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And it’s not just Altrincham which is attracting newcomers. Hale recently welcomed gorgeous lifestyle /gift store Serendipity on a high street that is famed for fashionable restaurants and bars but also includes prestigious businesses like Blackstone Solicitors and stores like Town and Country Carpets.

Like Altrincham, it has a fantastic nighttime offering, which makes it a destination for leisure and pleasure in its own right. The area is booming, so much so that if you’re not planning a day out with friends or family in what is surely one of the most exciting suburbs outside Manchester, you’ve got to ask yourself why.

“We’ve had a phenomenal number of new businesses establishing themselves in the town, with further new openings to come over the summer,” says Communications and Events Manager Kate Gerbich.

“Also ongoing is the private and public sector investment in the town, which is positive. It is a challenging time for businesses, but there’s a huge amount of entrepreneurial talent in Altrincham and that really shines through.”

Amongst the new arrivals in the town is a swanky new Beverly Hills-themed café, then there’s Foundation, the Bruntwood and Trafford Council joint venture devel opment designed to breathe new life into the site of the old House of Fraser (Rackham’s) store, which closed several years ago. Its mixed-use concept, which includes workspace and offices, bars, res taurants and Lane 7 bowling alley and bar, is fuelling the appetite for competitive social spaces.

“Bruntwood is now a huge stakeholder in the town and what it’s doing is absolutely incredible,” enthuses BID Manager Mandy White.

Other new openings include Plumbase, one of the largest regional suppliers of plumbing, heating, bathroom and kitchen products in the UK as well as two new kitchen showrooms and a smor gasbord of restaurants.

“We also have a number of residential de velopments soon to open in the town, including The Address, The Downs Quarter and Allingham Place, with others in the planning stage,” explains Mandy.

“This is really positive because it means people will live and work on their doorstep.”

Altrincham’s appeal lies in the diversity of businesses; from Kiss Dental, Hill & Co So licitors, Mathew Miller Solicitors and FIXX Salons to Dunham Ice Cream and Dunham Barn Tea Rooms. And with Altrin cham Garrick Theatre on the doorstep, locals don’t have to go far to be enter tained

Less than half an hour’s stroll away from Altrincham is Hale Village, which also has its own attractions, not least its premium housing and independent shopping.

Hale’s more laidback vibe doesn’t equate to boring, in fact, the village is jam-packed with smart restaurants, unique bars, top hairdressers, beauty salons, art galleries and a library.

Back in Altrincham, Kate and Mandy also report that the town has capitalised on the trend for flexible working.

“We are also noticing the trend for people working outside the city centre, so we are seeing a growth in co-working spaces, but we are also noticing head offices moving to the town, for example, the Manchesterbased company Dandara Living,” says Mandy.

“There’s an interesting pattern here, which is being reflected in the footfall. It’s very much that 15-minute neighbourhood concept of people living, working, shopping and socialising in the town.”