That part of the building is also a more recently addition to the Chronicle: there was a pub on the site (St George’s Tavern) and when that was demolished it was the town hall keeper’s house. The Chronicle previously owned part of what is now the TSB and sold that to purchase the town hall keeper’s house.
MP Fiona Bruce’s first public appearance since the lockdown has made news – she officially opened the new Chronicle reception.
As we have reported, we have moved our reception to the Market Square side of our building to provide a more covid-secure environment for our staff – and be more secure in general – and have now re-opened during limited hours as the pandemic restrictions ease.
The move has also allowed us to rent out our shop – the first time in close to 150 years it has not been the Head’s shop, and probably the first time in close to 250 years that 11, High Street has not been a stationer’s. Samuel Yates, who wrote a noted history of Congleton in 1820, previously had a business operating from the shop.
It’s also not the first time we have operated our reception and shop from the rear of the building either, having operated from there in the past while building work was carried out.
Mrs Bruce declared the new reception open by cutting a ribbon generously supplied by another local institution, Berisfords.
Chronicle editor Jeremy Condliffe said: “I’d like to thank Mrs Bruce for opening our new reception, and Berisfords for donating us the ribbon, as well as Tony Boon for the new signs, matching signage we already had.”
• The Chronicle reception on Market Square is currently open Monday to Friday 10am-2pm. For phone numbers, see the panel on page six.
