Council is 'neglecting' thriving Cheshire spot, say concerned traders

Traders in an area of Macclesfield town centre earmarked as a key one for regeneration say its infrastructure has suffered a fall from grace.

Chestergate has long been seen as a thriving location for independent business with high occupancy rates and the opening of the Picturedrome in 2019.

In the same year it was also listed as a priority in Cheshire East Council’s Macclesfield Town Centre Regeneration - Strategic Framework and Future Programme

But now it has been claimed that neglect in maintaining drainage grids and areas around trees made the area ‘an accident waiting to happen’, leading to trips, stumbles and falls for shoppers.

Richard Slater, owner of Henbury Travel, on Chestergate, raised the issue with the Macclesfield Express this week.

And when asked for comment the council said this week work to repair the problem has now been carried out.

Mr Slater had said: “All these drainage grids and areas around the trees are just the biggest accident waiting to happen. I see people trip regularly and on occasion fall.

“Maybe if more council staff are relocated to Macclesfield town hall, as planned, something will be done then. Other retailers have also noticed and would like something done.”

Chestergate has previously bucked the trend of high streets struggling; last year it was found 100 out of 107 units were occupied.

The council has had plans for improvement work there but this was reliant on Levelling Up funding from the government.

And it said, ‘even though our applications were well-received, and praised for their quality, they were unsuccessful’.

A Cheshire East spokesman said: “Our highways team have been to Chestergate to make the repairs that were needed.”

Its website states: “We are responsible for 100,204 gullies and gully grids (the metal gratings in the gutter) on adopted roads in Cheshire East.

“When we attend the gullies, we empty them and check that they are working. We inspect them for any damage and will arrange any repairs if they are required.”

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