Northampton market traders react to these works in main shopping street where 'they could not move to due to construction'

Take a look at pictures which show the progress being made in multi-million pound regeneration works in Abington Street, Northampton.

With market traders struggling to make a living in Commercial Street car park, we have asked the council why traders could not have been moved on to Abington Street.

Traders have been struggling at their temporary site in Commercial Street car park for a year now.

They were moved down there in January 2023 while West Northants Council (WNC) completes £10million refurbishment works at the Market Square.

Since before the move, questions have been asked as to why traders could not be temporarily moved on to the busy Abington Street.

Many people have called for the market to be moved to a more central location - like Abington Street.

However, WNC says it simply can’t be done citing the multi-million public realm works which are scheduled to take place in Abington Street.

Chronicle and Echo went down to Abington Street on Thursday afternoon to see the scope of the works so far.

What we found was around four square patches of new tarmac where some trees had been removed and some markings on the floor.

We went down to Commercial Street to ask the traders their thoughts on this.

Les Rutherford, who runs a full-time key cutting stall on the market, said: “I don’t think the council has done enough. They said we couldn’t go on Abington Street because they’ll be doing works at the same time but nothing’s happening with Abington Street now and we’ve been here [Commercial Street] a year and they’ve done nothing. It’s all too late now. Yes we could have gone Abington Street but they didn’t want to put us there. I think down here was the easiest and cheapest option.”

Fruit and vegetable trader Hung Vo said he ‘feels sick’ that ‘nothing’ has been done in Abington Street in the past year.

Hung said: “We mentioned Abington Street every time at the meetings before we even moved down here. They told us we couldn’t go on Abington Street because of the works and we’d be in the way of Tesco’s deliveries.

“They’ve done nothing in Abington Street. I feel sick. If we were in Abington Street we’d still have businesses on the market. I’d still have my house. Look how many people have lost their jobs since coming down here: 10 regular, five day a week traders finished.

"Have any councillors ever been down to look at what’s going on? I haven’t seen them. I would show them what they’ve done if they came down.”

The man in charge of the project at WNC is Conservative councillor Daniel Lister.

Responding, a WNC spokeswoman said ‘preparation works’ took place in September, with main construction works due to start on February 26 and be completed by the end of this year.

A council spokeswoman said: “The council is working with Kier to revitalise Abington and Fish Street, one of Northampton’s busiest shopping districts. This high quality scheme will transform the street scene through the creation of new public spaces with high-quality materials, improved seating and planting, the introduction of new art, play and lighting features along the street, as well as spaces for outdoor dining and community activity.

“Due to the re-routing of shipments which include essential materials, the main construction works are due to start on 26 February. It is anticipated that works will be significantly completed by the end of the year.

“Prior to the main construction works, essential preparation works have been carried out from September 2023 which include trial trenches, drainage CCTV survey, GPR survey, tree removal and tree pit temporary reinstatement.”

In June 2023, this newspaper also asked WNC why traders were not allowed on Abington Street in the first instance. Click here to see what WNC said.