Another busy year for Northampton’s historic Delapré Abbey – as CEO shares exciting things to come

Richard Clinton was first appointed as chief executive in February 2020, unbeknown to what was to come over the years to follow.

As a trustee of the Abbey for two years before taking on his role, Richard made his passion for the importance of nurturing accessible culture and heritage known to the Northampton community.

Having spoken to the Chronicle & Echo at the start of the year when he predicted it would be a “pivotal” time for the site, Richard has shared their progress and what is in the pipeline for the Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust nine months on.

“It’s been another busy year,” said the CEO. “Despite some of the headwinds, the cost of living and operating with increased overheads, we are delighted with the public putting their faith in us.”

This year saw the introduction of an exciting new event in June – the Delapré Food Festival in collaboration with Bite Street.

Richard said: “It was fantastic to provide that platform for the producers, and a large public event for Northampton to enjoy.”

Another new introduction – which was a highlight of Richard’s – was the Euro Fanzone. The space welcomed thousands of football lovers, and people from different cultures supporting their home countries.

Summertime Live and Dinosaurs In The Park were welcomed back to the historic Abbey, which was the first time since 2022 for the family-friendly dinosaurs.

When asked to pin down his highlight of the year so far, the CEO said: “The Fanzone. People have a very traditional view of heritage sites and what they should be doing.

“We want to broaden the audience who come and engage as much as possible, and there’s no better way than watching your home nation. The image on my background is of the thousands of England fans watching the final, convening and connecting over a shared passion.”

The hospitality, leisure, culture and historic sectors of Delapré Abbey have all shared the same struggle off the back of recent years.

“Visitors are making a conscious decision about how they spend their money,” said Richard. “And we never take it for granted.

“There are later booking patterns and we’re having to work a lot harder to get the message out there – and really ensure we have a point of difference. We try to communicate that every pound spent on the site supports the charity, to ensure people choose us when looking to spend their hard-earned money.”

The team’s main aim for 2024 was to increase their public programme and engage new audiences, which they have already achieved with Delapré Food Festival and the Euro Fanzone.

Looking to the rest of the year, heritage open days and Delapré Dog Fest are kickstarting a jam-packed four months.

Oktoberfest and Delapré Spooktacular are planned for October, and the Winter Light Trail is returning for its fourth year from November 22.

The “hugely popular” Christmas fair is planned for the weekend of November 23 and 24, with Santa’s Grotto opening its doors from November 30. The festivities will continue with wreath making sessions and candle-lit tours from December 4.

When asked what message he would like to send about the importance of making the most of this site on our doorsteps, Richard said: “Never take the heritage for granted, and we don’t take our customers for granted. September and Christmas time are a great opportunity to engage in activities.”

Great progress has been made on the Abbey’s multi-million-pound heritage project

A significant part of 2024 for Delapré Abbey has been the development of plans for the 19th century stables project.

Richard described the “monumental milestone” that planning permission was granted this summer, which has made it easier to get partners and funders on side to deliver the desired outcome.

As a result, they have secured the match funding required, and now await a hopefully positive decision on heritage funding at the end of this month.

If this funding is granted, they hope to make a start on the site during the coming autumn and winter months.

£4.5 to £5 million is set to be spent on the project in its entirety, which will see a number of stables repurposed and put to good use while preserving their heritage.

The courtyard near the stables will become a small events space and a destination in itself – hosting arts and crafts markets, for example.

The aim is to create a space that people feel happy and welcome in, while also setting the standard for heritage architecture in Northampton.

Having previously described the stables as a “dilapidated part of the estate”, Richard says that the 12 months of construction will mark a “really exciting period for the Abbey”.

“It’ll be a community space at the centre, filled with activity,” he said. “We want to develop our award-winning wellbeing programme further.”

Richard wanted to thank the community for their continued support on this, and he says they will be reaching out to help close the final funding gap in due course.

For more information on what is lined up for the rest of 2024, visit Delapré Abbey’s website here.