TATTON Park is bouncing back from the pandemic and since it reopened in June 2020 visitors have exceeded the 2019 equivalent.

Peter Skates, Cheshire East Council’s director of growth and enterprise, said the park, which is managed by the council on behalf of the National Trust, normally attracts about 800,000 visits a year and approximately 20,000 school visits.

During an update on how the park had fared during the pandemic, he told members of economy and growth committee on Thursday: “Nationally it is regularly in the top 20 paid-for tourism attractions in England and recently achieved its ninth consecutive national Sandford award for excellence in heritage education.”

Mr Skates said Tatton Park, like everywhere, had been significantly impacted by Covid and the resultant lockdowns.

But he said: “Through the hard work and resilience of the Tatton team, since the parkland reopened at the beginning of June 2020, actual visitor numbers have performed well.

“Park visitors actually exceeded the 2019 equivalent since June 2020.”

Tatton Park is regarded as one of the region’s foremost environmental, cultural and heritage assets.

Mr Skates said: “Post lockdowns, the public’s desire to embrace the importance of the outdoors, offers opportunities for re-engaging with visitors, maintaining their confidence in a safe environment and providing Tatton with the recovery and a roadmap of actions aimed at benefitting from the potential bounce-back in the use of outdoor facilities.”

Cllr Andrew Kolker (Dane Valley, Con) raised the cost of the car park fee and said he had looked at Trip Advisor before the meeting and ‘generally speaking, people are very happy with Tatton Park, they think it's an excellent destination’.

He added: “The one recurring criticism is the cost of going in, the entrance fee of £8 to take your car into the site.”

Cllr Mark Goldsmith (Wilmslow West and Chorley, Ind) said he favoured the Tatton charging policy over those which had been introduced at some National Trust properties.

The committee noted the update report.