Cathryn Walley and Geraint Samuels from Friends of St John's Wood stood with Mayor Colin Banks with £626 cheque.

Local Groups Benefit from Community Grant Scheme

As part of the Knutsford Town Council Community Grant Scheme, we have awarded over £3,000 in grants to four local organisations that are actively supporting Knutsford by offering services to the community.

The first recipients of community grants in 2025 are the Knutsford Community First Responder Trust, Knutsford Scouts, Friends of St John’s Wood and Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper.

Knutsford Community First Responder Trust are a team of volunteers who run four local initiatives including teaching emergency life support skills and cardiac screening for young adults. This year they have been awarded £1,500 to fund new publicly accessible defibrillators, medical devices designed to restore the heartbeat in individuals experiencing cardiac arrest.

Peter Thompson, Chairman & CFR Lead shared “We at Knutsford Community First Responder Trust are delighted to continue our Partnership with the Town Council. Their continued support with this grant for replacement AEDs will contribute to keeping the people of Knutsford safe.”

The Knutsford Scouts are part of the UK’s biggest mixed youth organisation and help prepare young people with skills for life. The council is providing them with a new marquee worth £690 to use for events and activity. 

Roger Turner, Scout Active Support Manager commented “Knutsford Scouts are delighted and grateful to be awarded a grant from the Knutsford Town Council’s Community Access Fund for a new marquee. The marquee will be an invaluable shared resource for all the Scout Groups in the Knutsford area and will be utilised extensively as a base for activities at Scout Camps and outdoor events as well as supporting local community events such as the Music Festival, all for the benefit of the young people of Knutsford.”

Friends of St John’s Wood have received £626 towards the provision of new information signs. The charity, which was established in 2020, works to improve the woodland and adjacent site of St. Helena’s Church.

The final grant of this round went to Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper, a self-funding weekly publication which supports individuals who are visually impaired. The charity has been awarded £350 towards the costs of redecorating their studio to provide a nicer environment for their volunteers to work in.

Chairman Margaret Hacking said, “On behalf of everyone at the Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper I would like to express our sincere thanks for the grant Knutsford Town Council provided, that has helped us give our studio a much-needed makeover.”

The Town Council’s small grants scheme aims to fund organisations and projects that provide improved services or opportunities that serve the local community. Community groups, registered charities and CICs can apply for up to £1,500 under the small grants scheme with the next deadline closing on 31st August. To find out more visit:  https://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/services/community-grants

If you would like to learn more about the work of our recipients, please visit:

Knutsford Community First Responder Trust: https://www.kcfrt.org.uk/

The Knutsford Scouts: https://www.akdistrictscouts.org.uk/

Friends of St John’s Wood: https://www.fosjw.org.uk/

Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper: Facebook Knutsford and District Talking Newspaper

Left to right Mayoress Christine Banks, Knutsford Town Mayor Colin Banks, Right Honourable Esther McVey MP, Sir Philip Davis, stood in the newly opened Market Hall

Knutsford Market Hall Unveils Stunning Refurbishment

The much-loved Knutsford Market Hall officially re-opened its doors on May 10th after a significant refurbishment, its first major upgrade since the 1980s.

The revitalised space, part funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund has created a brighter, warmer, and more inviting experience for traders, visitors, and residents.

Local contractor Built by Mode was contracted to deliver the programme of improvement works which included removing the old, suspended ceiling, levelling the floor and installing a new toilet, storeroom and kitchenette. All existing stall structures were removed and a new suite of permanent stalls created around the edge of the space, leaving the centre of the hall for pop-up traders and events.

Re-opening the market was one of the last duties carried out by outgoing Town Mayor, Cllr Colin Banks.  Colin said, “I was delighted to formally re-open the market hall. It was wonderful to see the traders in their new stalls and welcome both familiar and new faces back to the market. The market is now a much more welcoming space offering customers a varied shopping experience in the heart of our town. Please shop small and local.”

Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager, said, “We are delighted that the market has re-opened and is now a warm more comfortable space for our traders and customers alike.  Over the coming months, we hope to host a number of additional pop-ups and events, and we urge everyone to visit the hall and discover what is new.”

The newly re-opened market hall welcomes new ventures such as Polka Bakery, Thai Kitchen and Cheshire Party Store. These have joined familiar faces such as The Market Café, Market Hall Barber, Slipped Discs, Market Hall Butcher and Deli, and Knutsford Mobile.

Left to Right Nok Waugh Mina Ponpuak Amelia Giblin Bee Gibb Of Thai Kitchen
a Corner of the Market hall showing Mike Oldham and Mike Brown of Market Hall Butcher
Bahattin Atar of The Market Café

Cheshire Party Store is the new venture of Simon and Melanie Naylor of the Knutsford Art and Stationery Shop.

Sandra added “The Town Council is proud to provide the Market Hall as a space to support small businesses. By offering competitive rents, the market hall provides a valuable platform for businesses to grow without the high overheads of a high street location. We invite anyone interested in trading with us to get in touch.”

The central section of the market can also be hired by small businesses offering a variety of choice to the consumer. During the launch this space was utilised by Flower and Twine Co, The Kokedama Llama, A Passion for Learning, Made with Love by Lise, and Hot Cocoa. Hot Cocoa hopes to have regular pop-ups in the market hall pending her move to new premises on King Street. The hall can also be hired for events, community and interest groups outside of trading hours.

The Town Council is currently looking for a new fruit and veg stall operator as Heathfields, who previously traded from the space, decided not to return to the new market hall.

Knutsford Market Hall is open every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9am.

If you wish to trade at the market hall you can apply here – https://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/services/market-hall/trade

A group of ladies are stood posing and smiling in colourful dresses after the fashion show.

Flash Fashion returns to the Catwalk this Saturday!

The wait is over – Flash Fashion Knutsford is back this Saturday 17th May bringing style and excitement to the town as independent boutiques and fashion shops present their Spring/ Summer collections at The Lost & Found.

Organised by Knutsford Town Council this much-loved, daylong event also features pop-ups and in-store experiences throughout town. The event kicks off at 11am at The Lost & Found with a fashion show spotlighting the latest seasonal trends from local boutiques. The show will be introduced by event sponsor and Knutsford based stylist Laura Davies and compered by ITV presenter and owner of Dexter & Jones, Katie Rickitt.

Launched in 2019, Flash Fashion has become a highlight of the local calendar, celebrating the creativity and flair of Knutsford’s independent fashion scene. Last year’s event drew crowds in full force with this weekend’s event expecting a similar response.

Participating stores include

  • Kanoa Living
  • Cocaranti
  • Redress at Dexter and Jones
  • Blossom Boutique
  • Paris Ladies Boutique
  • Bare Necessities
  • Willow Boutiques
  • Chalk 33
  • Milania Boutique
  • Roberta Beauty Redefined
  • Zapatos
  • Clare and Illingworth
  • L ’Atelier London
  • Lanigan and Hulme
  • The British Red Cross
  • The Edit
  • Satya Sanctuary
  • Children’s Adventure Farm

Laura Philipson, Town Event Manager at Knutsford Town Council said “We are so excited to see Flash Fashion return to Knutsford this weekend. There is such a buzz in town that day and it’s a brilliant chance to visit Knutsford and discover the independent shopping scene”

Roberta Dyer from Roberta Beauty Re-Defined said “I love this event. I take part in the fashion show as a model which is so much fun! Then afterwards I am offering beauty treatment tasters in both Claire & Illingworth and Willow Boutiques. It is certainly a day not to be missed in Knutsford” For further details on the event follow Discover Knutsford on both Facebook and Instagram. More details can be found at www.discoverknutsford.com/events.

Staff of SIX stood behind the bar of new restaurant smiling.

Six joins Taste Knutsford food tours

Six Knutsford, the vibrant new hospitality venue located in Silk Mill Street, has announced its participation in both the Taste Knutsford food tour and the Knutsford Voucher scheme.

Opened in September by the Mitchell family in the former Freemason’s building, Six Knutsford has quickly established itself as a popular addition to the town’s thriving hospitality scene. The venue boasts a diverse offering, including a curated selection of craft beer, an impressive range of cocktails and wines, and regular live music nights. Its recently developed outside space features an outdoor bar and a private room available for private hire.

Steve Mitchell, owner of Six Knutsford, commented, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the warm welcome we’ve received since opening in September and already feel like a valued part of the Knutsford community.

The Knutsford Voucher scheme is a fantastic initiative and, importantly, comes at no cost to our business. We encourage anyone who has received or purchased vouchers to pop in and enjoy our offerings, perhaps for a delicious bite to eat during their shopping trip!”

Six Knutsford’s contribution to the Taste Knutsford food tour will be a selection of their popular small plate menu. Steve added, “This is another excellent tourism initiative for the town. Knutsford truly is the culinary capital of mid-Cheshire, and we are excited to participate in our first food tour.”

The Knutsford Voucher scheme, launched in 2020, currently has 45 participating businesses, providing a convenient way for locals and visitors to support the town centre. Taste Knutsford has been delighting tourists and residents since 2018 with its monthly guided food tours. These tours, lasting approximately three hours, showcase a variety of independent eateries and provide a taste of Knutsford’s diverse culinary landscape.

Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Six Knutsford to both the voucher scheme and Taste Knutsford. The voucher scheme complements any individual voucher programmes our businesses may run and offers another fantastic way to experience the diverse retail and hospitality offerings within our town centre. Taste Knutsford provides a wonderful introduction to our independent restaurants, bars, and cafes, and we are confident that Six will quickly become a much-loved stop for our guests.”

Any Knutsford based small regional or independent hospitality venue can take part in the tour. If you wish book a tour, please visit www.tasteknutsford.co.uk  Private tours for 8 or more can also be arranged.