Spotlight on some of the super shops in this lovely area

Hale and Hale Barns are among the wealthiest areas of the UK, boasting mansions for modern- day magnates, chic boutiques and bars filled with the beautiful people. Or at least that’s the picture that most people have of the area.

Admittedly, the architecture is lovely and it’s a fine place to while away an afternoon shopping and dining, however this is far from being a flashy Cheshire version of Beverly Hills.

Hale is actually a charming laid-back village with pleasing elements of urban chic. A boutique may look quaint but it will also stock the latest ‘must have’ labels, similarly most of the local restaurants wouldn’t look out of place in a vibrant European city.

It is also something of a media haunt. Certainly more than a few of the BBC types who decamped to Salford’s Media City during last year’s relocation will have eventually found their way to the suburb of Hale. adding to its metropolitan feel.

Of course, Hale has always been a hot suburb, attracting property developers, artists and celebrities with its mix of pretty housing and good restaurants. This is the place to live if you want a relaxed style of nightlife on the doorstep, or places to meet friends for brunch.

In bygone days the original meaning of the name Hale was ‘nook’ and it is still a haven for those who call it home.

There’s a slightly different feel in neighbouring Hale Barns which during the medieval period was originally an outlying area of the township of Hale.

Hale Barns, which gets its name from a tithe barn that used to stand there, became increasingly prosperous and was transformed from an agricultural village to a post-industrial commuter settlement. Now its charm lies in its rural roots.

‘The Square’ is its economic centre which is undergoing redevelopment, there’s a Catholic boys’ grammar school, St Ambrose College, and it is also home to Ringway golf club. Cotteril Clough, in Hale Barns, is a site of Special Scientific Interest for its ancient and diverse woodland

So the glamour may be of the understated kind but don’t rule out the possibility of bumping into a Premiership footballer or a millionaire property investor in these parts, this is definitely glossy magazine territory.

Many of the residents in Hale and Hale Barns are among Manchester’s movers and shakers who live in the sort of mansions the rest of us can only dream about. Still those who don’t have the earning power of the rich and famous can still share the ambience of the same bar or restaurant.

So part city chic, part rural idyll and with Hale only a 20 minute stroll from Altrincham and a half hour train ride into Manchester, and Hale Barns two miles from Manchester Airport the residents here seem to have the best of all worlds.

About Hale and Hale Barns

The name of the settlement is probably as old as 7th or 8th century and the area was mostly used for agriculture; Hale grew during the medieval period to the point where Hale Barns was created as a separate settlement.

Where are Hale and Hale Barns

Hale is contiguous with the southeast of Altrincham, approximately nine miles southwest of the city of Manchester. Hale Barns lies about 12 miles (19 km) south of Manchester city centre and two miles west of Manchester Aairport.