Exclusive: Almost a year after moving the Wilmslow Artisan Market to a Sunday plans are underway to return the monthly event to a Saturday.
Cheshire East Council, Wilmslow Town Council and Denise Valente, the owner of the market, are proposing to pilot a return of the Artisan Market to a Saturday but re-site it to the Alderley Road service road. The first Saturday market is proposed for 18th October.
There has been much debate around the day and location of the market for a couple of years, then in August last year a large number of retailers called for the market to be switched to a Sunday as it was having a detrimental effect on sales on their busiest day of the week.
As a result, Wilmslow Town Council commissioned an independent research company, at a cost of approximately £3000, to assess the impact of the Wilmslow Artisan Market and, having considered the results, it was decided that future Artisan Markets in Wilmslow will be held on a Sunday. The first Sunday Artisan Market was held in November 2013.
Since the move, the performance of the market has been monitored and it has proved much less attractive to both residents and visitors, as well as some businesses that opened especially for market Sundays.
Denise Valente explained "The dilemma now facing us is how to maintain a vibrant market, which, without doubt, attracts significant additional footfall into the town, whilst avoiding detriment to existing businesses whose contribution is vital to the prosperity of Wilmslow."
As we approach the anniversary of the move to a Sunday both councils and Denise have taken stock of the impact on footfall and businesses during this time and following discussions with a number of retailers, including Hoopers and Sainsbury's, they have decided on this pilot scheme.
Stalls will be confined to the service road, stretching from Sainsbury's to Multiyork.
Denise added "In this proposal utmost sensitivity has been placed on the positioning and design of the new layout, ensuring access and visibility to all of the retail units adjacent to the site. The stalls will be confined to the service road; they will trade to both sides, and will not encroach on the pavement. We have also positioned the street food stalls away from shop fronts to prevent aromas from entering shop premises.
"I am confident that these measures will create an atmospheric, pleasant environment for the market and the retailers in close proximity.
"I am also very excited about the prospect of delivering this event back on Saturday as per the wishes of so many townsfolk. I do hope the people of Wilmslow and our visitors will come along and support the event and help restore it to its former glory."
Local councillor Rod Menlove said "The organiser of the Artisan Market is rightly canvassing the views of local businesses to ensure that the permanent retailers are comfortable with a return to a Saturday market initially as a pilot.
"I very much welcome this initiative and hope that the overall response is positive with high support for this pilot as a viable way forward. The market has made a considerable contribution to the vibrancy of Wilmslow and during my own visit this Sunday it was clear that it was well attended.
"The market was originally established as a device to bring additional shoppers to Wilmslow as it clearly did. The principle retailers along the Alderley Road slip road have encouraged this change that they judge will again benefit business in Wilmslow."
People are invited to email Denise Valente and Diane Smith, Town Centre Manager, with their views on the proposed move by Wednesday 24th September.
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