£2.3m worth of improvements planned for Cheshire attraction

A £2.3m plan to improve one of Cheshire’s best known visitor attractions has been unveiled.

The proposals for Tatton Park near Knutsford will give visitors better value for money and more seasonal leisure activities.

Tatton Park, managed by Cheshire East Council, attracts more than 800,000 visitors every year with its neo-classical mansion, award-winning gardens, medieval old hall, working farm, adventure playground, events and stableyard shops and restaurants.

The council is pressing ahead with a £2.3m spend on improvements to Tatton’s visitor arrival and stableyard facilities to improve visitor welcome and bring it up to the standards of other national and international attractions.

Following a detailed analysis of options, discussions with the National Trust and other interested parties, including Historic England and local parish councils, the council has submitted plans for the exciting designs: to create a new visitor information point close to the existing main car park, which will offer all-weather protection, seating and orientation to visitors on arrival.

Landscaping and more-accessible paths to the stableyard are also planned, to help visitors with limited mobility. The planned improvements to toilet facilities, along with making more usable space in the existing barn building in the stableyard courtyard, should all help improve the experience for visitors.

A new central stableyard building on the site of the last Lord Egerton’s garage, is planned to provide a much needed outdoor covered seating area for restaurant customers on busy days.

It is hoped that part of this structure will also serve as a new display area for some of the last Lord Egerton’s historic vehicle collection.

The improvements should allow better use of the stableyard courtyard so that regular seasonal entertainment, such as outdoor theatre, markets and art events can take place all year round.

The new improvements are due to be completed by 2020.
Councillor Don Stockton, cabinet member with responsibility for cultural services, said: “This is a really exciting phase in the ongoing programme for the development of Tatton Park to ensure it retains its appeal and continues to offer improved facilities to visitors and Cheshire East residents.

“Cheshire East is proud to be managing this attraction on behalf of the National Trust and we are working closely with them and other statutory bodies to deliver best value for money.”