'This is just the beginning': New cafe is step one of plan to one day build 'Northampton's biggest tourist attraction'

The home of whitewater sports in Northampton says its new cafe is just 'the first step' to opening what could one day be the town's biggest tourist attractions.

Two months ago, the spare garage at Northampton Active off Bedford Road was just storage for canoes.

Now, the centre near Brackmills - which is home to one of the UK's first artificial whitewater courses - has used the spare lock up to launch The Waterside Cafe.

But more than just a new lunch spot, director Glenn Newman told the Chronicle & Echo he sees the cafe as the first step in making Northampton Active one of the town's biggest tourist attractions.

He said: "We've been working since March to get the cafe off the ground, which we hope will help us bring in some business through the winter.

"More than that, we want to be one of the best in the town where everyone is welcome.

"But our vision is to expand and develop over the next few years to make one of the biggest tourist attractions in town.

"We're bubbling with ideas. We have 40 acres of land to build on behind the centre - we'd love to build an caravan park and offer visitors weekend stays. We could build ziplines. We would provide space for community groups and scouting organisations.

"So really, the cafe is the first step of all of that."

The pet-friendly spot, which shares its car park with Northampton Rowing Club, launched on October 16 and is open between 8am and 4pm through the week and 9am and 3pm on Sundays.

For more information, visit the Waterside Cafe's Facebook page.The Northampton Active centre is open to the public and offers canoeing, kayaking, tubing and whitewater sports.