Town Centre | Knutsford Town Council

6Nov2026

Knutsford Christmas Bake Off Returns!

Knutsford’s Christmas bake off is back for 2026!

Hosted by Knutsford Bake Club and held at Knutsford Market Hall, the event will take place on 28^th November 2026.

Bakers can drop off their entry at the market hall from 3.30pm ready for judging at 4pm. The age categories are:
4-11 years
12-17 years
18+

The prize for each category winner is “A Day In The Kitchen at Li~Ly” by Aiden Byrne.

Aiden Byrne said, “We are delighted to see the Knutsford Christmas Bake Off return, run by our wonderful local bake club. While we won’t be able to judge the entries—as we’ll be fully hands-on in our own kitchen—we are thrilled to offer all three category winners a day in the kitchen at LI~LY by Aiden Byrne. Nurturing local culinary talent is something we care deeply about, and who knows? We might just discover the next rising star.”

April Johnson, a Knutsford Bake Club member said, “We are excited to bring back Knutsford Christmas Bake-Off. The afternoon will be informal with bakes invited from all levels of bakers and the best thing is there is no theme! Biscuits, traybakes, sponges and traditional Christmas fayre are all welcome. There is nothing better than the aroma of fresh baking to get us all into the Christmas spirit. A huge thanks to Aiden Byrne for offering his valuable time as the prize!”.

Bakers are urged to register their interest via Knutsford Bake Club’s Facebook page or email hello@knutsfordmarket.co.uk

6Nov2026

Your Christmas, Made in Knutsford – 2026 Gift Guide

The ultimate guide to all things festive in Knutsford has officially landed. Now in its third year, the 2026 Discover Knutsford Festive Guide is back bigger and better than ever, packed with 28 pages celebrating the town’s renowned independent shopping, vibrant local dining, and seasonal celebrations.

Produced by Knutsford Town Council under its Discover Knutsford brand, this year’s expanded brochure offers a complete showcase of what makes the town a premier Christmas destination. Readers will find inspiration for every gift list—ranging from womenswear and menswear to home decor, children’s gifts, and treats for four-legged friends.

The guide also features essential details on key seasonal highlights, including the Knutsford Christmas Market and Lights Switch-On, with a direct link to explore the full lineup of local events at www.discoverknutsford.com.

The guide includes two competitions, £50 Knutsford Voucher Giveaway: A chance to win vouchers to spend at participating local businesses and a Treasure Trail, a fun cryptic quiz-style trail across the town centre, with a grand prize of a one-night stay for two at the historic Rose & Crown alongside £50 in Knutsford vouchers.

The guide is produced by Knutsford Town Council, under its Discover Knutsford brand and is supported by advertisers from across the locality. Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager, said “This is our third Christmas guide, and we have increased it to 28 pages to promote the variety of gifts to be found in our wonderful shops and even that increase wasn’t enough, so please follow Discover Knutsford’s socials for more ideas. We are grateful to our advertisers that the production of the guide possible and to Dagmara Studios who kindly provided additional photography free of charge.”

Dagmara Gorska, said ‘Our studio has been open one year this November and we love being part of the Knutsford community. Offering our photography services for the Christmas brochure means we help our fellow business owners during the festive season and play a part in keeping our town vibrant’

The brochure is available at most Knutsford shops and businesses and for the first time is being distributed further afield – including Lymm, Wilmslow, and Alderley Edge. It will also be available to collect at the Discover Knutsford stand at the Christmas Markets on December 5^th and 6^th.

For full event details and updates, visit www.discoverknutsford.com/events or follow @KnutsfordTownCouncil and @DiscoverKnutsford on social media.

4Nov2026

New plan to enhance walking and cycling across Knutsford

Knutsford Town Council has adopted a new plan to enhance walking and cycling across the town.

Developing an Active Travel Infrastructure Plan was a key objective in the council’s strategic plan, which set an aim to enable residents to choose to reduce their reliance on cars by improving the desirability of walking, cycling and using public transport.

The overarching objective of the plan is to make Knutsford a place where residents feel able to choose to walk and cycle rather than using a car for local journeys. It aims to guide work to make infrastructure changes that make walking and cycling easier and safer.

The plan builds on the Knutsford Cycle Infrastructure Plan which was developed by Cycle Knutsford as part of the Neighbourhood Plan and adds action for supporting walking across the town.

It will sit alongside the Cheshire East Council Local Cycling and Walking Plan for Knutsford which focuses on more strategic routes. The Town Council’s plan is more locally focused with practical changes that making walking and cycling easier.

Cllr Scott Lowe, who led the council’s Active Travel Infrastructure Plan working group said “It was clear from the consultation that improving people’s experiences of walking and cycling around our town was really important.”

The plan was informed by a community survey in 2025 which invited residents to share their views on walking and cycling in the town.

Actions to enhance walking include:

Installing benches long key walking routes to support those who need to rest along routes
Seeking formal crossings at key points including Mobberley Road near St Cross Church, Chelford Road by the Legh Arms and Toft Road by Leycester Road.
Seeking dropped kerbs along primary walking routes so wheelchair users can travel more easily
Exploring street lighting schemes on Sparrow Lane, by Woodlands Court and along Church Walk

The Town Council will also explore how it can improve the maintenance of pavements, removing overgrown vegetation, leaves and detritus, to ensure full widths of pavements are available year round.

Additionally, the council will look to support cycling by installing covered/uncovered cycle parking stands at key locations across the town, exploring the creation of cycle ways along arterial roads and seeking 20mph limits on appropriate streets.

The council will fund minor improvements through revenue budgets, whilst seeking grants where possible. The council will also seek funding from development through community infrastructure levy and s106 planning obligations.

Cllr Lowe added “While we don’t have a large budget, we still want to be ambitious in our target. We will push to ensure developers help fund some of the infrastructure we need to mitigate the impact of all the new houses.”

The plan can be found at www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/services/active-travel

18Aug2026

Paint Knutsford Brings Art, Culture and Creativity to Knutsford

Knutsford was transformed into a celebration of art, culture and creativity on Sunday 16th August as artists from across the area took to the streets for Paint Knutsford 2026.

The event saw the town centre filled with over 40 artists capturing Knutsford’s streets, buildings and surroundings on canvas, paper and even vinyl records, creating a fantastic atmosphere for both artists and visitors. It was an amazing day, enjoyed by people of all ages and a wonderful opportunity to experience the town through the eyes of the artists taking part.

After a day of painting, the final competition took place at Knutsford Market Hall, where the artwork was brought together for judging. The judging panel included Laura Blansky from Clarendon Gallery, Anna Bates Patel from the Tabley House Collection and local artist Kay Davenport.

The standard of artwork was incredibly high, making it a very difficult decision for the judges. A huge congratulations goes to Amanda Mulquiney, who was named the overall winner of Paint Knutsford 2026, with John Mills awarded runner-up. Both artists produced fantastic work, and their awards were very well deserved.

The event also offered plenty of opportunities for people to get involved with art themselves. A life art class was held at Wallwood, giving participants the chance to explore life drawing and painting, while a children’s art area on The Moor encouraged younger visitors to get creative and have a go at making their own artwork.

Running alongside Paint Knutsford was Knutsford Alfresco Dining, with an amazing 14 local businesses taking part and bringing outdoor dining to the town throughout the day. This added to the fantastic atmosphere across Knutsford, with visitors able to relax, enjoy the sunshine and soak up the artwork and activities taking place.

The combination of Paint Knutsford and Alfresco Dining meant Knutsford was full of art, culture, fun and festivities, creating an amazing day for residents, visitors, artists and local businesses.

Paint Knutsford was made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and partners: Tatton Perk, King Street Dental and the Tabley House Care Home.

Mark Lee-Kilgariff from main sponsor, Tatton Perk, said, “What a wonderful day celebrating art, creativity, and the amazing talent that Paint Knutsford brings together. It’s fantastic to see the town come alive through the artists’ work and to be part of such a brilliant community event. Our sponsorship of Paint Knutsford is part of Tatton Perk’s wider support for artists across Cheshire. Alongside supporting events like this, we’re proud to host regular pop-up gallery evenings and a curated gallery wall at our Chelford coffee shop and bar. It’s wonderful to be able to provide opportunities for local artists to showcase their work and connect with the community.”

Caroline Haynes, Events Manager at Knutsford Town Council, said, “Paint Knutsford was an amazing day, and it was fantastic to see the town filled with artists, residents and visitors enjoying everything the event had to offer. We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the artists, volunteers, judges, sponsors and local businesses who helped make the event such a success, and congratulations to all the artists for taking part.” The event showcased the creativity and character of Knutsford while bringing people together to enjoy art, culture, food and entertainment. It was a fantastic celebration of the town and a wonderful event for everyone involved.

28Apr2026

Knutsford Fashion Week

Knutsford’s extremely popular collaborative fashion event Flash Fashion returns in May for a week-long celebration of fashion under the new name Knutsford Fashion Week.

Flash Fashion started in 2019 as a one-day event showcasing the best of the town’s independent fashion retailers. Since then, it has evolved to include a catwalk show in The Lost and Found and for 2026 it has expanded into a week-long event sponsored by Laura Davies Styling.

Organised by Knutsford Town Council, the event includes one-to-one styling appointments, collaborative colour analysis with Princess Street’s Graham & Brown and Laura Davies Styling, prize draws, a sustainable style showcase at Clare and Illingworth culminating in a the much-loved and hugely popular catwalk show on Saturday 16^th May.

Those taking part include –

Blossom Boutique
Graham & Brown
Clare & Illingworth
Willow Boutiques
Alex&er Jewellery
Bare Necessities
Zapatos
Kanoa Living
Riva Menswear
Oliver Wild
Chalk 33
Satya Sanctuary
Guinot
The Edit
Redress at Dexter & Jones
CAFT (Children’s Adventure Farm Trust)
British Red Cross
Milania Boutique
Lanigan and Hulme
Paris Ladies Boutique

The catwalk show finale takes place at Lost and Found on Saturday 16^th May at 11am with ITV presenter Katy Rickitt of Dexter & Jones compering. Attendees can then browse the shops and enjoy a variety of complimentary services in store including on-hand beauty treatments, a glass of fizz and exclusive offers.

Sponsor Laura Davies of Laura Davies, said “I am delighted to return as the key sponsor for Knutsford Fashion Week. Having supported this premier event since 2023, I have seen first-hand how effectively it champions our town’s vibrant independent boutiques and unique community spirit. I am particularly excited to be teaming up with Lucy Norris of Live with Lucy Norris in the lead-up to the event, where we will be showcasing the season’s must-have spring and summer trends while demonstrating how to curate a stylish wardrobe for every budget.”

Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager at Knutsford Town Council said “This event has gained quite the following over the years, and we are excited to bring it back for 2026 in its extended form. We would like to extend a huge thanks to Sean and the Lost and Found team for their hospitality and of course our volunteer models. The shops will have some fabulous Spring/ Summer collections instore this week will be the perfect outing for customers to get inspired, plan their summer wardrobes and go shopping!”

Leaflets showcasing every boutiques offer are now available in shops and eateries around Knutsford to allow shoppers to plan their week.

18Apr2026

Haunted Table adds more dates!

Haunted Table tours are returning to the Taste Knutsford calendar this summer with more dates, more ghosts, and more local flavour.

The Haunted Table is a unique collaboration between Knutsford Ghost Walks and Taste Knutsford. The experience weaves together a spine-chilling stroll through the town’s historic, narrow streets with curated culinary stops at some of Knutsford’s most historic venues. The tour features three culinary highlights: Morgan Edwards Fine Wines and Spirits, Evuna, and the Rose and Crown. Each venue has been selected not only for its exceptional food and drink but for its supernatural heritage, offering guests the chance to dine in buildings where the history, and residents, date back centuries.

“We are delighted with the response to the Haunted Table tours,” said George Williams, who runs Knutsford Ghost Walks. “The evening tours have proved popular with locals and visitors enjoying some gorgeous food with some ghostly walks and talks through Knutsford’s historic streets””

Sandra Curties, Knutsford’s Town Centre Manager, added, “The tour is a great alternative to our daytime tours with just the right balance of history, hauntings, and high-quality dining to satisfy both locals and visitors.”

The summer Haunted Table tours are scheduled for 24^th June and 22^nd July at 6:00 PM. Tickets are £45.00 per person, which includes food, drink, and the guided tour. The experience will last approximately three hours, and tour groups are limited to just 10 people to ensure an intimate and memorable experience.

You can book your spot on this unique tour by visiting www.tasteknutsford.co.uk.

16Apr2026

Heathfields Plants return for the summer season

Popular local nursery Heathfields Plants are returning to Knutsford Market Hall from Saturday 18^th April for the summer season.

Run by George Riley, Heathfields will be showcasing their beautiful range of locally grown plants ready to brighten up gardens across the region.

George said, “We are delighted to be back at the market hall for the planting season. Find us outside the market every Friday, Saturday, and Makers Market Sunday. Our popular bedding plants will be available to purchase alongside our ready-made planters and hanging baskets. Free local delivery also available. Come down and visit us!”

Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager said, “We are excited to have Heathfields back with us. George is always very popular with customers. This is an exciting time for the market hall; we have lots planned for Love your local market from May 15^th and are looking forward to welcoming our newest trader – SWEET. Knutsford as well. We urge visitors to visit and explore our wonderful market hall”

The full list of market traders is as follows –

The Market Café
SWEET. Knutsford
Cheshire Party Store
Market Hall Barber
Slipped Discs
Hot Cocoa (until 30^th May)
Market Hall Butcher
Knutsford Mobile
York & Co. – The Grocer.

Knutsford Market Hall is open every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and every Makers Market Sunday.

Pop-ups can apply to trade via https://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/services/market-hall/trade

25Mar2026

Knutsford Health & Wellness Week 2026 Brings the Community Together

Knutsford held its third week-long celebration of health and wellbeing this March. Organised by Knutsford Town Council, in collaboration with a range of the town’s health and wellbeing specialists, this year’s theme was ‘Nurturing Mind, Body and Soul’ with both residents and visitors enjoying a varied programme suitable for all ages, needs and abilities.

The week began with Re-Fresh Knutsford, a vibrant community fair at St John’s Church and Knutsford Methodist Church. Visitors explored a variety of local clubs, groups, volunteer opportunities, and wellbeing businesses and discovered new ways to get involved in the community.

The week highlighted how fortunate the town is to have such a wide range of health and wellbeing businesses on its doorstep, offering services and support that can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike throughout the year.

Rodger Lewin from Knutsford Hearing Centre

Sign of Refresh Knutsford with blue and white ballons.

An arrangement of grapes, a smoothie, eggs

Womens Hormones talk at York & Co with speakers Monique Qureshi (Yoga Practitioner), Louise Carter (Dietician), Claire Milton (Womens Health GP), Claire Millington (Personal Trainer) and Lucy Norris (Presenter)

Throughout the week, participants took part in an exciting programme of free and discounted taster sessions, including Pilates, yoga, boxing, circuit training, massage, sound baths, and hypnotherapy. Health checks and screenings were also available, covering dry eye care, oral health, osteopathy, cardiovascular wellness, hearing tests, and musculoskeletal assessments. Specialist talks covered nutrition, menopause, infant and child food, posture, and relationship coaching.

Richard Clare, Managing Director of Clare & Illingworth Optometrists, the event’s sponsor, said:

“We were proud to support Knutsford Health & Wellness Week 2026. It was wonderful to see the community come together to explore a wide range of health and wellbeing opportunities, and we were delighted to be part of such an important initiative.”

Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager at Knutsford Town Council, added:

“Health & Wellness Week provided an excellent opportunity for residents and visitors to engage with local wellbeing services and activities. We are grateful to all the businesses who participated and helped make the week so enjoyable for the community.”

The Town Council would like to thank Clare & Illingworth Optometrists for sponsoring the event and all participating businesses for their contributions.

Businesses involved included:

Roberta Beauty Redefined
Elite Health
Clare & Illingworth Optometrists
King Street Dental
Casbah Fitness
Soul Reformer
NC Health & Wellness
Judi Quirke Hypnotherapy
Find Your Backbone
King Street Dental
Satya Sanctuary
Tor Nutrition & Guided Outdoor Adventures
Siân Winslade Relationship Coach
York + Co.
Nicola Parish – Non-Linear Movement Method® and Reiki Healing Meditation
Empower Dance
Tomorrow Cardiovascular Wellness
K Clinic Dental
Knutsford Hearing Centre
Stable Minds
Carmichael Clinic of Physiotherapy & Acupuncture
Helen Jones Nutrition

16Mar2026

Smoke Knutsford Joins The Town’s Voucher Scheme

One of Knutsford’s newest dining spots, Smoke Knutsford, has officially joined the growing list of local businesses accepting the Knutsford Voucher.

Located in Princess Street, the day to night venue opened in November 2025 and has quickly become a firm favourite amongst both residents and visitors.

The relaxed dining venue serves coffee, brunch, small plates, and curated wines from morning to late often accompanied by live music. George, owner, said “We are delighted to be part of the voucher scheme. It’s a fantastic initiative that encourages people to ‘eat indie’ while providing a versatile gift option. We look forward to welcoming voucher holders to enjoy Smoke’s hospitality very soon”

The scheme, which launched in 2020, now boasts over 50 participating businesses. Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager for Knutsford Town Council, noted the programme’s impressive growth,

“When we launched in 2020, we couldn’t have predicted just how much the community would embrace it. Today, the voucher (complete with a gift card) is a wonderful gift for all ages. It’s a point of pride that you can now use it for everything from a traditional Italian dinner, tapas, toys, and sweets!”

Vouchers can be purchased via the Discover Knutsford website or in person at the Town Council offices. Each voucher comes with a gift card, and 100% of the value goes directly back to the local business.

12Feb2026

Giovannis joins Taste Knutsford

One of Knutsford’s most enduring and beloved dining spots, Giovanni’s, has officially Knutsford’s official food tour – Taste Knutsford.

Located at the iconic Tatton Park end of King Street, the authentic Italian restaurant has long been a favourite for locals and visitors alike. By joining the tour, they offer an Italian flavour to tour guests.

“We are delighted to welcome Giovannis as the newest recruit to our tour.” said Sandra Curties, Town Centre Manager for Knutsford Town Council and tour organiser. “The restaurant is located in a beautiful building close to Tatton Park and offers Italian dishes we know our guests will love.”

Mario Zico, manager, said “We are Knutsford’s only truly independent Italian restaurant, and we are delighted to join the Taste Knutsford family. We are looking forward to offering tour guests a flavour of Italy as one of the lunch stops. Of course, this will be accompanied with a side order of Italian charm and service!”

Taste Knutsford was established in 2018 with the aim of promoting the town’s independent food scene. The tour runs once a month on a Saturday between February and November, with guests typically visiting around seven participating venues in a single tour.

Joining the Tour: Independent hospitality establishments looking to join the tour can contact Sandra Curties – Sandra.curties@knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

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 run from November to March.

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