Knutsford to host more al fresco dining evenings in 2022

After successfully trialling two events in 2021, Knutsford Town Council has confirmed two more events will take place this year.

Sections of roads - King Street, Minshull Street and Princess Street - were closed off to allow businesses to set up outdoor seating for their customers, with feedback overwhelmingly in support of the concept.

But, while surveying businesses in the town centre, one Princess Street trader expressed concern over their seating area, claiming its location could 'crucify' them.

Town mayor Cllr Mike Houghton said the council was sympathetic to the situation and has scaled back the frequency of the events as a compromise.

He said: "We're conscious by doing the initiative, we're pleasing 99 per cent of people but not pleasing everybody. We were looking at potentially five events over the course of 2022, but with this in mind, we've scaled that back to only hold two events.

"Because we can't close Princess Street, seating areas can't be allocated outside every participant.

"We've very much taken on board the feedback, but we've got to think about the benefit this brings to the town as a whole.

Feedback for the al fresco events was overwhelmingly positive

"It's a difficult compromise. We will be looking to do all we can with that particular trader and look at other initiatives to compensate."

Only a section of Princess Street can be closed due to residents needing access, so the council will be allocating seating areas on pavements and using parking bays from HSBC to Chicinos for pedestrians.

In a council report, the trader's feedback said: "We have attended numerous meetings on this and were told Princess Street could not be fully closed.

"If this remains the case, we have huge concerns. We were told the only place we could operate is outside Lost and Found, which is a fair walk across a busy road.

"This massively impacts our trade on the two busiest days of the week when we have strived to create a safe and welcoming space. In truth this could crucify us and others on our street.

"Unless this scheme is built fairly to include every business on both streets, we cannot support it and plead with you not to go ahead unless for a very limited number of dates."

The proposed dates for this year's al fresco dining evenings are August 12 (Princess Street and Minshull Street), August 13 (King Street), September 9 (King Street) and September 10 (Princess Street and Minshull Street).

Cllr Houghton added: "We're not in the business of damaging trade in the town.

"We put these initiatives on for the benefit for the town as a whole but we are sympathetic to individuals who might feel disadvantaged by it and we'll do all we can to rectify that situation and perhaps through other initiatives we can compensate."