As Bob Dylan famously said ‘You don’t need a weather man to know which way the wind blows’ (or was that Michael Fish?). In any event the decline of our town centres is self–evident.

Even Ronald McDonald cut and ran for the safety of the drive-through.

Rates were too high and customers too scarce to survive in the town centre.

There has been little initiative from the various councils (make that none) to find a solution unless you count jacking up parking fees?

Then along came two bright Macclesfield ladies with the idea of a folksy market focusing on antiques, home-made produce and local entertainment.

They named it Treacle Market. It’s now the place for friends and family to meet for a Sunday get-together giving a much-needed boost to local trade.

In recent weeks imaginative café proprietors across the borough (sounds better than half a county) moved a few tables outside to test the demand for al fresco dining.

The warm weather ensured it was an immediate hit. Everyone and anyone concerned with the viability of our town centres should be delighted with this glimpse of recovery.

So, what’s been the response of Cheshire East to the tiny green shoots of revival? The ladies running Treacle Market, entirely without pay, are being charged £1,200 for the erection of stalls while any establishment bold enough to offer outside seating must pay CEC £150 to £550 for a licence and £100 to £330 renewal fee. With local pubs closing down at an alarming rate Cheshire East risk strangling any recovery before it takes hold.

Surely the sensible approach is to encourage any signs of regeneration.

It’s worth forgoing a small amount of revenue to cultivate the path back to prosperity. God knows we need one.

CEC should be watering the green shoots. If they yield a bumper crop, the harvest will come later.

• Breaking news .... I hear CEC is to reduce the charge – a brilliant decision!