PICTURES: Take a look inside STACK Sunderland which has plans to open a multi-million pound venue in Northampton town centre

Take a look inside a popular food and drink destination in Sunderland which could be open at a vacant shopping centre in Northampton.

West Northants Council (WNC) announced earlier this month (August) that plans are in the pipeline to convert Market Walk into a ‘unique’ multi-million pound leisure centre.

Leisure developer STACK is planning to transform the vacant Market Walk shopping centre, according to WNC.

This type of leisure concept has reportedly been successful in other cities including Newcastle and Sunderland.

So this newspaper has asked the editor at our sister title The Sunderland Echo for his thoughts on how STACK has gone down in Wearside.

Ross Robertson said: “STACK in Seaburn, Sunderland had a bit of a different start to other branches as it was due to open in May 2020 [during Covid], so you can imagine how that panned out.

"It eventually opened in September 2020, and, while the idea of social-distancing and Covid restrictions would've been totally alien to the designers, its outdoor setting and layout style gave it a lot of advantages over other hospitality venues which were having to work out how they could accommodate outdoor hospitality.

“It quickly became a go-to place for friends and families, and post-covid it remains a venue where people can take their children for meals out as well as a place adults can go for a night out together.

“It's also a place where crowds gather to watch big football matches, whether that's Sunderland AFC at Wembley, or the men's and women's England teams in the Euros and World Cup, and gets a great buzz about the place on such occasions.

“There are events year-round, including live music, and a tipi at Christmas giving a cosier feel. It even hosted a mocked-up zombie invasion at one point.

“STACK here is at the seafront and has helped develop the coastline, which had been underused for decades as seaside holidays in the UK fell out of fashion. The past decade has seen a lot of development at the coast and STACK has been part of making it a destination for food and drink.”

Background

Neill Winch, CEO of STACK, previously said: "We are pleased to announce the advancement of our plans to introduce STACK to Northampton. Breathing new life into a long-vacant space is a venture we are fully committed to.

"This ambitious project holds the potential to make a substantial positive impact on the town, serving as a dynamic focal point for both the local community and visitors alike.

"We are confident that our innovative and inclusive leisure concept, which includes opportunities for local jobs and a platform for local street food traders, will contribute significantly to the local economy. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to bring the STACK experience Northampton."

WNC says it will provide up to £4.2 million investment through the Towns Fund, coupled with private investment of £8 million from STACK, which will allow the space to be transformed into a new leisure, entertainment, and social community hub. Click here for more information.

Click through our photo gallery to see what STACK in Sunderland looks like and what it could bring to Northampton town centre.