Take a look at 30 Google Maps pictures of what Northampton town centre looked like back in 2009

Do you remember when the town looked like this?

By Logan MacLeod

Published 20th Oct 2023, 15:41 GMT

Updated 20th Oct 2023, 15:42 GMT

Take a look back at 30 Google Maps pictures of what Northampton town centre looked like back in 2009.

Google Maps' street view feature allows users to virtually traverse the streets of Northampton as they were in 2009.

This newspaper has scouted out the town on Google Maps back in 2009, screenshotting streets and places of note in the town centre.

In the span of 14 years, Northampton has undergone huge changes, and these snapshots provide a unique window into the town's evolution.

One striking observation from the images of 2009 show how the internet has changed the landscape of the High Street, with many products just a click of a button away instead of a trip into town.

As technology continues to advance and capture our surroundings, these digital archives will undoubtedly be cherished by future generations, offering them glimpses into the town's ever-evolving story.

Click through our gallery to see what the town looked like in 2009.

The town 14 years ago

1. Looking back at Northampton town centre in 2009

The town 14 years ago Photo: Google

Greyfriars Bus Station. Dubbed Northampton's 'Mouth of Hell' by designer and presenter, Kevin McCloud, the former bus station was costing taxpayers £500,000 to maintain and to bring it up to standard would cost almost £30 million. It was demolished on the morning of March 15, 2015 after serving the town for 39 years.

2. Looking back at Northampton town centre in 2009

Greyfriars Bus Station. Dubbed Northampton's 'Mouth of Hell' by designer and presenter, Kevin McCloud, the former bus station was costing taxpayers £500,000 to maintain and to bring it up to standard would cost almost £30 million. It was demolished on the morning of March 15, 2015 after serving the town for 39 years. Photo: Google

Our very own Chronicle and Echo building, formerly located in Upper Mounts, was demolished in 2014 and some of its land was sold off to Aldi for a supermarket, which opened in 2018 and still exists today.

3. Looking back at Northampton town centre in 2009

Our very own Chronicle and Echo building, formerly located in Upper Mounts, was demolished in 2014 and some of its land was sold off to Aldi for a supermarket, which opened in 2018 and still exists today. Photo: Google

The Grosvenor Centre in Abington Street. The iconic green glass canopies were removed in 2018 to accommodate Metro Bank. Cabinet member for community safety at the now defunct borough council, Conservative councillor Anna King, watched the workers take the former centre frontage down in April 2018. She said: "It was sad to see it come down a bit. It was quite a nice feature and everyone recognises it. But I think they've got some good plans for that building."

4. Looking back at Northampton town centre in 2009

The Grosvenor Centre in Abington Street. The iconic green glass canopies were removed in 2018 to accommodate Metro Bank. Cabinet member for community safety at the now defunct borough council, Conservative councillor Anna King, watched the workers take the former centre frontage down in April 2018. She said: "It was sad to see it come down a bit. It was quite a nice feature and everyone recognises it. But I think they've got some good plans for that building." Photo: Google