A place full of history, community spirit and a bustling town centre...
Sandbach is just one example of a cobbled Cheshire market town that’s packed with community – and bags of charm to go with it. It thrives on independent shops and eateries (the Saturday market is a hit with 80+ stalls and there’s the monthly makers market, too), schools in the area have a great reputation and your dream home may just become a reality with the wide range of properties on offer here.
The town is rich in history, commuting couldn’t be easier and if you’re a sports buff, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the variety of clubs, fitness and leisure facilities. So sit back, relax and check out a few of the places that make Sandbach such a desirable postcode…
Eat
Coming highly recommended, Raffaele is a popular place to eat and drink, serving up fantastic authentic Italian dishes (al fresco, if you fancy) with friendly staff. Launched in 2016, Lois’s Little Cake Company is a bespoke cake shop with luxury bakes, Belgian chocolates and some famous customers. There’s Miola for afternoon tea, picnic boxes and homemade goodness, and Minshull’s Country Kitchen offers a relaxing space for breakfast and brunch lovers. Jenny’s Tea Shop is a lovely spot to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, afternoon tea, picnic bags and sandwiches, soups and toasties, and don’t forget to pop into craft baker Chatwins for a scrumptious choice of tempting treats. To bump up the barbecue supplies, head to traditional butchers Brooks of Sandbach, or if it’s the deli cupboard you want to stock up on, check out Godfrey C. Williams & Son, which has been open since 1875. There’s a great range of local and artisan cheeses, home-roasted coffee, and local produce.
Shop
Flowers on the Cobbles outgrew its original location on the cobbles and now sits just up the road, full of lovely bouquets, blooms and vases, pots and lanterns to pretty up your house and garden. The more recent opening of Erika Pear is just what the town needs: gorgeous interiors and home accessories. Bellissima is great for your lingerie wants (we’re told its luxury and quality), and for the little ones, Ollie and Phee, named after owner Alex Treanor’s children, specialises in kids’ footwear and organic clothing. They’re the only ones in the area who are qualified by the Society of Shoe Fitters – so they know what they’re talking about.
Stretch your legs
Such a lot goes on in this community. A great place for the family (and the dog) is Sandbach Park, which has been an asset to the area since 1901. It has flowers, play areas and wetland – a lovely spot for a wander – or if you fancy something with a little more oomph, why not try the Sandbach Town Trail, ideal for all abilities. There’s a good walk by the bridge, too, and if you want to escape to the outdoors on a more frequent basis, check out the Sandbach Footpath Group to walk the town’s highways and byways, adopt-a-path or help protect and preserve the paths.
A spotlight on... The Wheatsheaf
1 Hightown
Owner: Jake Pear
This father-and-son-run AA 5 Star Gold gastropub and steakhouse has been beautifully transformed with a £1.25 million renovation. The Pear family bought the place in 2016 and has been doing it up ever since – it is now home to 18 boutique bedrooms (worthy winners of Channel 4’s Four in a Bed in late 2019) and a welcoming space for modern, fine dining.
Where to live
Melissa Warner, Butters John Bee Sandbach branch manager, says: “Sandbach is a thriving south Cheshire market town dating back to Elizabethan times within commuting distance of the larger business centres of Manchester, Birmingham and Chester. Education in the area is of a particularly high standard and the town centre offers a wide variety of shops, restaurants and bars. There is a wide variety of property in the town and surrounding villages, both modern and traditional and suitable for all types of buyer. Butters John Bee is recognised by Rightmove as the leading estate agent in the town and considering the impact Covid-19 has had in the past months, we are experiencing an extremely busy market, influenced by pent-up demand from the spring market, low interest rates and the introduction of the stamp duty holiday, which will result in significant savings for buyers.”
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