KNUTSFORD Town Council received only five responses to 53 letters it sent out to residents seeking their views on how they were affected by the road closure for the monthly Makers Market.

The letter was sent to all houses on Silk Mill Street, Princess Street, Church View, Slaters Yard and Regent Street, and gave residents a month to respond.

It asked for details of how residents were inconvenienced by the market, which takes place on Princess Street, with a view to resolving any issues where possible.

Three of the responses supported the market, and two supported the market but were concerned it damaged the surface of Regent Street.

The letters were sent out following concerns by a number of town centre residents about what they claimed were access problems to their homes, particularly for emergency vehicles, when the market was on.

The letter from events and town centre management committee chairman Cllr Mike Houghton said: “The Makers Market is a lifeline to local businesses and vital in us maintaining a strong town centre.

“The feedback we receive from local businesses, Knutsford residents and visitors to the town centre is overwhelmingly positive.

“The town council and market organisers have explored a range of options for the location of the market.

“It has been suggested the market could be held on the car park behind Waitrose. This would not be feasible as it would require the market to be up to 60 per cent smaller and take footfall away from the shops on Princess Street.

“It would change the nature of the market and substantially reduce the number of visitors to Knutsford and reduce the benefit to the town economy.

“We previously explored holding the market on King Street and held a trial market in June 2014.

“We concluded the market works best on Princess Street due to King Street hiding the market from passing traffic, requiring traffic to be diverted along the unmade Moorside dirt track and the lack of a suitable space for a hot food area.”

He said the council had been alerted to concerns from town centre residents about access for emergency services while the market took place, took those concerns seriously and contacted North West Ambulance Service and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

He said: “Both responded that they are able to attend to an emergency at any property while the market is taking place.

“From their responses we are confident you are not put in danger while the market takes place.”

Cllr Stewart Gardiner said at Monday’s events committee that even if there were market stalls in Regent Street 12 times a year the damage to the road surface would not be ‘anywhere the same’ as that caused by refuse trucks or residents’ vehicles.