Target opening date revealed for multi-million pound leisure and entertainment venue in Northampton

A target opening date has been revealed for a hotly anticipated multi-million pound entertainment venue in Northampton town centre.

It was recently announced the vacant Market Walk shopping centre is set to be transformed into a STACK new leisure and entertainment destination.

West Northants Council (WNC) announced that it is working with renowned food hall and leisure developer, STACK, to revitalise the prominent space, with the aim of ‘breathing new life into the heart of the town’.

A WNC spokesman said: “With an investment of £4.175 million from the Towns Fund and an additional £8 million from STACK, the project will create a vibrant social hub for the community. The redevelopment will include a diverse selection of independent street food traders, bars, interactive games, communal seating, and a main stage for live music performances, catering to all ages and interests.”

It has now been announced when these works will start and end, and a target opening date has even been revealed…

Works will start on site in spring 2024. Works will finish on site in summer 2025. The venue is expected to open in summer 2025, according to WNC.

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

This newspaper recently 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.”

Click here to have a look at STACK in Sunderland.

Neill Winch, CEO of STACK, previously said: "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."