The Exchange.

Address	Bellstone. Barker Street Shrewsbury
County	Shropshire
Postcode	SY1 1HU
Telephone	01743 362481
Website	www.theexchangeonline.co.uk
Brewery Website	Scottish & Newcastle
licencee	Gaynor & Mark Latham-Chadwick
Opening Hours	Mon Closed Tues 7 - 11 W,T,F,S.12-00 - 11.00 Sunday 7 - 10.30
Real Ales	No
Beers	Handpulls - Directors & Ruddles John Smiths, Draft Guinness, Fosters, 1664, Becks, Draft Cider Strongbow.
Wines and Spirits	Vodka Bar, Cocktails Shots and Shooters.
Offers	Wens & Thurs Bottles two for price of one. Double Vodka & DT £1.49 - Red Rooster £1.79
Recommendation	During the day an ideal place for a light refreshment including tea or coffee thats handy for the market . In the evening expect a lively start with loud music from the surround sound system and youngsters of all ages on the way to the riverside nightclu

The address of the old Exchange varied between St. John's Hill and Bellstone as the front door of the building straddled the corner of both streets. The original inn was housed in a building that dated from around 1800. It was first recorded in 1868 and was famous for its stout and oyster bar. In 1900 the ownership of the inn belonged to the Watton Estate, the trustees being Robert Watkins of the Shrewsbury Chronicle and V.C.L. Crump of Town Walls. Mr. Watkins' house and both the Chronicle Office and print works were only a few yards away on St. John's Hill.

The old inn consisted of seven private and five public rooms with overnight accommodation for eight people in four double rooms. There was one good water closet and urinal. The customers were described as working class but well behaved. Wilderspools Brewery provided the supply of ales and beer.

During the 1930s the Borough Council embarked on a scheme to provide an inner ring road and to add more car parking space in this area of town. Many buildings were demolished in Bridge Street and Barker Street and the whole west side of Bellstone, from Claremont Hill to St. John's Hill, including the old Exchange.

However before the old Exchange was dismantled a new inn was built at the rear so that there would be no interference with trade when the old building was knocked down.

The last licensees of the old Exchange were Mr. and Mrs Jack Dixon who were in charge during the move in to the new building on 30th September 1935. Mrs Dixon remembered that the new Exchange took around eighteen months to build and that the brewery bought the property next-door so that they could build a much bigger hostelry. They entered the licensed trade in December1933 and after the death of her husband in 1945 Mrs Olive Dixon continued to successfully run the inn until 198? She was always a popular figure and was President of the Salop Licensed Victuallers' Auxiliary Association in 1956. She was also very proud of the floral displays that decorated the front of the Exchange during the summer winning her a number of prizes in the Town of Flowers Competition.