Local Information for Altrincham
Altrincham (pronounced "Oltringum") is a town to the south of Manchester in the Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester. It is also bordered by the wealthy suburbs of Hale and Bowdon.
Its population was recorded in the 2001 census as 40,695.
It was the birthplace of the actress Angela Cartwright. The dramatist Ronald Gow lived here in his youth, and later taught at the local grammar school.
Once a thriving engineering town, Altrincham is now mainly residential. And has a number of local beauty spots including 18th-Century Dunham Massey Hall (National Trust) with its deer park.
The historic market town, developed as a residential area in the 19th Century, and has an Old Market Place, and a new pedestrianised shopping centre. The town has more recently fallen victim to decline with shoppers abandoning the area for the nearby Trafford Centre and a regenerated Manchester City Centre. However the empty shop facilities and run down sections of the town will soon be subject to a large-scale regeneration plan with a makeover costing hundreds of millions of pounds.
The area is known primarily for its wealth, concentrated in a number of areas; Hale, Hale Barns and Bowdon, as well as some addresses in Altrincham itself.
The town is home to more millionaires than any other area outside of London. Many footballers (half the United and City players) and other sports stars (Freddie Flintoff), along with TV (Coronation Street actors) and music stars (ex-Smiths members, opera singer Martin Toal) live in the area
. It is the only safe Conservative Party seat in the North West; the current MP is Graham Brady. |