Plans in pipeline to honour late Northampton town legend, 'Fitzy', with 'fitting tribute'

Plans are in the pipeline to give Northampton town legend and veteran market trader, Fitzy, a “fitting” memorial.

Eamonn 'Fitzy' Fitzpatrick had been working on the Market Square for 60 years before he died suddenly in November 2022, aged 72.

Hundreds of people attended Fitzy’s funeral in December, which saw the '£1 a bowl master’ pass through Market Square one final time.

Chronicle & Echo has since asked West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) if plans are in the pipeline to give Fitzy a memorial.

Daniel Lister, in charge of the Market Square regeneration project at WNC, said: "Our town’s character, identity and economy have all been built over the years through those such as Fitzy, and his passing leaves a huge hole in our community.

“We are in discussions with the family to discuss a fitting tribute."

This newspaper asked Fitzy's son, Joe, what type of tribute the family would like to see.

Joe said: "I'd be happy to chat [to WNC].

"I think if there was a little plaque on the market just leave it because I'd hate to see it go into disrepair, but getting a street named after him is quite nice.

"If there was a newbuild or new street in NN1, that'd be nice, because he was born in NN1 and lived in NN1 for a long time. There could be a 'Fitzy's Corner', or something like that.

"He was born where the Grosvenor Centre is, that used to be terraced streets all around that area. He was born in a terraced house up there before it was compulsory purchased as part of regeneration works."

Market Square plans

Plans were approved this week (Tuesday) for market traders to be moved down to Commercial Street car park for two years while an £8.4million revamp of Market Square gets underway.

Traders will open for business at Commercial Street car park on January 31 with the Market Square regeneration works set to start in early February, according to WNC.

Fitzy had spent the final year of his life campaigning against the move down to Commercial Street car park, with his petition gaining a whopping 16,000 signatures.

Reacting to the decision, Joe said: "I feel like a little bit in me has died. It's been hanging over us for well over a year, we knew it was going to come. It's a bit of a relief. We haven't got the uncertainty anymore, we know where we're at. Obviously I'm going to be very sad to leave.

"We're going to go down there but we don't believe in the location. I feel I owe it to my dad to go down there. That was our plan, to see it out until the end and give it a go. Only time will tell."

Councillor Lister said: "The redevelopment will ensure future generations continue to see Market Square as the beating heart of the town."