You couldn't really blame town planners if they struggled to come up with ways to improve the pretty Cheshire market town of Northwich, but Barons Quay aims to do just that. Due to open later in 2016, this imaginative leisure and retail development will turn Northwich town centre into an even more desirable destination for shopping, relaxation and enjoyment.Summer will see shops and restaurants linked to existing outlets, making full use of the riverside setting. By autumn they will be joined by new branches of Marks and Spencer and Asda, with a further 100,000 feet of retail space, a five-screen cinema and more eateries and bars. Some restaurants will have the added attraction of riverside views, which will doubtless prove especially popular. A further attraction for travellers is the offer of free car parking for a limited period.
Northwich's history is steeped in a flourishing salt industry, and today its Victorian timber-framed buildings stand where the rivers Dane and Weaver meet. Its inclusion in two recent Sunday Times lists of the best places to live in the UK gives an indication of its charms, and it serves not only the local community and its surroundings, but also nearby towns such as Nantwich, Knutsford and Altrincham.
Barons Quay is conveniently located in the heart of Northwich, which is easily accessed by public transport or car, being only 23 miles to the south-west of Manchester, for example. The town sits in the middle of the green county of Cheshire, which is surrounded by Staffordshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and Wales, making it a convenient stopping-off point or break for those travelling through.
The additional facilities of Barons Quays can only enhance the already-thriving community of Northwich, and could even help to return it to the prominence that it enjoyed at the height of salt production.
