A £200,000 refurbishment of Knutsford Market Hall has been agreed by Knutsford Town Council with work set to commence in January 2025.
The project is being funded through a £160,000 grant from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the balance drawn from the Town Council’s market hall and capital reserves.
The new scheme will involve:
- Removal of the suspended ceiling to reveal the sky lights
- An upgraded accessible toilet with baby change facilities
- Replacement stall structures with shutters
- Redecoration including a new level floor
- New glass automatic doors with security shutters
The refreshed Market Hall will have an open central space which will host pop-up traders on market days and provide space for events and community activity outside market opening hours to make the building even more of a community asset.
“The refurbishment will deliver a more light, modern and flexible Market Hall with renewed stall structures and fresh facilities. It will help us attract new shoppers, new traders and create a true community asset” said Cllr Bryan Hartley, a member of the Market Hall refurbishment working group.
The Town Council has appointed the local firm Built by Mode as the contractor to deliver the refurbishment.
Works are scheduled to take place across 12 weeks starting in January and the Market Hall will be closed during this period. The Town Council is working with the Market Butcher and Heathfields Fruit and Veg to arrange temporary trading space during the closure, which takes place during a quiet retail period. The Town Council has waived rents for October to December to compensate for the lost trading period in the new year.
“Whilst this isn’t as big a project as we originally wanted to deliver, it will still give the Market Hall a new lease of life and enable us to continue providing a home for small local businesses whilst ensuring the ongoing viability of the asset.” added Cllr April Johnson, who also serves on the working group overseeing the project.