Comedian Jason Manford criticises ‘entitled’ villagers in rich Cheshire Golden Triangle for objecting to plans for using college for disadvantaged kids

TV comic Jason Manford has criticised Cheshire villagers he accused of ‘entitlement’ over complaints about plans for a new riding school serving disabled children.

The presenter and stand-up spoke up at a council meeting ruling over proposals for an equestrian centre on farmland in the county’s affluent so-called ‘Golden Triangle’.

Manford, a friend and supporter of applicants Higher Farm Equine, rallied support for a change of use from agriculture to equestrian at Colshaw Hall Farm in Knutsford.

Locals including parish council members have been among those objecting to the new Higher Farm Riding Club which has been there since April.

Cheshire East Council’s planning board was meeting to decide whether to approve the change of use.

And Manford, 44, was among members of the public who spoke to councillors who ultimately ruled in favour of the equestrian plans.

He said opponents ‘should know better’, as he rallied support for what he said would help ‘the children born into chaos or poverty’ – and his criticism of ‘entitled’ locals has been welcomed by the centre’s owner, who told the Daily Mail she and her staff were ‘shocked’ by some of the ‘backlash’.

Manford has also said of objectors to the riding school that their ‘words don’t come from empathy, they come from entitlement.

The retrospective planning application set out how the operators of the site, which sits inside the Green Belt, offer ‘equine-assisted learning’ as well as a riding school.

A planning committee report states: ‘The riding school provides equestrian tuition to children, young people, and adults of all abilities, backgrounds, and experiences.

‘Sessions are delivered by qualified instructors across indoor and outdoor arenas, with a strong emphasis on accessibility and tailored support.

‘Clients include complete beginners, disabled riders, those with learning or physical difficulties and individuals who benefit from the emotional and physical wellbeing that horse riding can provide.’ 

And the equine-assisted learning was described as being ‘designed to support young people who benefit from therapeutic and skills-based interaction with horses’.

The application added: ‘These structured sessions are tailored for individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including autism, social anxiety, and complex life experiences.’

While the riding school is open between 2pm and 7pm from Tuesday and Friday and from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays, the equine-assisted learning runs between 10am and 2pm from Monday to Friday.

Objections to the plans came from 24 local residents as well as the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

Manford, known for programmes including The One Show and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, is among those in favour of the riding school.

He told the East Cheshire Council planning meeting he was there to ‘speak up for children who have nothing’ and ‘the children born into chaos or poverty’, the Manchester Evening News reported.

He said: ‘They can’t be here in this chamber to defend Higher Farm.

‘They can’t tell you what it means to finally walk into somewhere where they’re not being laughed at, they’re not being called a problem, where they can brush a horse and feed a goat, or just be in the countryside.’

At a separate meeting discussing the plans, he quoted an opponent as saying of the children affected: ‘Why are their problems becoming mine?’

Manford responded by telling councillors: ‘These words don’t come from empathy, they come from entitlement.

‘They come from people who have everything – stability, comfort, opportunity – handed down like furniture, people who talk about protecting the countryside, but what they really mean is protecting it from anyone who “doesn’t look like me”.’

He described Higher Farm as offering deprived children not ‘just therapy’ but also ‘a window into another way of living’.

Manford added: ‘It’s clean air and it’s calm and it’s what the green belt is meant for – to be shared by everyone, not hoarded by the fortunate few who happen to be born near it.’

Councillors at last week’s planning board meeting did raise concerns about potential traffic speeding at the site but voted in favour of the change of use.

Stewart Gardiner, Conservative councillor for Knutsford, said: ‘I think that Mr Manford has incredibly eloquently explained why this is such an important facility.

‘It might not change the world, but it will change the world for the young people who use it.’

The planning decision and Manford’s support have now been welcomed by the equestrian centre’s owner Laura Clarke – though she also criticised ‘entitled’ opponents.

She told the Daily Mail: ‘We had been quite positive because it was a simple change of use with all the buildings that were here.

‘But the reason it became such a battle was because of the rich, entitled locals.

‘Everything we brought to the site was moveable from our old site – and what we do here is improve the lives of SEN children.

‘We were really shocked to get a backlash from locals but we met all the planning policy so we were hopeful – and Jason came along to support us.

‘He believes in everything and we got the decision that allows us to improve the environment for SEN children.’

Youngsters with special educational needs have been coming to the new site since its official opening in the first week of May, after the school was previously nearby.

They take part in activities such as grooming, walking and riding horses.

Ms Clarke added: ‘Improving children’s mental health is our absolute passion and using the animals is so important. The children who come here don’t miss a day.’