Shrewsbury Market Hall was “filled with love” as Libby Gliksman, owner of Market Cookshop, took to the balcony to sing in aid of the Perches House fire appeal – an event that has now helped push total fundraising past £32,000.
The live performance, held at the Market Hall, saw shoppers and visitors stop to listen and donate generously, with Ms Gliksman personally raising £1,032 on the day.
Reflecting on the event afterwards, she said: “The market hall was filled with love. Everyone came together and supported the event and I am thrilled with how much I raised. The nerves were horrendous though!”
The fundraiser was organised to support the rebuilding of Perches House, the historic Grade II* listed building on Castle Street that was severely damaged by fire earlier this year. The appeal is being led by Jess Richards, whose mother, Rose Roberts, 81, tragically lost her life in the blaze and who now faces the loss of her home, business and her mother’s life’s work.
Speaking previously about her decision to organise the event, Ms Gliksman said she was deeply affected after learning the scale of the tragedy and felt she couldn’t continue with everyday life knowing how much support Richards needed. She described the loss of Perches House as devastating, given the love and care Roberts had poured into the building over decades.
She also explained that the story resonated strongly with her on a personal level, saying she could not imagine life without her own mother and felt compelled to do something practical to help.
Market Cookshop operates from Shrewsbury Market Hall and is an offshoot of Ms Gliksman’s parents’ Oswestry business, Upstairs Downstairs, which previously won Best Cookshop in Britain. She said the market felt like the natural place to stage the fundraiser, allowing her to use her voice and her business’s central location to support the cause.
Perches House is a four-storey medieval townhouse dating back to the 14th century and is one of Shrewsbury’s most historically significant buildings. Fire crews were called to the scene at around 3.30am, with 11 fire engines attending. Despite their efforts, Roberts tragically lost her life. The fire destroyed the roof, the original oak staircase and caused extensive structural damage throughout the building.
Building Control has confirmed that the house can be saved, but only with immediate intervention. Around £100,000 is needed to stabilise and secure the structure before any restoration work can begin. The building was uninsured at the time of the fire due to circumstances beyond Roberts’ control.
Ms Gliksman said the event was about “raising the roof” of the market hall to help put one back on Perches House — and thanks to the generosity of the community, the appeal has now passed the £32,000 mark.
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