Just a few years ago, when it seemed there had been very little positive to say about the town centre over recent times, a group came together to focus on regeneration and securing a brighter future for Northampton.
October will see the official opening of the Market Square, just one item from the wide-ranging list on Northampton Forward’s agenda, but certainly the one it considers its flagship project, and the one that it hopes will mean the most to the people in the town.
Northampton Forward was set up in 2019, bringing together individuals from businesses and from the likes of the Royal and Derngate, the Grosvenor Centre, representatives from the police and fire services, West Northamptonshire Council, the Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and destinations such as Delapré Abbey.
It is chaired by Martin Mason, Managing Director of Tricker’s, the town’s oldest shoemaker, debatably the town’s oldest business, which still produces globally renowned shoes from its premises in St Michael’s Road.
“Back in 2019 a few of us got together just to see what kind of support we could give to the town centre in terms of delivering regeneration,” said Martin. “Town centres everywhere had been hit by the decline in traditional retail and we’d lost some of the larger stores and it began to feel like there was no direction.”
“Northampton Forward was about ideas and driving change, it was meant to be relatively informal and not political, just working in partnership towards something everyone wanted to see. People tend to blame the local council but it’s important to state that Northampton Forward hasn’t actually delivered anything. We’ve been the drivers, but the regeneration team at West Northamptonshire Council deserve the credit because they have been extremely effective at listening to ideas and then delivering to target.”
From the start, the group combined their business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit to begin successfully applying for available funding. Completed projects include the extension of 78 Derngate and improvements to Guildhall Road, and work is in progress on the likes of the Greyfriars site and 4 Waterside.
But it is the Market Square that is front and centre at the moment, and businesses, residents, local communities and other stakeholders are invited to gather on the weekend of October 19 and 20 for the official reopening. There will be fun activities, cultural performances and heritage exhibitions, as well as the unveiling of the new water feature, designed by artist Mel Chantrey and taking its inspiration from the shoe industry.
“I’m delighted that the Market Square has reached this point,”said Martin. “It has always been a priority. 78 Derngate and the Vulcan Works are important, but they don’t necessarily encompass everybody in the way the Market Square does. Historically, market squares are at the heart of the community and we’ve now got a space that looks good, where there are plenty of traders coming in, and I think that if you make the public realm attractive, people will come back.”
“One of the game changers, I think, is the leisure, food and entertainment group STACK taking over Market Walk. That’s going to be a large space for the leisure sector and will transform the night-time economy and it’s a fantastic repurposing of retail space that’s not needed any longer.”
“And I think where the larger retail units, the old BHS and Marks and Spencer stores, for instance, are carved up into smaller spaces, we’ll end up with something that looks more like a traditional town centre, the sort of thing you might associate with the Fifties. And that’s good because retail has changed, we have to come up with alternative ways to get people back into the town centre and not just because they’re visiting the Post Office or hairdresser, but to come in and stay a while.”
Having a healthy and thriving town centre is something that means a great deal to Martin, given his involvement in one of the town’s highest regarded businesses.
“Tricker’s is a very important business in terms of history and prominence,” he said.“Footwear manufacturing was the cornerstone and bedrock of Northampton and the fact that it is known around the world as a centre of excellence it’s crucial to how we market ourselves. To be able to say that our shoes are 100% made in Northampton is a mark of credibility. The heritage and prominence of Northampton, the fact that it is recognised as the best in the world for Goodyear Welted footwear, is critically important for our brand and reputation.”
“Northampton is recognised globally, so want to be here. But, just like all the other businesses in the town, in order that I can keep the business going here I need to attract the right people. And those people need a nice environment around them.”
“Local businesses are good for the circular economy and sustainability. People live near where they work, and they want to shop and eat near where they work. I run a business in the middle of town and I want my staff to stop bringing lunch in with them and have somewhere they go for a walk and get a sandwich and a coffee at lunchtime. I want to stop bringing my lunch to work and have somewhere I can go and get something from these small traders.”
“It’s a pleasure doing business here, and I very much hope that Northampton Forward continues its work because there is still so much to do. But for now, I’m very proud of what we have done and proud to see the regeneration of the Market Square.”
To find out more about Northampton Forward follow www.westnorthants.gov.uk
To find out more about Tricker’s follow www.trickers.com
