La Belle Époque

The deliciously eccentric Grade II* listed King's Coffee House with its adjacent Gaskell Memorial Tower is in Knutsford. When originally built in the early years of the Twentieth Century it served a triple function as council offices, coffee house with ballroom, and memorial to the novelist Elizabeth Gaskell (a former resident of the town). It was built by Richard Harding Watt a local philanthropist, traveller and idealist in his signature Italianate style including Roman Doric columns. It is currently pretty distressed after a number of years left empty by the owners - our very own Town Council no less.

In fact it is known colloquially in the town as the ‘Belle Époque’. This was because of a restaurant by that name that leased the building off the council for decades - presumedly on a non-repairing, repairing lease.

Now part of a cunning Strategic Plan, the Town Council are calling for community led buy-out proposals to be supplied. The only catch is that this has to be supplied within 3 months (with detailed plan of how the building will be used, with full business case to operate & repair) or otherwise they reserve the right to sell - with the guide price of £1.1 million.

The term ‘Belle Époque’ is meant to refer back to a period of high artistic or cultural development - but try telling that to our short-sighted & small-minded Town Council .