Food hall in row over its delivery hours
THE team behind popular food and drink hall the Picturedrome have been criticised by neighbours in a row over deliveries.
Andy Downes, 61, who lives near the Macclesfield town centre venue, claims large supply lorries have been arrived outside the permitted hours of 8am until 5pm - after the food hall lodged a planning application to extend them.
It’s owners want deliveries to be permitted to receive deliveries half an hour earlier at 7.30am.
Andy claims that some deliveries have taken place as early as 6.20am and some as late as 7.30pm, causing noise disturbance.
He says he complained to Cheshire East in March via the ‘letusknow’ email and says, more than six months later, he has still to hear of the result.
When contacted by the Express, a spokesperson for the food hall said the planning application had been made to ‘give a little more flexibility around deliveries to the six busy kitchens.’
She added that the venue ‘recognises the need to be neighbourly’ and has made every effort to minimise any disturbance, ‘listening and adapting to fit-in.’
One neighbour objecting to the application said: “Our sleep has often been disturbed by the reversing alarms of lorries, the sounds of large quantities of bottles being moved.
“The delivery hours have not always been respected by the Picturedrome.
“The Picturedrome have created a brilliant venue and shout about their independence and relationship with the Macclesfield community. For that spirit to be authentic there has to be respect and fair dealing with residents.
“The Picturedrome have created a brilliant venue and shout about their independence and relationship with the Macclesfield community.
“For that spirit to be authentic there has to be respect and fair dealing with residents.”
In the meantime Nick Johnson, of Market Operations, the owners of Picturedrome is awaiting the outcome of a planning application seeking to change delivery hours to 7.30am to 5pm submitted in 2020.
Mr Downes, of Catherine Street, said there have
been a number of occasions deliveries have been outside current permitted hours of 8am to 5pm.
Andy said: “These disturbances which have been ongoing since the Picturedrome opened nearly three years ago have caused us sleep deprivation and stress and is still an ongoing problem for residents.
“It seems clear to me that Cheshire East’s planners are dragging their feet.
“The longer it goes on until a decision is made, the longer these disturbances will continue for my family and myself along with other residents.”
Andy says he has also unsuccessfully tried to speak to staff at the Picturedrome, on Chestergate, to resolve the issue.
The application for the extended 30 minutes has received more than 20 objections as well as protests from Macclesfield Town Council and ward councillor Liz Braithwaite.
Responding to the comments, Jenny Thompson, from Market Operations, says the company has shown ‘commitment and confidence’ in Macclesfield by investing £3.75m, creating 60 jobs, feeding tens of thousands of people and creating a platform for local enterprise.
She said: “The planning application was made on advice from the planners to give us a little more flexibility around deliveries to the six busy kitchens.
“We have tried to breathe life back in to Chestergate and give confidence to others to invest which is now beginning to happen.
“At all times we have recognised the need to be neighbourly and have made every effort to minimise any disturbance, listening and adapting ourselves to fit-in.
She added that the Picturedrome was an ‘important cultural asset’ and help Macclesfield return to the days when it thrived and ‘a variety of uses sat cheek-by-jowl defining the town’s special character.’
Cheshire East Council have been contacted for comment.