Mr. Hospitality returns home to Knutsford

Steve Barker (48) from Holmes Chapel has been appointed the new clubhouse manager at Knutsford Golf Club in Cheshire.

The appointment sees Steve returning to the town of Knutsford where he has spent most of his life and he is well known as the former proprietor of “ Jack Rabbit’s”, an American Restaurant and Bar which he ran for five years.

Steve has been in the hospitality business literally all of his life. Indeed, his two great aunts Ellen and Lillian Barker both ran famous Cheshire pubs in the early part of the last century, namely the Frozen Mop and Chapel House Inn. He has been in and around the hospitality sector in Knutsford from the outset of his career. After leaving King’s School in Macclesfield he served his apprenticeship in pubs such as the Rose and Crown in Knutsford and the Stag’s Head in Warford before becoming head barman at the Chapel House Inn in Mobberley.

He has not always served the public however, for fourteen years Steve worked in the recruitment industry where he was regional director of Search Consultancy Ltd specialising in the hospitality sector. So, he truly is a poacher turned game keeper!

He joins Knutsford Golf Club from Bramall Park Golf Club where he was house manager.

The return to his native Knutsford really is a home coming for Steve as he played golf at the club as a junior and his wife Louise still runs Bexton pre-School on Blackhill Lane, Knutsford while their two daughters dance at the Fuchsia School of Dance on King Street in the town.

“ The task of re-opening the clubhouse again after the Covid-19 lockdown has been a real challenge,” said Steve. “ However, the comments I have received back from our members have been really encouraging. We plan to step up our catering offer in the coming weeks, obviously following the strict government guidelines. I’m a Knutsford guy through and through and wherever possible I will only use local food suppliers. In addition to serving our members with an excellent food and drinks offering our clubhouse is the perfect venue for business meetings, family events and celebrations. I am looking forward to developing our offer even further to the wider Knutsford community and visiting golfers and societies.”

Steve lists his hobbies as Manchester United and ‘coast to coast’ long distance cycling. Before lockdown he was to undertake a Knutsford to Land’s End cycle run, having previously completed Knutsford to Edinburgh and a Knutsford to Cardiff run. All that is now on hold until he has completed his task of successfully re-opening the clubhouse at Knutsford Golf Club.

Knutsford Golf Club is a magnificent 9-hole golf course positioned adjacent to Tatton Park and close to the town of Knutsford in Cheshire. It is a unique and welcoming club set up to cater for all standards of golf with a vibrant social scene. See knutsfordgolf.com and our Facebook and Twitter accounts.