Author: The Guide Cheshire
The Guide Cheshire continues to investigate and is currently reviewing a Freedom of Information response from Knutsford Town Council which, once you wade through the legalese, could be seen as rather defensive in tone and gurgling in sound. The council’s sudden obsession with legal terminology makes you wonder if revealing the financial records would genuinely compromise national security, or if it would just expose a truly catastrophic piece of bad maths. Knutsford taxpayers should not have to scale a mountain of legal paperwork just to see the books of an administration whose primary responsibility is usually coordinating the Christmas lights,…
As we continue to follow the money at Knutsford Town Council, The Guide Cheshire investigates whether a local business owner linked to the Council is acting as a proxy through targeted correspondence. A very interesting communication was received by the Guide Cheshire against helping Knutsford residents dealing with rising taxes get answers to questions about their money, transparency, and sustainability. Grant Wild expanded the dispute between Cheshire Fashion Week Ltd and Knutsford Town Council beyond the parties through questionable correspondence. In a fear-mongering letter sent to The Guide Cheshire, Wild indicated that the Daily Mail would be contacted, sponsors would…
Did Knutsford Town Council, working with Visit Cheshire (Marketing Cheshire), want to leverage the commercial weight that comes with the “Fashion Week” label in Cheshire? Did they hope to capitalise on the buzz generated by the region’s Cheshire Fashion Week to give local shops a taxpayer-funded promotional boost? Local councils are expected to champion independent businesses, local assets and culture. There are now questions about Knutsford Town Council’s priorities, its credibility on sustainability, and whether it is using Fashion Week as a marketing gimmick for everyday local shops. Knutsford taxpayers are already facing rising council tax bills, among the highest…
Members and volunteers across Cheshire East have marked a decade of The Bread and Butter Thing, celebrating the community food charity’s 10th anniversary. Food clubs in Alsager, Broken Cross, Longridge and Underwood West joined celebrations during the week of 7 September, bringing members and volunteers together for birthday cake, a brew and an opportunity to reflect on the communities built around the weekly hubs. The Cheshire East celebrations form part of more than 160 taking place across England to mark 10 years of The Bread and Butter Thing. For the local hubs, the anniversary also highlights the role the food…
Willington Hall is looking ahead to a busy autumn and Christmas season after a summer of weddings, community events, classic cars and even a visit from the BBC. Set in the Cheshire countryside near Tarporley, the historic hotel has welcomed both returning guests and new visitors over recent months, with a programme ranging from weddings and family celebrations to food, wine and motoring events. Among the additions has been Willington Hall’s Classic Car Club, bringing classic car owners and enthusiasts together for informal gatherings in the hotel grounds. The events combine drives through the Cheshire countryside with an opportunity to…
As Knutsford Council Tax rises, a weeklong fashion campaign promoting local shops raises questions about sustainability, responsible consumption and what taxpayers are funding.
An FOI is following the money between Knutsford Town Council and Visit Cheshire, asking what changed when Flash Fashion became a Fashion Week and what, if anything, taxpayers paid for.
Cheshire’s lost country houses could represent around £31.4m a year in vanished heritage value, according to new analysis by Family Tree. The analysis identified at least 35 named lost country houses in Cheshire from available heritage records, including homes that were demolished, ruined or lost as major historic houses. Using today’s historic house economy as an illustrative benchmark, those 35 lost houses could represent around £31.4m a year in foregone economic activity, with around £20.9m potentially linked to local spending. Family Tree says Marbury Hall, near Northwich, is one of the clearest examples of what was lost. The country house stood at Marbury,…
A new Freedom of Information request is seeking answers over how much taxpayers’ money has been spent on council fashion events, legal costs and promotion, and what financial return they have delivered for the local community while Knutsford residents face rising council tax bills.
Cheshire Fashion Week is bringing the runway back to the region this September, welcoming designers from across the globe and featuring an exciting new collaboration with the luxury car partner, Porsche Centre Wilmslow. The event has confirmed a partnership with Porsche Centre Wilmslow as part of its wider growth strategy to expand the event’s footprint and prestige across Cheshire. The main showcase will take place at Chester Cathedral on 5 September 2026, with leading designers expected from Ireland, Nigeria, Portugal, and the United States. Opening the evening’s runway presentations is British high-end retailer White Stuff, which will debut its latest…