Market Walk doors remain shut while Northampton's businesses spring out of lockdown

Northampton s Market Walk has remained closed to the public despite the easing of restrictions.

While stores across the town welcomed back customers for the first time since Christmas on Monday (April 12), the ailing shopping centre off Market Walk stands cold and empty.

It is believed that the shopping centre could reopen within days but is unconfirmed at the moment.

The Chronicle & Echo has repeatedly tried to contact the Walk's management for a comment.

It comes after the troubled centre - remembered by many readers as the former Peacock Place - came out of the second national lockdown in December with just three remaining stores: Lucci Leather on the ground floor; Aflora Luxe Gifts on the first floor; and Fast Stitch Tailor, which is accessible next to the entrance from Abington Street.

Barriers were put in place in November to prevent members of the public from walking through the arcade.

But starting in early 2021, the doors to the walkway between Market Square and Abington Street were also locked.

Several long term tenants of the centre vacated their units over the court of the pandemic.

The Diecast & More model shop closed after a clearance sale on October 18. The Cynthia Spencer Hospice charity shop on the second floor closed on October 24, while the Rendezvous Coffee Shop closed during the summer.

Zone Beauty Salon relocated to a new home on the Drapery in October, while Bias Gift Store moved into the Grosvenor Centre in the same month.

Meanwhile, the Bohemian Finds dress shop announced its departure in March this year before moving to the Vintage Retreat emporium in Lower Harding Street.

Market Walk is currently up for sale for £2million. It comes after the Walk was first auctioned in May 2018, where it was bought for £695,000. It was then sold again only five months later in October 2018, where it was bought for £610,000 by Safeland PLC, operated by Errol and Larry Lipman.

There have also been several planning applications centered on the Walk in the past five years, including ideas to turn it into a hotel, a food court and student flats, but none of them have progressed.