Huge market and food hall set to open - and it's less than hour from Greater Manchester

A brand new market and food hall less than an hour from Manchester is preparing to open its doors this weekend. The Congleton Market Quarter (CMQ) is bringing back to life a series of derelict buildings that have stood empty for a decade.

Opening its doors on Friday, 17 November, the new hub will host a number of bars, eateries and artisan markets, as well as workspaces and outdoor areas. Situated between Princess Street and Mill Street, the redevelopment represents a significant milestone in the Cheshire town's revitalisation.

For its grand opening weekend, there will be a number of activities and events taking place, while vendors will be serving up everything from craft beer and cocktails to mouth-watering smoked BBQ meats, Neapolitan pizza, and tantalising Ethiopian curries. There will also be a inaugural market day on Saturday, followed by a night of acoustic music on Sunday evening.

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Founder Nick Hynes has said the scheme will "redefine Congleton town centre centre and add value to the entire town". Working with the town's grassroot high street campaign group Totally Stockport, the aim is to transform the CMQ into the thriving hub of Congleton, whilst supporting independent businesses and reclaiming the town's historic market area.

The Cheshire town has a long and storied history as a market town. It was first granted the right to have weekly markets and annual fairs in the 13th century, and while fairs were held infrequently, people would come from all over the area to buy and sell their goods in the town.

Work on The Congleton Market Area began last year, beginning