
04:43No plans on going anywhere. Going to stay in Dawley?
04:45That's it. Yeah. Until they retire.
04:47Fab. Thank you so much for having me.
04:49Could you just introduce yourself and remind us who you are?
04:53I'm Paige Cadman, and I am the Bar Supervisor of the Old Fenton Castle.
04:57How long have you been here, Paige?
04:58Since September, since we opened.
05:00Do you live here as well? Have you been around Dawley for a while?
05:02I've lived in Dawley all my life. I was born in Dawley.
05:05And what's it like as a town?
05:08I love it as a town. Honestly, everyone's so friendly. You can walk down the high street and say hello to anyone, and they'll say hello back to you.
05:16And it's got, considering we are still in the new town itself, but it's got quite a long history, hasn't it?
05:21It has, yeah.
05:22It's got quite a picturesque high street to go along with that.
05:24Yeah, it has. I think Captain, because Captain Webb was from Dawley, and he did the English Channel, I think it was 100 years ago, 150 years ago this year. So, yeah, it's quite historic.
05:37And kind of picturesque, is that something you enjoy about Dawley?
05:41I mean, they have improved it a lot recently, yeah. They've made it look a hell of a lot better. Sorry, can I say that one?
05:48Yeah.
05:49What's some of your favourite bits about the town?
05:53Mainly the people, if I'm honest. Obviously there's a great park as well for the kids. My little daughter loves it. Everyone's friendly. Yeah.
06:04You're quite busy here today, is it sort of?
06:07This is quiet today. This is quiet today, yeah. But yeah, it's normally a lot busier than this.
06:13You've not been open that long, but would you say it's a central park for the community?
06:19Absolutely. Absolutely. Everyone always says how the Elephant and Castle has made people from other parts of Telford come here.
06:26We even had a family from Schiffen all the way from there to come and have a drink here and have some food here.
06:33Why do you think it is?
06:35Great staff. No, our food's really good as well and it's nice on a budget, it's cheap, but it's great food. And obviously great staff.
Be the first to comment