Here’s a list of Northampton businesses which have made the tough decision to close down in recent months.
The cost of living crisis and rising energy bills are having a dramatic effect on households and businesses up and down the country.
Some well-established Northampton businesses have felt the full force of the harsh economic climate and have sadly made the decision to close their doors.
Take a look at some of the businesses which have closed in the town over the last few months and their reasons why.
Some well-established Northampton businesses have felt the full force of the harsh economic climate and have sadly made the decision to close their doors.
5. Gallone's in Weston Favell
The iconic ice-cream merchants closed down their Weston Favell kiosk in February. Owner Aldo Gallone said: "It just seems the pandemic has forced everyone’s hand, really, if you’ve got a shop. Most things are going online, people don’t mooch like they used to. It’s a shame. It was a nice unit but it was a commercial decision we had to take, footfall and the costs weren’t adding up. It’s always a shame when something like this happens but you’ve got to look at the positive side of things, it will free up a bit of time and money to concentrate on the things we know we’re good at." Photo: Kirsty Edmonds
6. The Auctioneers
The Market Square boozer closed down in January after its landlords vacated the premises. It has however been sold to new owners, Valiant, who plan on reopening the site after a refurbishment. Luke Carroll, area manager for Valiant, revealed the company’s vision for the site. He said: "The pub is having major investment and refurbishment planned for it. We want to restore it to what it was, a once great pub. The refurbishment may take around 8-12 weeks. Quite a bit is being spent on it. We should hopefully reopen soon, we don’t want to be closed for too long. We’re currently looking for an operator and are currently holding interviews." Photo: Logan MacLeod
7. New Look
The fashion chain which occupied a massive unit in the Grosvenor Centre for 19 years closed down in February, although it was never revealed why. A New Look spokeswoman said: "Regrettably, we have made the decision to close the New Look store in the Grosvenor Centre on Wednesday, February 15. We are focusing on supporting our store colleagues and where possible finding alternative roles for them within the business." Photo: Logan MacLeod
8. The Grosvenor Centre
The Grosvenor Centre lost another two businesses this year. Gift and gadget retailer MenKind, based on the ground floor, closed its doors at the shopping centre in mid-January. Women’s fashion store Select also closed down this year. A Grosvenor Centre spokeswoman said: “It is always a sad outcome when tenants decide to close their doors. We work hard to support all our retailers to avoid such closures." Photo: -