This year’s Barnaby Festival was another roaring success, described by the chief executive of Visit England as ‘one of the best of its kind anywhere in the country’. The strong turnout from local residents and visitors alike demonstrates that Macclesfield is making positive strides in becoming a truly distinctive destination. We have a rich heritage, excellent independent shops and stunning landscapes in Macclesfield; combined with the energy of Barnaby, they highlight our real potential.
Barnaby has been an important catalyst in strengthening Macclesfield’s community spirit and in inspiring further regeneration of the town centre. We are seeing a new lease of life, with regular events like the Treacle Market continuing to prove popular. The Castle Quarter demonstrates how quickly things can change – just a few years ago there were empty shops and a handful of estate agents on Church Street, now it is full of thriving independent shops and restaurants.
But, there is still more to be done. I am working closely with the Make It Macclesfield Forum and Cheshire East Council to ensure that we have a clear heritage & culture strategy for the town. This year’s 200th anniversary of the Sunday School Building – our Heritage Centre - is an important milestone in our history. It’s a reminder of the importance of taking forward plans for the “Silk Quarter” in the south of town centre – a clear priority.
Bringing more visitors to the town will help further strengthen the economy. We are seeing positive progress, with unemployment down more than 20% over the last year and youth unemployment having fallen over 25% over the same time period. More than just the figures; it’s encouraging that there are more jobs and opportunities being made available in our area.
Barnaby’s theme this year was “Industry”. Let’s thank the Barnaby team and the many volunteers for all their hard work, and then draw further inspiration from that theme in the months ahead.