Cheshire Smokehouse to undergo major improvements with plans to bring back its famous café
Wilmslow business Cheshire Smokehouse has unveiled plans for a major upgrade of its site to create a new café and food production facility as it looks to safeguard the business for another generation.
The family run business has been based in Morley Green, attracting customers from Cheshire and beyond, for almost 30 years. Over this time, it has developed to include a butchery, bakery, charcuterie, fine wines and cheeses.
The business said that with sustained strong demand for its local produce and requests for its friendly café to reopen, it has drawn up a vision to reconfigure the site to create new and improved facilities.
The shop will remain in where it is but its entrance relocated so that it becomes easier to access from a revamped car park area, fully landscaped with trees and green space.
A new food production building will provide the facilities needed to enable the Smokehouse to continue to produce its famous smoked goods on site and meet modern food production requirements.
A new café will be positioned on the ground floor adjacent to the new food production building.
Darren Ward, owner of Cheshire Smokehouse, said: “Our business dates back to 1907 when my great grandfather, John Ward, opened a bacon smoking business in Cheetham Hill, Manchester after returning from Canada where he learnt how to smoke food.
“In 1992, we opened our site in Morley Green which has gone from strength to strength. We now employ 36 members of staff and support a wide variety of local businesses and farmers.
“Our improvement plans give us the opportunity to bring back a new and improved fully accessible café which is requested by our customers on a daily basis. Customers will be able to watch the smoking process in our new food production facility and get an insight into the way we work.”
The proposals have been designed by Up North Architects and Euan Kellie Property Solutions is providing planning advice.
Before submitting a planning application to Cheshire East Council, the Smokehouse has been sharing its plans with members of the community for their comments.
