“It’s time the town stood up for itself,” says travel blogger launching campaign to promote Northampton

An award-winning travel blogger is “standing up for Northampton” with his new campaign, in a bid to promote what it has to offer and encourage positive conversations.

James Davis, 65, set up The Travel Locker blog after his teaching career came to an end, which he moved to Northampton to pursue in 1979 and soon became a lover of the town’s “thriving music scene”.

Though James now lives in Daventry, he has always had a soft spot for the town and wants his ‘Stand Up For Northampton’ campaign to “create a positive voice for the many great things happening” here.

James said: “Like many towns across the country, Northampton has had its problems – but I believe it’s still a great town with many wonderful people living and working here.

“Let’s promote those positive themes as we have a wonderful community.”

The 65-year-old was given a “warm welcome” to the town when he arrived in the seventies and vouches for its “great history, people and attractions”.

“You can see some things are fraying around the edges, but it’s about time the town stood up for itself and promoted its positive aspects,” he said. “There are wonderful places to visit and the people have still got a lot of vibrancy.”

When asked what his favourite places are to visit, James pinpointed the Museum, Royal & Derngate, the many country houses, parks, and Delapre Abbey.

He also raved about the thriving music scene which still remains decades on.

James said: “It’s so much easier to point out the negatives than to promote the positives. I’ve seen criticisms of the town and the fact it’s run down in recent years, but that shouldn’t be the focus.

“There’s still so much to be proud of.”

James recalls the “full and busy” Market Square in the eighties, when every stall was open, and welcomes its upcoming rejuvenation.

He says he “supports anything to make the town better” and that in the short term it may disrupt the stallholders, but it will have invaluable benefits for them in the long run.

For more information and to support the campaign, you can visit James’ blog, The Travel Locker, here.