Footfall in Crewe has increased by 36 per cent since the re-opening of the town's Market Hall - according to latest Cheshire East figures.

A meeting of Cheshire East Council's economy and growth committee was held on Wednesday (July 13) - discussing the figures.

The towns of Crewe, Nantwich, Alsager and Macclesfield all saw their footfall increase between 2020/21 to 2021/22.

Crewe saw the biggest footfall percentage increase in Cheshire East - rising to 1.136 million.

Town centre footfall. Crewe's figures rose to above 1.1 million (Cheshire East figures)

Dane Valley Conservative councillor, Cllr Andrew Kolker questioned the reliability of the figures.

Mr Kolker said he was surprised the increase across the borough as a whole from 2020/21 to 2021/22 is only 10 per cent 'since it was illegal to go into the town centre for many months of 2021'.

Cllr Kolker said: "I note that we've demolished half of Crewe and there's many shops, large shops, that are now closed in the centre of Crewe - yet the footfall has increased by 36 per cent."

The towns of Congleton, Knutsford, Middlewich, Poynton, Sandbach and Wilmslow all saw a decrease in footfall over this period.

Cllr Andrew Kolker, CEC member for Dane Valley (Cheshire East Council).

Cllr Kolker added: "Knutsford which has very, very few, if any, vacant shops has decreased by five per cent. I'm just a little bit surprised by some of those figures,"

Peter Skates, director of growth and enterprise, said the council had been monitoring the data in all nine service centres as well as Crewe and Macclesfield since lockdown.

"It is clear that a lot of the towns have responded differently," said Mr Skates.

"Towns like Middlewich actually saw an increase in footfall during the restrictions, and we considered that was probably likely because there was less travel to Crewe and Northwich from that local centre.

"In terms of Crewe I think, yes, there is a lot of transformation happening in Crewe but we've actually opened the Market Hall and the Market Hall has been very successful.

Cheshire East Council director of growth and enterprise, Mr Peter Skates (Cheshire East Council).

"This has led to a lot of new footfall into the town centre."

He said he was satisfied the figures were accurate.

"It is quite enlightening the amount of quality information you can get from this mobile data," said Mr Skates.

"We're able to say that someone who's visiting Knutsford, how many miles they've travelled to get to that location and we use that in the early days when we are trying to understand implications around Tatton Park.

"The data is there to be accessed. We are monitoring it on a monthly basis and we can utilise it."

Cllr Kolker still wasn't convinced, saying: "In April, May and June you weren't allowed out the house and then, for many months after that, only essential shops could be open so I'm really surprised that 10 per cent increase only."

Crewe Market Hall has been nominated for the Best Newcomer Award for the Nantwich Food Awards (Ryan Parker).

Just over a since since re-opening, Crewe Market Hall has recently been nominated for the Best Newcomer Award for the Nantwich Food Awards.

The people of Crewe can vote for Crewe Market Hall to win by clicking here. Voting is free and runs until Sunday 4 September.

By Ryan Parker, Chief Reporter and Belinda Ryan, Local Democracy reporter

READ MORE: 'Art for who's sake?' - Council Conservative group leader slams Crewe town centre artwork proposals.

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