Thursday 5th February 2026

Thursday 5th February 2026 – Guardian Review

Town centre on the up, Pete Waterman returns, St Rocco’s boost and pubs fighting back.

Cheshire’s Mix 56’s Paul Smith chats with Gareth Dunning, Deputy Editor of the Warrington & Knutsford Guardian, about this week’s key stories from across our area.

Footfall up in Warrington town centre

Forget the gloom about dying high streets – Warrington town centre is bucking the trend. A new council report shows footfall is up, thanks to smart moves bringing more events into town.

Culture Warrington’s line-up

Warrington Arts Festival, Warrington Music Festival, Parr Hall sell-outs – is pulling in the crowds. And once they’re here, they’re spending: shops, food, cinema. A genuine success story for the town centre.

Pete Waterman brings back The Hitman and Her

80s clubbers, this is your moment. Pete Waterman’s reviving The Hitman and Her – heading to the old fish market in Golden Square mid-July.

Nostalgia night guaranteed, tickets on sale now. Pete’s excited to team up again with Michaela Strachan – and living locally, it’s barely a taxi ride into Warrington.

£90,000 lifeline for St Rocco’s

Fantastic news for St Rocco’s Hospice, which does incredible work on donations alone (no direct NHS funding). They’ve landed a £90,000 government grant as part of national hospice support.

Won’t fix everything, but a proper boost heading into 2026.

Local pubs under pressure

Page 10’s special feature lays bare the pub battle. One Widnes pub’s getting a major refurb, but many others struggle as costs soar and people drink at home.

Licensee Graham Keys (ice cocktail bar on Bridge Street, The Blue Bell, The Thorn in Appleton Thorn) speaks candidly: beer duty, suppliers, barely breaking even. With shops and banks gone from villages, pubs are often the last community heartbeat – use it or lose it.

Good news: more alcohol-free options now, so you can drive and join in. Fancy swapping the sofa for a pub pint or Sunday lunch this weekend?

“Oh no Gareth, I forgot my wallet…”

Same time next week for another Warrington & Knutsford Guardian Review on Mix 56.