LET the bells ring out for Knutsford town!

The Knutsfordian is in jovial mood. The lights be switched on, the reindeer paraded, the Tatton Singers sang lustily, and bagpipes be blown.

The Knutsfordian braved the masses, and there were masses, to attend the Christmas market and lights switch on.

With an Artisan Market Christmas arrangement, this year's offerings mixed the edible with the inedible, the desirable with the ‘not in my house’.

Town Clrs dutifully sold raffle tickets to support the Mayor’s charities, the Hunters Gin stall was besieged by a gaggle of Ms Pole lookalikes stocking up for the season, and fruit tarts sold out in record time.

The Knutsfordian had planned on having a pint of Tatton Brewery’s Ruck and Maul, but feared he would cause the very same by holding up the pedestrian traffic.

In search of sanctuary from the buggy-to-buggy baby jam on Princess Street, The Knutsfordian squeezed into the new TwentyOne bar and grill.

A very pleasing atmosphere, and a pint of best was swiftly dispatched.

My regular reader will, however, be dismayed to note the humble plate has again been usurped by the ubiquitous wooden platter in our new eaterie.

Refreshed, The Knutsfordian strolled down a quiet Regent Street and was sad to note the unfortunate juxtaposition of a rather noisy and smelly generator outside the hearing centre.

As The Knutsfordian is in full festive celebratory mood, he is delighted to hear of plans to revive the traditional late night shopping Thursday Christmas fest planned for December 12.

He hears Knuts about Christmas promises a veritable cacophony of carol-singing choirs accompanied by chestnuts roasting on an open fire. The Knutsfordian always enjoys his nuts roasted.

PS The Knutsfordian was in a well-know establishment recently when he overheard a group of chess enthusiasts discuss their recent victories. After a very long hour, the manager came and asked them to disperse.

“But why,” they asked, as they moved off.

“Because”, he said, “I can’t stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer.”

PPS The Knutsfordian’s comments on road closures being a surprise to town centre residents and emergency services attracted a lot of feedback.

As the Christmas weekend road closures again caught out more than a few locals, is it not high time Knutsford Town Council advertised these closures in detail on its website, giving the eight weeks notice required by law?