Sainsbury’s invited the local community in Alsager into its brand-new supermarket for the first time today Showcasing Sainsbury’s unbeatable combination of quality fresh food innovative products and brilliant colleague service the new store was declared open following a ribbon-cutting ceremony with customers colleagues and Alsager community representatives The first 500 customers through the doors this morning received a special-edition Sainsbury’s bag for life a pupil at nearby Excalibur Primary School The new supermarket is Sainsbury’s second store in Alsager and the retailer plans to build on the success of its existing Local store in the town Located on the newly created Brunds Farm Road ft store is now open from 7am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays Sainsbury’s is passionate about providing good food for all of us and the new supermarket store centres around an extensive range of high quality The store will also include a new Argos store inside the supermarket enabling customers to choose from thousands of products while picking up their groceries and the retailer’s popular Habitat and Tu Clothing ranges will be available to order online for collection in-store via Click & Collect The store is also contributing to Sainsbury’s sustainability ambitions, known as its Plan for Better It also features solar panels on the roof and a range of other state-of-the-art technology throughout the store to make it as energy efficient as possible advanced hot and cold air recycling infrastructure and doors on refrigerated aisles to help keep fresh products cool There is extensive wildflower planting around the edge of the store’s perimeter and there are even two bee hotels to provide additional bespoke habitats for bees onsite A new Starbucks store is expected to arrive onsite in late Spring said: “We’ve been working hard over the last few months to get everything ready for opening day today and we hope our customers agree that it has paid off – I’d like to thank the many hundreds of people who have supported us for everything they have done to help launch the store We’re already off to a fantastic start on our first day of trading and my team and I are all excited to meet many more customers in the coming weeks.” Sainsbury’s Chief Property and Procurement Officer said: “All of us at Sainsbury’s are passionate about our tasty well-sourced food and we want to bring more of it within easy reach of more customers wherever we can with brilliant new stores like this one – what’s more EV drivers in and around Alsager can now benefit from a brand-new Smart Charge hub offering speedy fully accessible and reliable ultra-rapid charging “We’re delighted to have opened our long-awaited Sainsbury’s Alsager Superstore today and to have received such a warm response from the local community already This is the second supermarket we’ve opened in 2025 and we’re looking forward to opening many more this year as part of our exciting new space programme.” Sainsbury’s will implement the first of two increases in pay for hourly paid colleagues planned throughout 2025 All colleagues outside of London across both Sainsbury’s and Argos will move from £12 to £12.45 per hour in March with a further increase to £12.60 per hour in August 100 per cent of Sainsbury’s electricity has come from renewable sources – these are a combination of energy sourced directly from on-site solar PVs and eight UK wind farms as well as certificate-backed renewable electricity from the UK in the form of REGOs Sign our campaign for a grant funding review The developer has tweaked the plans since they were refused Plans for 68 homes off Linley Road were turned down last year with the council saying it is already exceeding its affordable homes target prompting the housing association to escalate matters to the Planning Inspectorate Cheshire East Council rejected Plus Dane Housing’s application to deliver the homes after concluding the six-acre development was “cramped” and that the design was “poor” six reasons for refusal were listed on the decision notice including a lack of contribution towards health A committee report published ahead of the decision said that the fact the scheme would be made up entirely of affordable homes should only be given moderate weight as the council is “exceeding its affordable housing targets” The development proposed a mix of four one-bed flats 36 two-bed properties of which seven would be flats the total number of homes has been reduced by one to 67 and four wheelchair accessible homes have been added to the scheme to address one of the council’s concerns The project team features Levitt Bernstein search for reference number 23/2129C on Cheshire East Council’s planning portal Read our comments policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Beluga Group is seeking to overturn Cheshire West and Chester Council‘s decision to reject plans for a residential scheme at a disused farm on the 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Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Please whitelist confidentials.com to continue to our site and enjoy an Ad-Light experience If you’ve read any of my other travel articles, you’ve probably realised by now that there’s nothing I love more than a great spa break - after all what could beat leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind donning a robe and slippers and taking a dip in a bubbling heated pool surrounded by the luscious green countryside?  go ahead - it’s got a nice ring to it actually) since visiting some of the most beautiful spas in the UK So when I was kindly invited to check out the Manor House - a Cheshire spa I’d seen on social media and had my eye on for a while - I absolutely leapt at the chance After just under an hour on the train (changing at Crewe for the last short leg of the journey) my partner and I arrived at Alsager; a small town in Cheshire East that’s surrounded by greenery making it a nice spot for dog walkers and runners to take in some fresh country air.  I truly felt like I’d left the real world behind and entered another ethereal realm where everything was always peaceful and perfect the family run business has continued to up its game adding unique leisure facilities and features to provide guests with the ultimate relaxation experience; some of which include an alpine-style woodshed with log fire - perfect for cosying up and socialising on cool evenings - a guided meditation room and live music from sunset DJ sessions throughout the summer to festive acoustic performances around Christmas time we slipped into our swimwear ready for a day of relaxation to commence.  Already an absolute stunner in its own right Manor House has added even more bells and whistles to its already impressive list of indoor and outdoor spa facilities and these features had made their grand debut just in time for our visit.  Every area I visited in this place was more stunning than the next - I truly felt like I’d left the real world behind and entered another ethereal realm where everything was always peaceful and perfect The garden theming is spot on and so tastefully done that nothing feels naff or gimmicky; just jaw-droppingly beautiful.  After spending a couple of hours leisurely exploring we headed into The Pool House cafe for a delightful Afternoon Tea with all the trimmings; an array of finger sandwiches freshly-baked scones served with clotted cream and jam served with a hot or cold drink of our choice I opted for an iced caramel latte whilst my partner Dave went for a pilsner to wash his down with.  we made our way back to the spa and dozed on the loungers by the indoor serenity pool until it was time for our treatments.  our room was ready for us to check into for the evening.  we headed over to The Stables Bar & Grill for our dinner reservation Conveniently located within the hotel building itself this bar and restaurant boasts traditional countryside features and furnishings whilst serving up carefully curated dishes made from locally sourced produce alongside an array of wines.  we took an evening stroll to walk off our meals before retiring to bed for the night We awoke the following morning refreshed and well-rested after a much-needed day of rest Manor House asks that guests reserve a table at The Stables for their breakfast so we arrived for our nine o’ clock slot and pulled up a pew beside the window where the morning sun was already beaming through onto the table.  We worked our way through our Full English and poached egg and avocado on toast checked out and ambled our way back to Alsager station where we began to reflect on the trip as we sat waiting for our train.  To book a stay at Manor House Hotel & Spa, visit www.manorhousealsager.com.  Follow Harley Young on X @Harley__Young Harley took the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Alsager via Crewe. Her journey took just under an hour each way and cost £24.19 (inc. booking fee) for an Anytime Short Distance Return ticket booked through the Trainline App The Manor House Hotel & Spa is located a flat eight-minute walk from Alsager Train Station Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email by signing up to our mailing list This is one of the ways that Confidentials remains free to our readers and by signing up you help support our high quality exclusives and offers by joining the Manchester Confidential WhatsApp group Neil Sowerby explores the cultural riches of Brits' favourite island Hotel has become a standout in the city since opening just over a year ago Harley Young shares her highlights after spending a long weekend in the coastal city Lily Wallen sees things fall apart in suburbia Chester advanced in the Cheshire Senior Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Alsager Town was made up of ten Under 19’s outfield players – plus Cam Mason in goal who made his first appearance back from injury since August the visitors almost took the lead when right-back Mikey Lawson saw his effort tipped on to the crossbar After Luca Boon had hit the post with an initial effort the ball was crossed back in from the left and Book took his second chance – nodding home for the opener equalising late on when a cross from the right side was head in by Kieran Hamm the hosts took a two-goal lead after two pens apiece with Boon and Oskar Rosenblatt both failing to convert Mason saved each of the next three Bullets spot kicks Henry Briscoe and then Mason himself converted from 12 yards to see the youngsters through are a community benefit society operating under the name of Chester Football Club and are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority The club is fan owned and does not have any major shareholders Two goals from Tom Hassell saw Alsager Town claim their first win (a 2-1 victory) of pre-season 2023 as they welcome Midlands Football League new boys Congleton Town to Wood Park The Bullets sit a level below the Bears in the non-league system but you wouldn’t have known it as they dominated the first half with both Hassell and Jack Woolley brother of Kidsgrove’s new signing Joe Woolley going close with long-range efforts hoping to catch Dave Parton out they were unable to do so with their chances flying just over the crossbar It didn’t matter mind you for the hosts as they took the lead just before the half-time whistle when a well-worked set piece routine found Hassell at the back post who leapt like a salmon to head the ball past Parton At half-time Bears manager Richard Duffy brought on the Congleton cavalry with Dan Needham Marco Fregapane and Ethan Hartshorn all entering the fray and Fregapane had the first chance of the second half as he went on a lung-busting run from his right back position before curling a shot just wide of Martin Brain’s far post Even though it’s pre-season it would have been a contender for the Goal of the Season award If the first half belonged to Alsager then the second half certainly belonged to Congleton as they continued to push forward for an equaliser which finally came with 20 minutes to go the ball bounced around the area before it fell to Hartshorn who stabbed the ball past the defender on the line to bring the Bears level either team could have won the match with Congleton’s Aaron Johns going close when he burst into the area but Brain was quickly off his line to smother the effort Alsager captain Sam Latham was to hit a chance well over the crossbar the hosts were to win the match with 10 minutes to go when a lovely counterattacking move saw Luke Draysey play in a perfectly weighted cross to Hassell who made no mistake as he slotted the ball past Parton to restore Alsager’s lead Hanley Town started pre-season with a 4-0 win away at Eccleshall FC Charlie Walford and Jake Twyford gave the visitors a two-goal lead at the break before Kieran Brown grabbed himself a brace in the second half to seal the victory for Ryan Shotton’s men Leek CSOB also got their pre-season underway on Saturday with a 4-3 defeat against Abbey Hulton United © 2024 Moorlands Radio C.I.C - All Rights Reserved Chester FC head to Wood Park to face Alsager Town on Monday night in the First Round of the Cheshire Senior Cup With no alternative dates available for either side and given this is 24 hours prior to our home league fixture against Buxton an Academy side will be completing this fixture – managed by Academy Head Coach Mike Allcock No senior players are expected to feature on Monday night in this fixture Alsager Town currently sit second in the North West Counties Division One South with 36 points from their first 16 matches We will provide team news and HT/FT updates on our X Account. Changes to household waste recycling centres in Cheshire East have come into effect today (5 August) More information – including the link to the booking system – is available on the council's website The changes to  HWRCs are being introduced on a temporary and trial basis to ensure essential savings are made in 2024/25. The council is currently forecasting a funding gap of £100m over the next four years and must continue to make difficult decisions to ensure it can continue to support those who need help the most chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee said: “We have been working hard to reduce the impact the emergency closure of some of our  HWRCs may have and have introduced a number of changes.  “This includes the booking system for visiting  HWRCs at weekends and Bank Holidays as well as for the mobile  HWRC for the Bollington “I would like to reassure residents that the online process for booking a slot is quick and easy We have also updated our website with lots of information about how the system works “This includes information about what residents will need to take with them to the HWRC and when and where the mobile  HWRC will be.” Cllr Warren added: “Before residents make a trip to a HWRC I also encourage them to think about whether any of the items they are wanting to get rid of could be given a new lease of life instead.  “There are so many options to reduce our waste and rethink recycling The changes that came into effect today have been introduced separately to an ongoing review of HWRCs .  Throughout the emergency closures and as part of the ongoing review of HWRCs the council will continue to engage with town councils to explore opportunities for working in partnership to support  HWRC services in their local areas.  Cheshire East Council is committed to equality and diversity © Cheshire East Council Boutique Hotelier The Manor House Hotel and Spa in Alsager has announced plans to expand and develop its spa garden facilities The 36-metre expansion will see the creation of a new Secret Garden area which will house a number of new wet and dry facilities Additions will include a new swim-up bar (the hotel’s second) called The Bothy Bar and a new Hydrotherapy Pool heated to 37°C and featuring strategically placed jets which will gently massage muscles and boost circulation There will also be a new Secret Garden Cold Water Plunge Pool designed to be just the right size for several guests to enjoy the brisk plunge together The cascading waterfall not only looks and sounds soothing perfect for a refreshing burst to balance out the warmth from other treatments New dry treatments will include a Finnish Sauna The expanded spa garden will also include new relaxation spaces and lounges named Greenhouses which will feature glass ceilings and underfloor heating the Secret Garden will house a Sensory Herb Garden featuring raised beds filled with a hand-picked selection of herbs and flowers hotel manager at The Manor House Hotel and Spa commented: “As our spa grows in popularity we wanted to expand the spa to ensure guests still have the feeling of space so they can enjoy the spa to its fullest Each corner of the Secret Garden is thoughtfully designed to give guests a unique experience “From socialising at the swim-up bars to unwinding in the sauna or simply soaking in the sensory delights of the garden spaces We are so excited for this new area to open and hope guests enjoy exploring this new haven of relaxation and rejuvenation!” police received reports of a collision at the junction with Crewe Road and Close Lane The collision involved a Lexus NX and a fire engine which is believed to have been responding to an emergency call She was taken to Royal Stoke Hospital and was sadly pronounced dead Her next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers Officers are now appealing for any witnesses to contact Cheshire Police “As part of our investigation into the circumstances of this tragic incident we would like to appeal to anyone who witnessed what happened and has not already spoken to police to get in touch with us “The same goes for anyone who has any CCTV or dashcam footage “You can report information to:  www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us  “Our thoughts remain with the woman’s family and friends at this sad time.” The charges relate to incidents which took place between 1st August 2024 and 23rd January 2025 relating to one woman of no fixed address appeared at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on 25th January and will next appear at Chester Crown Court on 24 February Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on September 29th she admirably balanced her scholarly and professional pursuits with a rich and happy family life all the while exuding a sense of calm and vision that was a source of inspiration and comfort to many Penny Ann Alsager was born on October 29th she attended Lakeview High School and recently her 50th class reunion (class of '74) One fun fact about Penny is that she flew to Europe on an inaugural flight of the Boeing 747 with her father and other Kellogg executives She then went on to the University of Michigan to receive a B.S one in Applied Economics and one in Regional Planning Minnesota in 1981 and were married on October 1st she was a real estate developer and general contractor serving as the Vice President of Elcor Enterprise from 1981 to 1983 and the President of Elcor Development from 1983 to 2004 and managing multiple rental properties over the following decades One of her proudest achievements was restoring 304 6th St SW a Historic Southwest Rochester home built in 1885 she received her Teaching License and Gifted Education Certificate from Winona State University she was the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Coordinator at Willow Creek Middle and Century High Schools She played an active part in their school days volunteering as a Girl Scout Troop leader and serving terms as both the Hoover and Kellogg PTA/PTSA President she played tennis several times a week and remained active in her book club and attached to her close-knit group of friends (the "Gaggle") in addition to volunteering for the Rochester Women's Shelter and the League of Women Voters and talking on the phone with her sisters nearly every day she had the most beautiful flowers and houseplants Wilson; children Catherine (Tristan Gagnon-Bartsch) Lee and Christoper Lee; siblings Pam (Ron) Bloomberg and Patty (Mike) McGeorge; and granddaughter Eleanor A memorial service will be held for Penny at 2 pm on November 2nd at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home in Rochester with a visitation starting at noon and a time for gathering after Flowers for the service are appreciated (She loved purple) Please also consider donating to causes she championed such as Recovery is Happening or Paws and Claws Humane Society Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Alsager Lee family; To share a special memory or condolence Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Changes to household waste recycling centres  HWRCs in Cheshire East will go live from Monday 5 August The changes are being introduced on a temporary and trial basis to ensure essential savings are made in 2024/25.  The council is currently forecasting a funding gap of £100m over the next four years and must continue to make difficult decisions to ensure it can continue to support those who need help the most said: “The emergency closure of some  HWRCs in the borough was agreed as part of this year’s budget and we have been working hard to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible we are timing the mitigation measures – the booking system and the mobile  HWRC – to go live at the same time as the emergency closures.” Cllr Warren added: “Over the next few weeks we’ll be providing residents with more information about the booking system for weekends and Bank Holidays as well as how residents in the Bollington Poynton and Middlewich areas can access the mobile HWRC “The latest information will be found online on the council’s website and I encourage residents to keep checking back as this webpage will continue to be updated as more details are confirmed and until the changes come into effect on 5 August I’d like to remind residents that all  HWRCs in Cheshire East can be accessed as normal.” The changes are being introduced separately to an ongoing review of HWRCs A public consultation on proposals for the longer-term provision of  HWRC services recently closed.  Zoo2U is behind the plans for a zoo and wildlife centre in Holmes Chapel Recommendations have been made to the council’s southern planning committee that it turn down wildlife park proposals for Holmes Chapel and 68 homes in Alsager Here is what is in front of Cheshire East Council’s southern planning committee when it meets on Tuesday A visitor centre and several animal enclosures feature in proposals for a three-acre site at Orchards Farm This is a revision of a previous scheme rejected by Cheshire East Council planners last year because it was decided that the zoo would infringe on the countryside and impact its character and appearance says it has outgrown its previous premises at Hall Farm in Alsager where it offered on-site educational animal experiences with meerkats The company wants to relocate to a site to complement an ongoing farm diversification development and broaden its wildlife conservation activities Buildings proposed for the Holmes Chapel site would be single-storey Most of the site apart from the reception building would be enclosed by 1.8m timber security fencing Zoo2U would still need a zoo licence pending planning approval but Cheshire East Council planning chiefs have recommended refusal Reasons given for this recommendation include encroachment into the countryside which would harm its character and appearance The project team features Richard Lee Project Planning search for reference number 24/1108C on Cheshire East Council’s planning portal Also on the agenda and recommended for refusal are plans from Plus Dane Housing for 68 homes off Linley Road in Alsager All homes on the six-acre site would be available for affordable rent or shared ownership The development would feature a mix of four one-bed flats But several reasons have been provided for the recommendation of refusal from planning chiefs These include a lack of contribution towards health insufficient private amenity space proposed Correction People wittering on about ‘NIMBYs’ is growing I think zoo2u should go ahead- it would be a wonderful educational asset for the locality as well as combining wirh an already popular visitor attraction Its size in relation to the open space available would not detract from the overall green expanses Seems a wonderful idea and should be allowed as an American I can vouch for the fact that many of us do know what a cow looks like It’s not a zoo though is it and whatever it pretends to be it’s totally unnecessary They’re building badly needed housing Drop the insistence on contribution to health West MidlandsShareSavePA MediaPolice said they received a complaint about a Facebook post inciting hatredA woman has been arrested after a "hate-related" message was posted on a community Facebook group was arrested on suspicion of hate-related communications after a complaint was made to Cheshire Police It said it was made aware of a message inciting hatred which was posted on a community group in Kidsgrove The woman is currently being held in custody Ch Supt Jonathan Betts said hate crime was “not acceptable “Those posting such messages have done so in order to cause division in our communities and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure that those responsible for such posts are held accountable for their actions,” he added Vicky Green says she is "grateful" to have caught her grade three breast cancer before it spread. About 10,000 people attend a free festival that aims to make performance arts more accessible. Former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin wins Runcorn and Helsby for Reform UK by six votes. The poll was prompted after the incumbent MP was sentenced for assaulting a constituent. The council says it is part of plans to attract people into Crewe and encourage them to stay longer. Christopher Meneghin is 6ft 5ins tall and of slim build with short brown hair and blue eyes Anyone with information should contact Cheshire Police on 101 or via: http://www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us A start has been made on collecting the 12 Class 60s acquired by Land Recovery from DB Cargo in January The locomotives are being taken to a storage site at Radway Green Some could move for component recovery and disposal They are being transported by Reid Freight on modular trailers They are collected at Toton and taken to a layby in the central reservation of the A50 near Uttoxeter for staging before being escorted by the police to Cheshire The first to be collected was 60032 on June 16 and 60078 on June 21 (with the latter spending the weekend in Uttoxeter) with 60052 expected to be the next in line for collection This will leave 60012/036/037/068/077/084 to move of which 60012/068/084 were the next likely to be prepared for transit RAIL asked Land Recovery what the implications of its takeover by Aggregates Industries are for its proposed rail freight operations (RAIL 1012) there has been no response from the company nor to the question about the possibility of Land Recovery looking to dispose of (some of) its initial purchases and source better quality Class 60s from more recent tender lists - although the movement of the dozen locomotives suggests this is not likely to happen RAIL understands the company has been sounding out possible companies to overhaul some or all of the locomotives it has bought RAIL Briefing brings you the most important stories analysis of the biggest issues and critical scrutiny from leading industry experts which will put you at the heart of a successful British railway Registering and logging into the site also gives you access to gated content on the RAIL website RAIL is Britain's market leading modern railway magazine EMU was removed from siding at Ramsgate nearly three months after end carriage went off the rails Electric locomotives can't be replaced on HS1/Channel Tunnel freight work for another decade Freight operators will be charged less in the next control period on HS1 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Blakemore Retail's Alsager SPAR store has relaunched with a delicious new food-to-go offer Following closure for refurbishment, the store on Crewe Road reopened on Thursday 15th December with a new Daily Deli food-to-go department and County Bridge fresh meat range.  The refreshed Daily Deli offer includes a range of hot food options available via a serve-over counter the counter will serve breakfast until 11am.  The SPAR marked its relaunch with a day of celebration on Saturday 17th December giving away prizes and vouchers to spend in-store from 9am onwards.  Store Manager Dave Holland commented: “We are all excited about our store relaunching and welcoming back our loyal customers “We will be working hard to ensure our shoppers get the products and services they need from their local convenience store." In addition to the new food-to-go and fresh meat ranges the store’s convenience offer includes fresh produce Tango Ice Blast slush drinks and alcoholic drinks.  The newly refurbished SPAR Alsager store Back to news A F Blakemore Appoints Nicola McIntosh as New Chief People Officer A.F. Blakemore launches ‘Short Supportive Stories’ book to recognise their ‘Women In Blakemore’ AF Blakemore appoints Carol Welch as new CEO