Plans to turn former creche into a restaurant

We need that like a hole in the head. What we really need is restaurants of the quality & quirkyiness one finds in Alderley Edge & Knutsford. Why do they get nice places and we get rubbish passing planning permission?

Fully agree Clive but how about getting some proper commerce into Wilmslow with some decent shops, anyone remember shops?

Wilmslow is just turning into a dump! Can't get about for all the roads jammed up with builders vans, cars parked everywhere, laybys jammed up, just getting worse on a daily basis.
Get it sorted Cheshire East!

Oh goody another eatery in Wilmslow! We are a little short on this type of outlet - not

Well I suppose it's better than an empty shop unit and at least it's in a parade of existing retail units.

I propose largely to repeat that which I contributed some weeks ago when another correspondent offered opinions on the health of the retail environment in Wilmslow.
Retail specialist Harper Dennis Hobbs has ranked Wilmslow the 'best place to shop in the north west'. Their findings, conducted over a five year period, confirm and slightly improve those of the Vitality Index list published in 2014.
The value of these findings lie in their use by other retail groups, seeking to expand into towns in which they currently have no representation.
The 'High Street', howsoever defined, is and will remain under threat from changing patterns of access to retail trading. Please try to celebrate incoming businesses and their enthusiasm to invest in Wilmslow.

Good luck. All the best.

So what if it's another eatery! Blame the greedy council and developers with ridiculous rents...and taxes.

They seem to have missed the Internet revolution. No wonder more and more eateries are filling the space. The internet revolution hasnt quite cracked and replaced people's desire to eat out.

Why can't the usual suspects on here make positive comment about new investment in Wilmslow? This is currently a row of successful food outlets and we need to get behind these new ventures and stop making unhelpful negative comments. Is it better to just keep looking at empty units, just so threre's something else to whinge about? Good luck to whoever is working on this new project.

Good luck indeed. £30,000 rent and rates give or take. 6 full timers and 4 part time. Over £100k wages. With other costs at least £3,000 per week in outgoings. Must be a good business plan. We just need a few more bookies, glasses shops, charidee shops and fast food joints to assist in the demise of a once pleasant village which was once a desirable place to live.

I don't know quite how I can convince Mr Worthington and other correspondents to this site that Wilmslow is not a town in decline but rather that it is judged by professional retail consultants to be the best place to shop in the north west.
The town boasts more 'high end' retailers and fewer 'undesirable' traders as a proportion of the total town centre retail mix than any other place in the north west including Chester, which is some achievement.
The urban high street is under intense threats from other ways of access to retail purchase in particular and we should celebrate rather than denigrate businesses who decide to invest in new ventures in the town. This particular application offers few clues about the proposed nature of their intended restaurant but I for one wish them well.
They will be occupying premises in a parade that is in some need of attention. Perhaps we should be directing our bile towards landlords, who are content to collect their tenants' rents but leave their premises in an external state of disrepair. By the way, could we please bear in mind that Business Rates are set by central government and not by the unitary authority.

@Ruth McNulty "The town boasts more 'high end' retailers and fewer 'undesirable' traders", who were you quoting here? As far as I can see no-one else used these terms, please do forgive me if I am wrong.

Mr Worthington makes very valid points.

As for the opinions of "professional retail consultants"- what product are they selling?

Sorry Ruth, Wilmslow does not attract tourists like Chester, despite its apparent higher ratio of 'high end' shops.
It may equate to Knutsford. No one likes to see their local area decline, yet rents should be subject to market forces.
You are correct, Business Rates are set by C Govt, but I note the adjustments they made AFTER the last business rates valuation.

Anyone, please what factors/costs should be included in any retail outlet start-up?

According to Cheshire East's study (2016) the face of the high street hasn't significantly changed since 2011. Whilst you are correct that Wilmslow doesn't attract tourists like Chester, it is a place which draws in from both Alderley and Handforth to access the services we have and people do come in for the Car Show. We should welcome people who are willing to take on units in the town at a time when so much can be bought on the internet. My view is that the high st could offer so much more as a visitor experience with it proximity to Manchester Airport. Hoopers should be leading the way in this.

I have quoted from the report published earlier this year by Harper Dennis Hobbs, a professional retail consultancy. Their findings, conducted over a five year period, are not dissimilar from the Vitality Index last published in 2014.

@ Jackie, the Motor Show is no more, which makes one wonder if the grant of £10k, for a one day event, by Wilmslow Town Council was good value for the people of the town.