ALTRINCHAM'S Traders Outlet was in the national spotlight recently.

Sky News reported on the centre to show how small businesses can be helped back on to the high street.

Traders Outlet rents space to 50 retailers who couldn’t afford the high overheads that renting a shop would involve.

Owner Mathew Wray said: "By supporting independents, I believe that the country’s flailing high streets – because let’s not forget this is a nationwide problem – really can fight back.

"When so much of our spending is now done online, when people actually venture into town, they’re looking for something a bit different. It's widely recognised that one of the reasons our town centres are failing is because they all look the same."

Trader’s Outlet – home to a vintage and craft showroom, No16 The Downs - is very hands-on with many of the traders and artists running their concessions, in addition to regular craft workshops, themselves. This means they're often on hand to talk to customers about their products.

Mathew said: "They say every cloud... and this report has been great advertising for us. Since the broadcast I’ve signed up five more new concessions and we now have a waiting list of future traders."