FOLLOWING the transfer of the market rights for Knutsford from Cheshire East Council to the town council a new markets policy has been adopted.

The town council has adopted the policy to ensure clarity over the operation of markets in Knutsford and to protect its rights as established under the Food Act.

Under the new policy a market operator is required to apply for a licence from the town council before it can operate a market – which includes car boot sales, craft fairs and other events featuring a ‘concourse of buyers and sellers’.

For commercial markets a licence fee will also be payable, although the council has agreed this fee may be waived for community markets, such as the annual Scouts car boot sale and the Lions Street Fayre.

“The council’s newly-acquired rights will be governed by this policy, and I advise anyone who has any queries as to whether an event they are organising would be classified as a market under this policy to make contact during the planning process,” said town clerk Adam Keppel-Garner.