Prestbury’s problems blamed on celebrity residents

Prestbury is a firm favourite among footballers and soap stars, but the village is far from thriving.

And Prestbury residents blame the celebrities for forcing up property prices while heading out of town to spend their money.

Many of the village’s businesses are boarded up and a combination of increasing rents and reduction in the number of visitors have made it hard to attract new ventures.

One resident said: “Celebrities want to live here because it’s the place to be in Cheshire.

“But all it’s done is jack up prices and make it unaffordable for locals.

“These stars might be rich but instead of spending their money in the village many of them go to swanky restaurants in Manchester.

“It’s like a ghost town here now. It used to be bustling but now it’s dead – it’s really sad.”

There are clusters of For Sale signs on many roads and a string of eateries has shut, including the once popular Village Restaurant.

One of Prestbury’s two remaining banks will close its doors for the last time tomorrow.

A NatWest spokesman said only 27 customers have been using the branch each week.

Arthur Dicken, chairman of Prestbury Parish Council, said the village needed to do more to attract visitors and new businesses.

In the council’s summer newsletter he warned: “We need to lift our efforts to brighten our public realm and attract ventures into the empty shops.”

The parish council held an emergency meeting last month to review its recovery plans.

Councillors have previously blamed mega-bucks footballers for pricing out locals and not investing in the local economy.

A newsletter last year carried the grim warning: “Our once thriving, bustling commercial centre seems to be collapsing around us.

The footballers come in with their huge wages, buy a plot, knock the house down and build a new one.

“Locals have been priced out. Stars don’t invest in the local economy and the high street is dying as a result.”

A host of household names have been drawn to live in the leafy location in recent years.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen have been praised in the past for being among the few stars who regularly use the local shops and restaurants.

They bought a £5million home when they moved there in 2005.

Take Me Out presenter Paddy McGuiness also rents a £3million house with his model wife Christine Martin, a former Miss Liverpool.

Prestbury is also home to former Manchester United ace Wes Brown and his missus Leanne, a star of The Real Housewives Of Cheshire.

Ex-cricketer Andrew Flintoff also bought a £5m house there, but never lived in it. It is now for sale.

Other stars living nearby include Slade frontman Noddy Holder and Charlie Lawson, who played Jim McDonald in Coronation Street and now runs a farm shop in the village.

TV pundit Robbie Savage is also a long time resident.