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· Royal Fountain

SO6775 : Pie shop on the High St

When I visited the little town of Cleobury Mortimer last weekend I was very disappointed to find that this Pie Shop was well and truly closed. In fact I'm not sure if it was open when the photograph was taken but the big Pie Shop sign has now gone. I took a peek through the glass of the front door and it all looked rather a mess inside, there is no sign of anything happening nor are there any for sale or for rent signs to be seen. So after over 100 years it has gone but fortunately it was not the only bakery shop in the town.

However the large electrical retailer in the High Street, H J Potts & Son, has also closed leaving its shop empty and no sign of what will happen to it. Presumably the competition from Currys & Comet was too much. There are very few independent electrical retailers left now apart from a few who have grown a business on the internet.

On the pub front, there is decline too. The Three Horseshoes has been closed and boarded up for many months.

SO6775 : The Three Horse Shoes, 53 High Street

Even The Talbot Hotel is currently closed, though it looks as if it is to be "refurbished" according to a planning application notice stuck on the door. Greene King seem to now own it. Still overall the place seems in better shape than many other small towns. I just hope Tesco don't decide to open a mini-market there. Harry Tuffins already has one of sorts, attached to a local petrol station which they bought.