2025 | Knutsford Town Council

21Oct2025

Father Christmas makes a special visit to The Market Cafe

Get ready for some festive magic! The Market Café, located inside the beautifully refurbished Knutsford Market Hall, will host two exclusive ‘Breakfast with Santa’ events on Saturday, December 6th.

Father Christmas has cleared his busy schedule for two special sittings for little ones: one at 9:30 AM and a second at 11:00 AM.

Both sittings promise a memorable experience, including:

A dedicated time for children to chat with Santa and share their Christmas wishes.
A delicious, festive children’s breakfast.
A small gift to take home from the big man himself.

Bahattin Atar, owner of The Market Café, is delighted to host the event. “We are thrilled to bring a little extra Christmas joy to the Market Hall this year,” he said. “The breakfast will be a treat, featuring pancakes or waffles served with a selection of fruit, yoghurt, and honey, plus a drink. We welcome all parents and carers to order from our full main menu and enjoy the festive atmosphere while the children meet Santa.”

Tickets cost £15 per child and include the breakfast, small gift, and personal time with Santa.

Tickets must be purchased in person by visiting Knutsford Market Hall during opening hours:

Regular Days: Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM).
Special Openings: Makers Market Sundays and throughout the Christmas Market weekend (November 29th & 30th).

Knutsford Market Hall is centrally located on Silk Mill Street and offers a vibrant mix of independent local traders –

The Market Café

Thai Kitchen

Polka Bakery

Market Hall Barber

Slipped Discs

Cheshire Party Stores

Market Hall Butcher and Deli

Knutsford Mobile

York & Co. – The Grocer

Pop-ups are welcome and can be applied via https://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/services/market-hall

17Oct2025

Stolen Lamb joins Taste Knutsford!

Knutsford’s newest culinary star, The Stolen Lamb, has officially joined Taste Knutsford, the Cheshire market town’s well-established food and drink tour. The family-run Greek restaurant, which opened in August in the former Botanist premises on King Street, has quickly become a local favourite.

The Stolen Lamb’s addition brings authentic Mediterranean flavours to the diverse line-up of independent venues on the tour. Their offering for guests will be a selection of three meze dishes with bread and dips, giving tour-goers a delicious taste of Greece.

“As soon as The Stolen Lamb opened, we knew they were a perfect fit for the tour,” said Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager for Knutsford Town Council and tour organiser. “They are family-run, community-minded, and focus on freshly prepared, authentic dishes. We think our guests will be delighted with their meze offer.”

Saphina Hadjiyianni, owner, said “We’ve received such a warm welcome since opening in August from both residents and visitors to the town. It was an easy decision to join the Taste Knutsford tour. It champions small independent restaurants and it also a great way to promote our wonderful town. We can’t wait to greet tour guests and see them enjoy a little bit of Greece on King Street.

Taste Knutsford runs once a month on a Saturday between February and November, with guests typically visiting around seven participating venues in a single tour.

Booking and Information: Guests can find out more about the tour and book tickets by visiting www.tasteknutsford.co.uk.
Private Tours: Private tours for groups of 8 or more are also available.
Partnership Tours: Taste Knutsford is also currently running special shorter evening tours in partnership with Knutsford Ghost Walks, combining food with a spooky ghost tour element. These tours for October and November have already sold out.

16Oct2025

Knutsford Pumpkin Path Returns!

Get ready for a spooktacular night like no other! Knutsford’s favourite family-friendly Halloween event, Pumpkin Path, is back! Join us on Friday, 31st October from 4pm to 7pm as King Street transforms into a Halloween haven, filled with fun, excitement, and sweets!

This year’s event promises to be as fun filled as ever, with live performances to capture the imagination and entertain the crowds. Be sure not to miss out on a show from the amazing SMB Dance who will be bringing captivating choreography to life with a Halloween twist. The amazing Knutsford Beats Choir will be serenading visitors with haunting harmonies that are sure to get everyone in the Halloween spirit.

Of course, the much-loved Pumpkin Path is the heart of the night. Families can pick up an entry form and follow the map to discover 12 hidden pumpkins nestled along the streets. Each one is marked with a letter, spelling Trick or Treat but first you need to find the shop.

Don’t forget to also keep your eyes peeled for some special characters along the way, who will bring the streets to life with fun interactions that are perfect for all ages!

As ever a visit to Wallwood is a must where you can spot Minecraft Steve, Frankenstein, Mickey, and Minnie. These child friendly characters will also be wondering around the streets so keep your eyes peeled and don’t forget to take a picture.

While the event is free to enter, a voluntary donation of £1 per child would be warmly welcomed to help support the event. Entry forms will be available from Knutsford Olde Sweet Shoppe and from the welcome desks along King Street. The event is organised by Knutsford Town Council and generously sponsored by Travel Bag, Linden Stores and King Street Dental Practice.

Ray Balderstone, Manager of Princess Street based Travelbag said, “”We are absolutely thrilled to once again partner with Knutsford Town Council to sponsor the annual Pumpkin Path. This event is a fantastic tradition that brings so much joy and spooky fun to families across the town. As a local business, Travelbag Knutsford loves being part of initiatives that truly enrich our community, and we can’t wait to see all the creative costumes and happy faces on the night!”

So, mark your calendars, gather your costumes, and join us for an unforgettable night of Halloween magic, live performances, and family fun. We can’t wait to see you on the Pumpkin Path!

Event Information

To find out more about the event, visit www.discoverknutsford.com or email enquiries@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk, or alternatively you can call 01565 653 929.

Road Closures

To enable the Pumpkin Path to take place safely, road closures will be in place as follows:

King Street at the junction with Church Walk to the junction with Drury Lane

All affected residents have been contacted directly

16Oct2025

Views sought on walking and cycling in Knutsford

Residents are urged to take part in an active travel survey to inform a new, locally focused, infrastructure plan.

Knutsford Town Council has launched a new community-wide survey to gather input that will inform the development of a new Knutsford Active Travel Infrastructure Plan.

The focus of the new plan will be on everyday journeys – such as walking and cycling to work or school, visiting friends, and accessing local services. The plan will identify a range of practical measures to make walking and cycling easier, safer and more convenient.

“This survey will help us understand where changes are needed to make everyday travel on foot and by bike safer and easier for our residents” said Cllr Colin Banks, lead member of the council’s active travel infrastructure plan working group.

“The aim our plan will be to identify barriers that residents face in choosing to walk and cycle, from areas they feel unsafe crossing, areas of poor maintenance, or missing infrastructure like somewhere to park your bike or benches to rest along a route”.

The plan will incorporate work undertaken by Cycle Knutsford on a cycling infrastructure plan as part of the 2019 Neighbourhood Plan; and for the first time will create a plan with walking as a key focus. The survey will help inform the development of this plan, which will be subject to further consultation in 2026.

The Knutsford Active Travel Infrastructure Plan will be more locally focused than a similar plan being prepared by Cheshire East Council which looks at just three walking and cycling routes in the town. Whilst the CEC “Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan” looks at three walking routes in the town and three cycling routes from Knutsford to surrounding areas, the Knutsford specific plan will take a more holistic approach to promoting active travel across the town.

Improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in the town was a key message from consultation the council undertook in 2022 as part of developing its 10-year strategy and development of the active travel plan is a key part of the council’s aim to enable residents to choose to reduce their reliance on cars by improving the desirability of walking, cycling and using public transport.

The Town Council encourages anyone who lives, works, or regularly visits Knutsford to take just a few minutes to complete the online questionnaire. Input is welcomed from all age groups and abilities, whether you are a regular cyclist, an occasional walker, a wheelchair user or someone who currently relies entirely on the car.

The survey is open until 30^th November and can be accessed online at www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/consultations. Paper copies of the survey will be available from 16^th October and can be picked up at the Council Offices, Knutsford Library, The Welcome, Knutsford Market Hall and other locations across the town or requested by calling 01565 653 929.

9Oct2025

Join us for “Thai Night” at Knutsford Market Hall!

Thai Kitchen, the hugely popular stall in the newly refurbished Knutsford Market Hall, is bringing a taste of Bangkok to Cheshire with its first-ever Thai Night on Saturday the 25th October. Promising a unique blend of authentic street food, explosive culture, and high-energy entertainment, the evening is set to be one of Knutsford’s must-attend events.

The event is a celebration of all things Thai, offering much more than just the delicious food that has made the stall a local favourite. Attendees can look forward to a vibrant programme that includes:

Demonstrations and displays of Thailand’s national sport of Muay Thai

DJ spinning the best of R&B and 90’s hip hop

Prize draw to win prizes from market hall traders and other Knutsford businesses

A selection of signature Thai dishes available to purchase throughout the evening

A chance to win a dream holiday to Koh Samui in partnership with Singa beer

Thai Kitchen owner, May Lynch said, “We are delighted to bring a night of Thai flavour, culture, and rhythm to Knutsford. We will be serving our amazing food alongside some great beers, wine and spirits. Lots of people have tasted our food but few have seen a Thai boxing demonstration so please come along and join in the fun. We guarantee fun, energy and an all-round good vibe all evening!”

Tickets cost £5 and include one entry into a prize draw and a welcome drink. The evening is hosted by local radio celebrity Rachel Burke-Davies from the Breakfast team. The event takes place on Saturday 25th October between 6L30pm and 10:30pm. You can purchase a ticket by visiting the market hall from 9am each Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

2Oct2025

Town Centre Masterplan Process Starts

Around 70 residents attended one of the two inaugural meetings about the new Town Centre Masterplan on 1^st October.

The Town Council has set out a timeline to develop a town centre masterplan over the next 15 months and the meetings provided the opportunity to find out more about the history of the issues, the process the council would follow and gave people a chance to share their views on the topics which will be looked at in the plan.

“We are pleased to be working with the community to explore opportunities to enhance the Town Centre through a well-constructed masterplan.” Said Cllr April Johnson, chair of the Town Council’s Town Centre Committee.

A new webpage has now been launched on the Town Council website with information about the masterplan, this includes a video of the presentation given by the council at the information sessions. The webpage also contains a document library with relevant background information, including the outcome of feasibility studies undertaken by the council last year.

“We have much to celebrate in our town centre. As well as being one of the most beautiful heritage towns, we have a high number of independent shops and businesses invested here, a low high street retail vacancy rate and our town centre events are superb. The Town Clerk has done an excellent job this week of presenting the journey so far and he explains the complex traffic issues which have prevented previous plans from coming to fruition” April added.

Over the next two weeks the council is inviting people to express an interest in joining one of the four sub-groups which will develop the four chapters of the masterplan.

“Through the sub groups we hope to inspire a workable, deliverable masterplan that the committee can adopt at the end of 2026. This will allow us to achieve some smaller projects and make us ready for future grants and investments in Knutsford Town Centre” April added.

All information can be found at: www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/tcmp

1Oct2025

Update on 60 King Street

The Council’s Assets and Operations Committee met on Monday 22^nd September and received a further update from Bruntwood in relation to 60 King Street.

Bruntwood has been engaging with potential developers who would undertake works to repurpose the upper floors into a residential use, undertaking repair to the fabric of the building to create a lettable ground floor space which would deliver an ongoing rental to the Town Council.

At the meeting, it was agreed that more detailed information is required to be able to make a decision, specifically how the residential/commercial use would work from a noise/circulation perspective and more detailed proposals on potential partners and how the mechanics of the agreement would work.

It was agreed that Bruntwood be invited to provide this detailed information by 31^st October. This will then go directly to the next Full Council meeting (10^th November) for a final decision to be made on whether this option be pursued further.

30Sep2025

Knutsford at Home

Knutsford was a mini ‘Ideal Home Exhibition’ on September 20th, with its home and interior design shops hosting its fourth Knutsford at Home Event.

The event was a collaboration between the home and interior shops and businesses in the town centre and coordinated by Knutsford Town Council under its Discover Knutsford brand. It offered shoppers a ‘menu of inspiration’ an alcohol Ink Art workshop In Havwoods, a talk by Charlotte Hayes from the Colour Collective at Arthur Lee’s paint studio, and a meet the artist Tony Green hosted by Swedish café and lifestyle store Detaljer. There were ‘Ask the Architect sessions’ with Bianca Morgan in Anna Marczynski Interior Design. The full list of shops taking part was, Anna Marczynski Interior Design, Arthur Lee Interiors, Cotswold Company, Detaljer, Havwoods, Oil Art Advisory, Oka, RI Home, Sofas and Stuff, Susie Watson Designs and The Bath House.

Event sponsor Anna Marczynski Interior Design, said, “This was our first time taking part in Knutsford at Home and our feet didn’t touch the ground all day! We had lots of one-to-one appointments booked in plus a few walks in and a visit from friends and family to celebrate our opening in number 4 King Street. Hosting Bianca Morgan Architects during the day was the perfect fit for our studio too. Thank you to everyone who visited.”

Helen Dufton and Vicky Wragg of Arthur Lee

Stevie Ball of Fired Earth inside Susie Watson Designs — Helen Dufton and Vicky Wragg of Arthur Lee

Helen Dufton co-owner of Arthur Lee said, “Knutsford at Home’ day at Arthur Lee! We welcomed a steady stream of visitors to both our new paint studio and a talk by Charlotte Hayes from the Colour Collective and our main showrooms, where we showcased our carefully curated homeware range. Thanks to the rain, our umbrella stand was certainly busy all day!”

Sandra Curties, Knutsford Town Council’s Town Centre Manager, said, “These events are all about promoting Knutsford as a destination shopping venue and offering a bespoke shopping experience that cannot be replicated online. A huge thanks to those who gave up their time to deliver the workshops. We loved the way our shops worked together and seeing visitors mapping out their day using the flyers was fabulous. Knutsford is one of Cheshire’s leading towns for all things interiors. We will be working with the venues discussing feedback to possibly extend the event into an interior’s week, so watch this space”

26Sep2025

Notice of Conclusion of Audit 2025

The audit of accounts for Knutsford Town Council for the year ended 31 March 2025 has been completed and the accounts have been published.

The Annual Governance & Accountability Return including the auditor’s certificate and opinion is available for inspection and copying by any local government elector of the area of Knutsford Town Council on application to Adam Keppel-Green (Town Clerk): townclerk@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk from Monday-Friday to 9am to 5pm. A copy of the completed AGAR can also be accessed here: AGAR 2024/25

Copies will be provided to any person on payment of £0 for each copy of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.

Announcement made by Adam Keppel-Green, Town Clerk

Date of announcement: 26th September 2025

26Sep2025

Town Council Launches Accessibility Forum

Knutsford Town Council is inviting residents to attend the inaugural Knutsford Accessibility Forum on Thursday 13th November at Knutsford Market Hall.

The council is inviting residents of Knutsford who have lived experience of disability, chronic illness, additional needs and other access requirements to join us for the evening; with hopes of bringing voices together to create a new resident-led group to support local change.

Community Engagement Officer, Lucy Fox said “Hosted at our recently refurbished accessible Market Hall, this is your chance to speak about the challenges you face and improvements you would like to see made to better access and enjoy what our town has to offer.”

“The forum will be shaped by attendees, with support from the council. Our aim is to facilitate an ongoing group who can make recommendations and champion improvements across town. The functions of the group will depend on interest and attendance at the first meeting.”

It is important to the council that the group represents the voices of people living with different physical and mental health circumstances so it can hear and learn more about the perspectives and challenges from first-hand experience. Carers and other supporting persons are also welcome.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 pm and finish at approximately 8 pm, depending on attendee interest and numbers.

If you would like to attend but need reasonable adjustments, or if you have any questions, please email lucy.fox@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk or call 01565 653929.

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