'I took a walk around Northampton town centre to see how our businesses are bearing up in 2025 – here's what I found'

On Tuesday (April 15), I walked around St Peter’s Retail Park, Gold Street, Bridge Street, Drapery, Mercers Row, Market Square, Grosvenor Centre, Abington Street, Fish Street, Dychurch Lane and Fish Street over the course of a couple of hours.

What I found was some big brand names and many well-known quality independents, but also many low-quality shops, empty units, homelessness and some anti-social behaviour. All in all, it is a very mixed offering.

One shop will be good but will then followed by a row of not so good shops and undesirables hanging about. There are certainly plenty of positives in the town, but the negative unfortunately can overshadow them at times and they need addressing.

Commenting on the current offering in the town centre, Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), said: “There is certainly an air of optimism around the town centre and everyone is looking forward to seeing the works in Abington Street completed. The impact of the new Market Square has been extremely positive and we are seeing plenty of families enjoying the space, while there is now light at the end of the tunnel after a difficult few years for businesses in Bridge Street.

“It’s encouraging to see many national retailers underlining their commitment to Northampton by investing in bigger units, most notably H&M and JD Sports. We’re hearing of lots of interest in some of the available units, with Northampton emerging as an attractive location for many businesses, and we look forward to welcoming more new retailers in due course.

“The Stack development is obviously one that’s got people particularly excited and that will bring something new to the town, completely changing the way that part of Northampton operates.

“Our independent retailers continue to thrive, attracting people into the town from far and wide, while the food and drink retailers also enjoy an exceptional reputation both locally and regionally.

“As always, we are working closely with partners to continue to evolve the town centre and ensure the views of businesses are communicated and we look forward to playing our role in the future success of Northampton town centre.

“This summer is already shaping up to be a real celebration as we welcome the Women’s Rugby World Cup to Northampton and we’ll be marking the 350thanniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton. We are working with Northampton Town Council and West Northamptonshire to deliver a busy events calendar that will bring thousands of extra visitors into the town centre.”

Take a look at our comprehensive list of businesses in Northampton town centre – ‘other' businesses can be classed as newer or less-well known establishments.

St Peter’s Retail Park

Chains

TK Maxx

Home Bargains

The Food Warehouse

Argos

Pure Gym

Umrah Express

Independents

Oren Pho Vietnamese Restaurant

Other

Med Life 360

The Hub Dental Practice

Gold Street

Chains

Travelodge Hotel

Virgin Money Bank

Turtle Bay Restaurant and Bar

Ríos Piri Piri

Poundstretcher

Salvation Army

Savers

Admiral Gaming Mini Casino

Independents

Michael Jones Jewellers

Sorrentinos Restaurant

Spun Out Record Store

Millennium

Rock Bottom Discount Store

Jenny’s Cafe

Oriental Supermarket

Tequila and Lime Bar and Restaurant

The Sandwich Bar Cafe

Booze City Off Licence

Ding Tea Taiwanese Bubble Tea

Gold Street Mews businesses

Gold Street Food Market

Bodification Tattoo and Piercing

Chiantis Hair and Beauty

Other

Exchange 4 Cash Pawn Shop

Mobile Phone Trade

Northampton Kebab House

Dixie Chicken Fast Food

Merlin Osce Centre

Beauty Palette

Metropole European Off Licence/Mini Mart

Golden Touch Turkish Barbers

Chinese Medicine Treatment Centre

Fame Fashions

Mailboxes Etc

Butchers

Mobile Phone Store

Anna Health and Beauty

Istanbul Euro Mini Mart

Sunbeds by Anna

AJ Practice Chinese Herbalist

Inspired Estudio Academy

Fresco Pizzeria Restaurant

Opticians Eye Clinic

Multiple Empty Units

Bridge Street

Estate Agents

Taylor Estate Agents

Ilet Isell Estate Agents

Howkins and Harrison Estate Agents

William H Brown Estate Agents

Haart Estate Agents

Jackson Stops Estate Agents

Independents

Sophia’s Restaurant

Tattoo Phil’s

Tax Account Shop

Professional Tailor and Fashion Designer

Wing Wah Chinese Food

Bars and Nightclubs

Bridge 26 Bar

NBS Nightclub

Replay Nightclub

Chains

Papa John’s

Fireaway Pizza

Other

Top Nails

ST News Convenience Store Vape Shop

Hair Art and Beauty Salon

Ci Aesthetics Beauty Salon (closed)

The Ladz Chicken Shop

Multiple Empty Units

Drapery

Fast Food chains

Former Circus Clothes Store (closed, reportedly becoming a Wing Spot Chicken Fast Food Restaurant)

Wingers Fast Food

German Doner Kebab

McDonald's

Taco Bell

KFC

Sam’s Chicken

Other Chains

CEX

Timpson

Kaspas

Penny Loafer (owned by Valiant)

Coral Betting Shop

NatWest

Independents

Grand Café

Shipmans

Zone Beauty

Snappy Snaps

Sing Long Asian Store

Body Expert Sports Supplements

Raj’s Beauty Salon

Norman’s Shop

Lucci Menswear

Santander

O’Neill’s Pub

Subway

Other

Mentor Merlin

N&H Beauty Perfume

Vapes Centre Shop

Little Euro Vapes

Mobile Solution

UK Nails Northampton

Phone Stop

Pannemark (closed)

200 Student Flats at Former Debenhams

Multiple vacant units

Market Square

Chains

Casino

Eden Mobility

Betfred

Boots

Halifax

Paddy Power

Starbucks

Burger King

Michael Graham Estate Agents

AJ Mills Stone Estate Agents

Stack (coming soon)

H&M (coming soon)

Independents

Ela Café and Bakery

Praca Coffee

Café Track

Zapato Lounge

Market Square Cabins

Les Rutherford Key Cutting

Dennis Photo Printing

Tony Jones Florists

Phone Repairs

Hung Vu Fruit and Veg

M&G Butchers (gone)

Pop-up Stalls – 7 Stalls, 5 Empty.

Food Traders included: Greek, Thai, Ciro’s Place, Sally’s Noodles, Café Continental.

Other

Phone Maxx Shop

Little Euro Vapes

R&A Vapes

Jenai Nails

Grosvenor Centre (Downstairs)

Chains

WHSmith

Quiz

ShoeZone

River Island

Ann Summers

iStore

Pandora

Three Mobile

The Perfume Shop

Lush

Card Factory

JD (coming soon)

Superdry

Primark

Office

Warren James

H Samuel

Superdrug

Waterstones

Fragrance Shop

Independents

Tony Jones Florists

Michael Jones Jewellers

Bewiched Coffee

Ernest Jones Jewellers

Shake Bar

Harun’s Studio Turkish Barbers

Browne’s Old Sweet Shop

Other

Bias

Smiggle

Grosvenor Centre (Upstairs)

Chains

Timpsons

Costa Coffee

Primark

Deichmann

Trespass

Cards Direct

The Entertainer Toy Shop

Claires

River Island

Vision Express

HMV

Independents

Olis Turkish Barber Shop

Tokky

Lewis Foundation

Nipas Hair and Beauty

Other

Es Gud Food, Tobacco, Alcohol

Mercers Row area

Chains

Greggs

Nando’s

Prezzo

Independents

Giardino Café

Bargain Bakery

Darlin’s Barbers

Stylers Hair Salon

Other

Hidden Hearing Centre

Top Beauty Hair and Cosmetics

Mobile Phone Repairs Shop

The Chicken Shop

Extra Staff Recruitment

We Buy Gold

Abington Street (bottom end)

Chains

Skipton Building Society

Coventry Building Society

O2

Wenzels Bakery

JD

Tesco

Bodycare

Barclays

Nationwide

Howden Insurance

Merkur Slots Casino

EE

HSBC UK

Holland and Barrett

Metro Bank

Costa

Vodafone

Independents

Styles of London

Noodlex Bar

Harun’s Barber Turkish

Istanbul Bakery and Café

Other

Phone Land

Beauty Queens Hair and Cosmetics

Phone Box

Foreign Exchange

Mobile Lab

Phones

Zesty Vape

Collection Vapes (Electronics, Games, Buy, Sell, Repairs)

Fresh Market Fruit and Veg Store

Abington Street (top end)

Chains

The Works

Clarks

Specsavers

Bon Marche

H&M

Sports Direct

Poundland

Greggs

Scope

Salvation Army

Burger King

Independents

Albert J Ramsbottom

Brothers Bakery Turkish

Daniel Grainger Hairdressers

Sheinmann Opticians

Dapp Second Hand

Watts

Premier Express

Other

Tech Tronex Mobile Phones

Little Vegas Casino

Fresh Market Fruit and Veg Store

Ajwa Supermarket (Halal Meat, Fruit and Veg)

Phone Set Up

Elegance Beauty

Chesters Chicken

Bargains 2 Go (Second Hand Home Furniture)

The American Diner

RKD Clothes

Hollywood Nails

Trust Estudio Hair and Beauty Salon

Rugs and More

H&T Pawnbrokers

Cozy African Restaurant

Home Essentials and DIY

Square Kitchen (Afro-Caribbean and Asian Food)

Amsterdam Vapes

Go 4 Vapes

ElectronX Hub Pawn Shop (Vapes, Repairs)

7 Star Unisex Salon

Wedgwood Pub (Closed, hotspot for homeless)

Europe Supermarket

Multiple Large Empty Units (Tesco, M&S)

Fish Street

Chains

Palace Amusements Casino

Ladbrokes

Independents

Caffè d’Italia

Yokoso Asian Restaurant

The Fish Pub

Café Creperie

Esquire Coffee Café

The Optimist Pub

Fat Fugu Tattoo and Piercing

Dychurch Lane

Chains

The Cordwainer (Wetherspoons)

Independents

Smoke Pit Restaurant

Rockabelles Hairdressers

Mission Chicken (Coming Soon)

Marmaris Turkish Restaurant

Velvet Rooms Restaurant and Bar

Rosie O’Leary’s Pub

Other

Softage Mobile Repairs

St Giles Street area

Chains

Butterwick Bakery

Stonhills

Old Bank Pub (Greene King)

Independents

The ZipYard Northampton

Mark Elliott Funeral Services

St Giles Cheese

Cardew & Co

360 Wellness

Vintage Guru

Ann Bonham & Son Funeral Directors

Studio Nails

Andréws Salon

Exquisite Enhancement Piercing

Saints Coffee

George Lewis Estate Agents

Helping Hands

Niks Hair Parlour

Pammukale

Dreams Coffee

Eden Wellness

Abraxas

St Giles Retreat

Amplifon

Greek Bistro

7Bone

Razor King Turkish Barbers

Bonds Jewellers (The ZJP Yard)

Akasaka

Saffron

Voni Blu

Lawrence’s Café

Mooch

Grandbies

Istanbul Barber

Family Shopper

Age UK

Wig and Pen pub

Pasha Barbers Turkish

Four Seasons Nails

St Giles Jewellers

C&C Hair and Beauty

Dychurch

Montague Jeffery

Revelation Tattoos

V&B

Maule Collective

Pala

Mailcoach