Northwich

Northwich is an interesting Cheshire town. It's rich in industrial history, as the above sign shows.  Salt has been produced here since Roman times, Cheshire used to produce 86% of the nation’s salt and I look forward to the Lion Salt Works (an historic open-pan salt making site) reopening to visitors next year.

The chemical industry has left an unfortunate legacy:

Near Anderton

but, as I found when I walked the Weaver Way, there's some very beautiful places nearby where you can see all sorts of wild flowers and birds like lapwings etc.

Besides cheap shops, like Pound Stretcher and the Shop With No Name:

there's some seriously good food shops (as you'll find out in my next three posts).

The market in Northwich is disappointing (compared to Nantwich for instance), but once a month there's an Artisan Market in Northwich.  I've already mentioned the amazing Wilmslow Artisan Market in this blog, well it's the same people who run this one (they also run markets at Knutsord, Middlewich and Trentham).  Instead of almost empty streets:

 

the town comes alive:

 In fact you need to get there early, as the large (free) car parks fill up and it gets quite busy:

 

Many of the stalls are the same as I've shown you in the Wilmslow post, you can get everything from an onion bhaji to a pork pie!

The market brings people to the town who wouldn't normally go there, and shoppers support small local independent shops which helps keep money in the local economy.

With stalls like Holly's Little Bakery:

 it bring a bit of theatre and colour, although I think I'll need sun glasses for some of her cakes!

The Artisan Market has been shortlisted for the High Street Champion of the Year Award, they deserve to win.

Northwich Artisan Market

Northwich Town Centre
High Street
Northwich
CW9 5DD

Web: www.artisanmarket.moonfruit.com