A seasonal artisan market held in the gardens and car park of The Woodlands Bar & Grill in Widnes, run in close partnership with the venue across occasions including Christmas, Easter and summer.
About this area
Widnes is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap, directly opposite Runcorn. It grew rapidly after chemist John Hutchinson established a chemical factory at Spike Island in 1847, becoming one of the birthplaces of the modern chemical industry and drawing large-scale immigration from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania and Wales to work in its alkali works. Much of that industrial land has since been reclaimed, and the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, housed in a former chemical works building overlooking the Mersey, now tells the story of the industry that shaped the town.
Widnes and Hough Green railway stations sit on the Liverpool to Manchester line, and the Silver Jubilee Bridge and newer Mersey Gateway Bridge both carry traffic across the Mersey into Runcorn. The town is a passionate rugby league stronghold, home to the Widnes Vikings — nicknamed "the Chemics" after the industry that built the town — while Spike Island itself, once the site of Hutchinson's original chemical works, is now a riverside park with walking trails and views of both bridges.
Places to Stay near Widnes
Make a weekend of it — find hotels, B&Bs and guest houses close to this market.
