Rural Northants shopping destination open and ready for business despite closure of nearby popular village hotel

The Falcon Hotel, in Castle Ashby, closed its doors for the final time at the end of November ahead of a new chapter for owners Lord and Lady Northampton.

They are looking to lean more into the wellness aspect of the business and transform the hotel into a healing centre, to support mental health and personal growth from late spring this year.

Since the closure, the businesses at The Rural Shopping Yard have worked hard to raise awareness that they are still open – as some customers assumed they were closed too.

The site has continued to acquire new additions since the pandemic and has become a destination shopping location for our county.

Two of the businesses, Chalk at Castle Ashby and Limeblue Gift Boutique, are run by Eloise Davis – who spoke to this newspaper about the importance of continuing to support small and independent businesses as we kickstart 2025.

Eloise first bought and reopened Limeblue in June 2022, and took it from a traditional gift shop to a high-end boutique.

Chalk was run within Limeblue and as it proved so successful, Eloise then took over the biggest shop in the Yard site to open Chalk as a store of its own in March 2023.

Limeblue is known for its silver jewellery collection, Scandi ceramics, home fragrances, stocking 700 independently-made cards each month, and being the place to go for a good quality gift and something unusual.

Whereas, Chalk is a lifestyle store selling ladies clothing, homeware, home fragrances and a collection for dogs.

“The Falcon closed at the end of November and we don’t want people to think we were connected,” said Eloise. “We’re still here and trading, and it’s important to support small businesses like ours.”

Eloise shared that her loyal customer base continually praises the experience on offer, as it is less crowded and rushed, more personalised, and there is parking available with ease.

The shopping yard is hosting a variety of events this year, including a couple of Shakespeare plays, French markets and jazz evenings – which you can keep an eye out for on social media.

When asked to describe the Shopping Yard experience, Eloise previously said: “It’s a really beautiful location in the Northamptonshire countryside, with stunning surrounding walks.

“You can buy beautiful food, have lunch, and mooch in some lovely shops. It’s a lovely shopping experience, with shopkeepers who really care and invest massively in customers.”

Eloise hopes new customers will come and appreciate the “beautiful British-made products” on offer in Castle Ashby as we move through 2025.