Northampton BID Column: Banishing the January blues by giving people a reason to support our town

The combination of cold weather, the back-to-work blues and a longer-than-usual wait for your monthly pay packet means it can be a slog, but we’ve got through it and can now look forward to the first green shoots of Spring.

Here in Northampton, we’ve made a concerted effort to make our town centre a place to visit this January and it was excellent to see so many families enjoying the skating rink, curling lane and winter activities in the Market Square.

This event, rescheduled due to the bad weather before Christmas, was held in conjunction with Northampton Town Council and West Northamptonshire Council, showed the flexibility of the events space in the Market Square and has given all of us food for thought as to how the area can be used in the future.

As with all new areas, it takes a while for everyone to learn how people naturally use the space and also how it can be maximised to reach its potential. Following the successful launch weekend, a triumphant Diwali, a busy Christmas lights switch-on and now the ice rink, we are better placed to plan further events throughout the year.

The events have had a positive impact on the town and business owners we have spoken to are looking forward to seeing how the Market Square continues to become the beating heart of our town centre.

Megan Lord from The Wedding Rooms – a specialist bridal boutique and gift shop above Café Track in the Market Square, said: “It’s been good to see more families visiting the Market Square on event days and the fountain is certainly proving a big hit. We’d love to get involved with future events and encourage people in to see what we have to offer.”

Event planning is now in full swing and we are preparing to finalise our plans for the rest of 2025, with plenty to look forward to. Watch this space for details.