McGoff seeks Altrincham effect in Urmston

The McGoff Group has completed the acquisition of the Urmston Market site in Railway Road, enabling it to press on with plans to create a food hall at the site, along with residential.

The developer secured a hybrid planning permission in March, which included detailed consent for three five-bedroom houses on a plot between Greenfield Church and Primrose Avenue. Work is scheduled to start in November.

The permission also included outline consent for a new food hall to be built next to the existing market hall. This will look to “exploit the popularity of local markets, as demonstrated by the new Altrincham market”.

Although subject to changes before submission, its size is likely to accommodate 160 to 180 covers in a central seated area, with 10 to 12 food operators.

The site currently hosts an artisan market organised by The Market Co on the first Saturday of each month.

McGoff is working with WMC Retail Partners, the London-headquartered market manager and placemaking consultant, with Salford-based Street Design Partnership leading on the market’s detailed application. Further advisors on interiors and branding could be drafted in.

An application is expected to be submitted in either October or November, with a start on-site in early 2018 ahead of a summer opening.

URMSTON MARKET AS ISChris McGoff, director of the group, told Place North West: “Urmston’s a successful destination and one we know well, having operated a care home here since 2010.

“What we’re trying to do is further the area’s regeneration, and our plans seem to have been well received, going off what we pick up from local people, social media and the local press.

“This can be the final piece of the jigsaw for Urmston. There’s a lot of potential, it’s an exciting place to bring up a family.”

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Good luck. Not sure patrons of Alti Market, the upper echelons of Bowdon/Hale society, have even heard of Urmston, let alone ever visited.

By Tim Perley

The demographic in Urmston is very different to Altrincham. Have you been there during the day – more tracksuits and motorbility scooters? Any how if they can replicate it then fair play to them as the Altrincham one is lovely think it would have to be priced more keenly though.

Urmston market used to be a big pull in itself – surely they should seek to get that up and running again as Urmston isn’t really “Artisan” territory. And that could do well again?

By R Bolton

Yous have to remember that Altrincham was like that not so long ago – empty units and decline. In fact I think it was the market’s regeneration that picked the place up. Lets give Urmston a chance, it’s a lovely area and could easily be a success story -only problem is its woeful rail links

By Anonymous

I think people are being a bit rude about Urmston. There are 400 grand town houses near the Cemetery. It has a railway station too. This would work well there in my view.

By Elephant

No idea why people would have a pop at Urmston. Since the new precinct was built its a different proposition altogether with new restaurants and bars. Its a nice place to live with plenty of parks and green spaces, very good transport links and of course its got the trafford centre on its door step (not too sure if that’s a good thing or not !!!).
Put it this way, the London Times mentioned Urmston a few months ago as a good alternative to the likes of Altrincham , Hale, etc due to the properties being cheaper.

By phildered

Where is it?

By Cheshire Boy

As one of the existing stall holders in the Urmston Market hall I am sure I speak for everyone in the market in wishing the McGoff group every success in this new venture.It would be much appreciated if a representative of the group were to meet the traders and give them a clearer picture of the way forward Many thanks

By bernard kelly

Hi to person of Timperley

You seem to have heard of Urmston – do you mind me asking which echelon of Altrincham boarders you are of? If you are permitted to talk to any of those in the upper echelons, perhaps you could let them know where Urmston is and maybe even suggest a visit!

In my humble opinion this scheme will work really well in Urmston and will complement the existing f&b offer as well as the existing market. Good luck!

By Fair Comment

R Bolton. I don’t visit Altrincham for the same comments you make of Urmston. I’ve everything I need here & more. Not “artisan territory”? Watch this space,….

By Anonymous

Urmston isn’t Artisan territory? The monthly Artisan market is rammed every time. Retailers like Earl & Ginger don’t open premises without thorough research in to the local demographic. Houses prices are starting to rival Chorlton having surpassed Sale. Some very bitter comments on here.

By Mark

Not really Artisan territory you say? Have you been to the flourishing Artisan market? The numerous new bars and restaurants? Noted the growing number of young families moving into the area? It’s going to do extremely well, stop being miserable and snobby!

By Ms indignant

If they’re going to build houses why not build affordable ones for our young families. Also I can’t imagine there’s much room for the planned 5 bedroomed ones.
Like the idea of food market though. It seems everyone is enjoying more places to eat and bars in urmston.

By Lynne chatterton

Urmston is a fantastic place to be. There are a few unsavoury comments about Urmston here but I doubt you actually know what goes on here and what a fantastic community we have here. We have great bars and restaurants. We have a lovely shopping centre and we have the Trafford Centre on our door step. The community here regularly get together to improve our area by fundraising to make changes or getting out there and actually making changes to our area ourselves, not looking at and talking negatively about other areas but concentrating on our own and working together to improve it. I suggest before destroying our good name with rude comments about us you should come here and I gaurantee you’ll be made welcome and whether you go for a coffee at Lilly’s, have a presecco at The Surgery, go to a Wayne Devlin show or simply have a picnic in one of our lovely parks, you will have a wonderful time and leave wanting to come back! Urmston is our community and we love it here.

By Opinion of the many not the few

Been to Alty food hall a few times and always busy even mid week. Some new bars recently opened opposite. Alty has excellent transport links and a larger catchment area plus a better variety of shops.Urmston has got better over the past few years but does it really have the footfall to support the bars/cafes/restaurants already here. Only time will tell. Good Luck.

By Urmston Resident

Still not enough free parking in Urmston for this to be a sucsess

By a levey

Great news. Laughable comments from some of these ignorant fools on here. Last time I checked Timperley bordered some of the roughest estates in south manchester. Hell hale is only a mile from wythenshaw at its borders

By Urmstonite

It’s not for the people in Hale or Bowdon – it’s for the people of Urmston. Wind your self entitled neck in!!

By Gingerbread

This has to be a positive for Urmston. Unlike Altrincham when the food market was formed we have a thriving town with all shops occupied. Having lived in Urmston for the last ten years with my young family I am delighted with the development of our town.

By DJE

Some of these comments are hilarious! I’m sure McGoff Group have done their research as have Sainsbury’s, who wouldn’t have put a supermarket in this suburb if it was so down and out!

We’ve been here five years and was attracted by great schools, good transport links, proximity to Manchester City centre, leafy roads and good/affordable family housing. Great to see a number of bars and restaurants popping up in the centre. Locals are friendly and it’s nice that people stop to let you out in a morning, unlike other areas when everyone is so self centred.

There are a lot of people moving to the Urmston/Flixton area who are simply priced out of other suburbs like Altrincham/Sale/Didsbury/Chorlton. There is plenty of a market here for an offering like this and I don’t think they’ll need to be relying on anyone from Hale/Bowden from visiting, though of course you are all welcome!

Onwards and upwards Urmston!

By Nat

Assuming the negative comments about Urmston have been made to pick a fight? If you haven’t heard of Urmston, then I’m not sure you live in Manchester (it’s only 10 minutes from Altrincham after all). The demographic is very similar (have a peek at he ONS website before you comment) to Altrincham, hence why there is already an Artisan market and a desperate need for a market like the one proposed. Developers don’t just develop without doing their research after all. It’ll be a brilliant addition to an otherwise really improving town centre. Bring it on!

By Manager

Urmston is a wonderful, exciting friendly town and this market will only enhance it. No tracksuit on me!

By Diana

Remember what the late great Les Dawson said about Cheshire, ” Wythenshawe with O-levels.”

By Elephant

Have you been to Altrincham, you can’t move for bourgeoisie. Lack of value in anything in Alty, whether it is housing, food or people

By Traffordian

Nice to see that snobbery is alive and well! Good luck to the McGoff Group, I’m sure it will work out well.

By Paul Partington

Rather than rise to the snobbery of the Timperley and Altrincham folk, why don’t the people of Urmston just be quietly content with their town and all it has to offer, both now, and in the future.

Chiming back with evidence of quite how much at home the artisan markets, kitchen shops, bars & restaurants are in Umrston, gives the other views credence . . . . .. it might be more powerful to say nothing and let these naysayers see the error of their thoughts in the future!

Otherwise everyone ends up sounding a little ‘my town is better than your town’ kind of thing.

Best of luck to all involved in this scheme! Hope it’s the right mix of resi and commercial for the location.

By Live and let live

It will be so much more than Altrincham. Something the fantastic Urmston community can be truely proud about…. #buildingforgenarations

By Paul

all as I was illustrating is it is a very different market (no pun intended) and house prices and prices are way higher in Altrincham! And of course the demographic is very different due to the gulf in wealth. So it would need to be priced accordingly and cater to the market. In regard to the other comments (trying to take them as a whole) Bevano is overpriced (drinks especially) Surgery could have been better pitched and could struggle, Champs – attracts a certain character football/tracksuits/undesirables – much as what you see wondering about. Wetherspoons is just that! Enough said. Regardless of what you say there is less money in Urmston. And there is still the issue of the smell from the sewage works. Will this ever be resolved? Yes house prices are going up agreed. But got a long way to go, and there are a lot of strange sights to be seen.

By R Bolton

And what Mr Kelly has said – I said – the market needs to be got back on track as it used to have a massive draw. As most of you are alarmed by comments but saying the same thing yourself – that you don’t want it to be Cheshire set over priced , just eateries etc. So engage with the market – get it on track again. BTW Lily’s only has one L and is very nice (but don’t like the cream in the Victoria sponge that’s my only criticism). So would rather have a PrOsecco (not Presecco) at Lily’s. Thanks

By R Bolton

URMSTON is brilliant! I’ve lived there since 2006 and I’m a senior architect working at a very reputable practice in the city centre, I used to commute from Urmston to Liverpool for 6 years and shop there every weekend, you’ve get Eden Square with the library and all the high street shops – the Artisan market has a wonderful range of goods – fantastic at Christmas! The Trafford Centre and the Retail Park are very close by so it very convenient. A night out in Urmston is also wonderful – there’s a real sense of community there which makes it special….don’t judge it until you’ve been there!

By Kal

My family and our friends live in urmston and regularly travel to Altricham Market. This will be a welcome local alternative and I believe it will thrive if done nicely with the character of Alty’s market hall. Some people appear to have visited Urmston 15 yrs ago and stuck with their opinion and never come back. Thriving local economy and a very eager consumer base.

By Honorary Urmstonian

I think it’s a great concept and chuffed it’s happening on my doorstep! Urmston is really taking off and this food hall will really enhance the already cosmopolitan atmosphere!

By T Major

Altrincham Market has proved the magnetic power of the “ripple effect”, pulling numerous other successful, aspirational independent businesses into the area, and creating a town centre that is unrecognisable from 10/15 years ago (when Altrincham regularly appeared in the national press as one of the towns with the most vacant units in the UK). Aside from the social benefit of the market, this will be a great opportunity for Urmston to attract further investment and jobs. Fantastic news both locally and for the wider North West.

By Anonymous

I have read a lot of the comments on here and there’s some people on here that seem to have bad remarks about Urmston. I am a stall holder in the INDOOR MARKET HALL AT URMSTON , I think I speak for all of use here, We are looking forward to the future this will bring. WE STILL NEED EVERYONES SUPPORT TO KEEP MARKETS ALIVE . We would appreciate some information from the new owners on what’s going to happen now. Hope we can have a meeting soon. (STALL HOLDERS OF URMSTON INDOOR MARKET HALL) Elaine’s Babywear and Knitted Crafts.

By Elaine's babywear

Beautiful property stock to rival any town in the U.K., the most
successful retail town centre development in Trafford, a food led resurgence of the area, some of best free schools in England, the meadows, amazing family run businesses and sole traders. Yes this is Urmston and this new development will be so much more than Altrincham . I❤️Urmston and the McGoff family have just made me more proud. Thank you.

By Jill

We have lived in Dayhulme/Urmston for the last 16 years. We started trading at the Urmston Artisan Market a year ago and have done every month since. We also trade regularly at Altrincham which is a fantastic market. Customers frequently rave about the buzz about town on Urmston’s 1st Saturday of the month market day and speak really positively and with optimism about the future of the area. Altrincham is a great place but so is Urmston but it has a different dimension all of its own. Great place to live, raise children and simply enjoy life.

By Dan's Cookies

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