TOWN councillors have championed the popular Knutsford Makers Market, which has taken place on the first Sunday of the month in Princess Street since 2013.

Residents from Silk Mill Street say stalls being erected disturbs their sleep, the market makes it difficult for emergency vehicles to reach their homes and creates parking problems.

Richard Cussons voiced residents’ concerns at last month’s Knutsford Town Council meeting, and asked for the market to be moved elsewhere.

The market was discussed at Monday’s Events and Town Centre Management Committee, at which councillors stressed how the market benefitted the town.

Cllr James Power said: “The Makers Market is a huge artery for bringing prosperity to Knutsford.

“It brings visitors and keeps the town alive. We have to carefully balance all those different needs, but the market is hugely popular.”

Cllr Peter Coan said: “Princess Street was potentially going to become a ghost town, and we were begged to come up with an initiative to increase footfall on this street to maintain the viability of this town centre arterial route – and that’s what we’ve done.”

Cllr Andrew Malloy said the market had rejuvenated the town centre.

“Businesses absolutely love it, and residents across the town love it too – they think it’s a great event,” he said.

“Yes, there are negatives, we cannot ignore those and need to look to try to mitigate any concerns as much as possible.”

The council’s current arrangement with the Makers Market is informal, and the committee agreed a Service Level Agreement should be drawn up for the market operation in conjunction with the organiser Victoria Crane.

Cllr Malloy said discussions over the proposed agreement would include the location and health and safety aspects of the market.

Francis Dempster from Silk Mill Street told the committee: “I have been sent by residents from there, who range from 70 years old to 95, and most are under Macclesfield Hospital for treatment.

“Every month they are frightened to death when that market is on because there is no ambulance that would get down King Street.”

He said a number of residents went away for the weekend when the market was held.

Victoria Crane said from Mr Dempster’s comments it appeared there was a ‘huge amount of anxiety’ among residents in relation to emergency services accessing homes in the area when the market was on.

“Worrying about what could happen is obviously causing a lot of pain,” she said.

She had worked with the emergency services since starting the market, she said, and would be meeting them again to discuss the residents’ concerns.

Cllr Malloy said the council had also met with the emergency services numerous times over the market, and would meet again with Victoria and the services to make sure they were still happy with the current situation.

The issues Mr Dempster had raised were ‘concerning,’ he said, and no-one was taking them lightly.

Cllr Elizabeth Beswick said there had been complaints about music starting early at the market while a service was being held at the Methodist church.

People going to church on market day ‘can’t park readily or get in and out of church very easily’, she added, and would support seeking an alternative site for the market.

Cllr Malloy said: “We seem to have quite a good relationship with the Methodist church, and I know the market tends to try to start the music later, especially on sensitive religious days.”