A town of streets lined with independent shops, cafés, glitzy restaurants and celebrity-owned bars has been named one of the best places to live in the country.
The historic market town of Knutsford in Cheshire has been hailed among the best places to live in the UK in The Sunday Times' annual guide. "Smart with a heart, this posh market town has class from top to bottom".
If such a description appeals, you can find Knutsford near the M6 at Junction 19 in Cheshire, not far from either Manchester or Liverpool.
"Cosy and comfortable Knutsford is in Cheshire's sweet spot south of Manchester - avoiding both inner-city bustle and a long commute. Interlinked high streets, a glitzy social scene and interesting architecture make it an irresistible destination for aspirational families and upwardly mobile young professionals," the guide continues.
Knutsford is a charming town with two main streets - Princess Street and King Street, known to locals as the 'top' and 'bottom' street.
The town also has a touch of celebrity glamour, with two bars owned by famous faces. Shane Lynch, a member of Boyzone, and his wife Sheena, who stars in Real Housewives of Cheshire, run the D13 bar on King Street alongside movie stuntman Nathan Gerhold, reports the Manchester Evening News.
On Princess Street, you'll find Dexter and Jones, a popular craft beer and gin bar and bottle shop. It's run by former Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt and his wife Katy Rickitt, a presenter on Good Morning Britain. Adam and Katy first visited the bar as customers and loved it so much they told the owner they'd be interested if she ever wanted to sell. They took over in November 2019.
Katy shared her excitement about the Knutsford community, which saw the business get through lockdown. She said: "That's what's so great about Knutsford, everyone is so helpful. We've been able to increase the number of beers, wines and gins we sell and now we make our own gin as well."
Shane Lynch from Boyzone also talked about how friendly everyone has been since he opened his D13 Irish bar on King Street, which is named after his home area in Dublin. He said: "We were friendly outsiders coming into Cheshire but Knutsford has really looked after us. Myself, I'm an Irishman, my wife is from London, Nathan is from Brighton - we're nomads - we've travelled up here a long way and Cheshire has made us very, very welcome, everyone has made us so welcome."
He added that there's a great community spirit in the town: "A lot of the establishments around here are friendly, if we run out of beer, we get it from them, if they run out of beer we get it to them. It's a town alive to be honest. A town alive is worth a drive, so come on, come over to Knutsford."
Knutsford is right next to Tatton Park, a big historic estate. You can walk in the park for free during the day by going through the main gates on Knutsford Drive.
Knutsford might be small, but it's a treasure trove for shoppers who love unique finds. It's become a hotspot for interior design lovers, with ten specialist shops offering homely solutions. The traditional indoor market on Silk Street is another gem. It's open four days a week and is where you'll find Bahattin Atar cooking up tasty treats at The Market Cafe. He makes yummy breakfasts, baguettes, prize-winning sausage rolls, and his own Turkish baklava.
Bahattin said: "Knutsford is a fantastic place and such nice people. The sort of place if people say they forgot their money I can say 'pay next time' and they do."
You can wander from one end of town to the other along little cobbled lanes. As you walk, look out for old buildings like the fancy Belle Epoque and the Rose and Crown pub that's been there since 1647. Keep going down King Street and you'll spot the Morgan Edwards wine bar, situated in a building that dates back to 1580 and used to be a barber shop for 200 years.
Now, it's where friends Morgan Ward and Edward Speakman, who met at university, sell special wines. They started with just a stall in the market, but when the pandemic hit, they switched to selling online and delivering, which made their business grow fast.
Morgan shared: "If we think about where we started in the market to where we are now it's been a lot of hard work and perseverance, but also a great community here in Knutsford."
If you are thinking of following the Sunday Times' advice and moving the Knutsford, then you'll need to have a fair amount of cash. According to Rightmove the average house price last year was a whopping £616,000, while semi-detached houses sold for an average of £476,637, and terraced houses went for £382,250. That said, the new Tabley Park development on Northwich Road has some cheaper options, with terraced houses from £190,000.
Knutsford is on a list of seven places in the north west that are great for making your home. Prestwich and Stockport in Greater Manchester, Christleton near Chester in Cheshire, Sefton Park in Liverpool, Ribble Valley in Lancashire, and Kendal in Cumbria also made the list.
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