Northampton business owner reveals damning reason why he has QUIT the town centre after nearly 50 years

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A prominent business owner in Northampton has revealed the damning reasons why he has decided to QUIT the town centre after nearly 50 years in business.

Steffans, the well-known Northampton jeweller, announced on Monday (November 4) that it will close its Abington Square store in January 2025 after nearly 48 years in business.

Owner Wes Suter says the decision stems from the poor state of the town centre and a lack of support from West Northants Council (WNC).

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Speaking to Chronicle and Echo, he said: “The reason why I’m going is because of the state of the town centre; it’s just not full of people who are jewellery buyers in today’s market. The town is not conducive to people wanting to spend prolonged periods of time in it.

Steffans first opened in Abington Square back in 1976.Steffans first opened in Abington Square back in 1976.
Steffans first opened in Abington Square back in 1976.

“We’ve been a benchmark for retail in Northampton. Thackerays have gone over summer; they went quietly, but they’ve gone. And rightly so; at the end of the day, they don’t want to make a big song and dance about things, but that’s not my way. My way is to call them out and say, ‘Hey look, there’s something grossly wrong here’.

"We’ve got a WhatsApp group which has over 60 independent Northampton retailers in it. The general feeling in there is despondent.”

Wes pointed to parking fees as one of the main reasons customers avoid Northampton town centre. He said: “How can WNC charge people for parking in Northampton when we’re trying to promote people to come to the town? I think it’d be a lot busier if they scrapped it tomorrow; I think it would promote people to use it for what it is: a place where people come in and out. The council has got this thing about people spending the day in Northampton; nobody spends the day in Northampton anymore, it doesn’t exist, because we don’t have the things to keep them here.”

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He went on to slam WNC for not recognising ‘lifers’ – long-standing independent traders – and instead becoming ‘doe-eyed’ for big businesses.

Explaining, Wes said: “They get all doughy-eyed about major chains coming in to spend a couple of million quid but those companies will look at that business and it’ll be a number on a sheet of paper, and when that number doesn’t look profitable, they’ll kill it.

"These bigger businesses don’t live in the town; they’re not lifers. Northampton needs to recognise its lifers, the people that live and breathe the town, and if they don’t, it’s going to be their [WNC’s] detriment. There are a lot of lifers. The council has got to learn to love those people, because if they don’t, they will go. It won’t just be Steffans; it’ll be the next one, and the next one, and the next one.”

Wes said he also feels his end of town has been ‘forgotten’ by WNC and thinks the council’s energy and money has been solely focused on the £12.4 million Market Square project.

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He said: “Our end of town has been forgotten about. I haven’t had a visit from anyone at the council for a long time, just to ask if there’s anything they could do to help us. I think they’ve spent a lot of energy and money on the Market Square, and I think our end has been forgotten. There are some good businesses at our end of town. A lot of businesses have left, and it’s just, how long do you hold on for until you become an island?

"We’re not working cohesively. Northampton needs to work cohesively to solve some of its woes. We have a lot of homeless people, we have a lot of anti-social behaviour, there’s not a lot of police; there are so many things.”

Wes says he hopes that by speaking out he may well be a ‘catalyst for change’. He said: “We’re still a town, a town of shopkeepers, and somewhere we’ve lost it. It’s gone over time. It’s like a small drip that eats away at the copper pipe, and then all of a sudden it breaks, and maybe I’m the break in the pipe. Maybe me talking about it might be the catalyst for change. I hope it does, for other retailers; I really do.”

With a final message to the town and the council, Wes said: “Love the businesses that are left. Cherish them. And stop getting doughy-eyed over new businesses that aren’t people who live and breathe the town. The town needs people who live and breathe it.”

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A West Northants Council spokeswoman said: “We’re saddened to hear about the closure of Steffans and acknowledge the significant role it has played in Northampton’s history and retail offering. As a council, we are committed to creating a vibrant environment where businesses can grow and succeed. We'd be delighted to meet with Mr Suter and any other local businesses to discuss the wide range of support we offer. This includes 1:1 expert advice, workshops, and grant funding opportunities aimed at fostering business growth, innovation, and sustainability. The South Midlands Growth Hub and Northamptonshire BIPC also provide a range of free business support, funding guidance, and valuable networking events, all designed to help local businesses thrive. “Supporting our small business community is a key priority for the council which is why we’re part of the national Small Business Saturday campaign and continually celebrate small business success and encourage people to shop local. This year’s Small Business Saturday takes place on December 7, and a variety of workshops, webinars, and one-on-one mentoring sessions are available to help businesses enhance their growth strategies. Details can be found on the Small Business Saturday website. “We also recently celebrated the transformation of Northampton Market Square, which is central to our vision of revitalising Northampton’s town centre, bringing more visitors and footfall to support our local businesses. The grand reopening of the square saw thousands of people visit the town centre and showcased the potential of these projects to create vibrant community spaces, support businesses and boost the local economy. “For more information on our business support initiatives, please visit our dedicated Business Support webpage, where people can find details on funding, workshops, and networking events.”

Mark Mullen, operations manager at Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), said: "Just like all towns around the country, the retail environment in Northampton has changed significantly over the past 50 years and we are continuing to see further evolution as businesses respond to changing consumer habits.

"It's been heartening to see multiple businesses, including both national chains and independent shops, embracing the changes and investing in their premises to provide an experience-led offering to shoppers, while we are seeing several big names choose Northampton as a destination for new store openings.

"There is huge positivity around the new Market Square and, with work due to complete soon on Abington Street and Fish Street, the beginnings of a bright new era for Northampton town centre are starting to emerge." HUGE sale starting this weekend as jewellers attempt to clear £2 million of stock before town centre closure

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