PICTURES: 'I went for a walk down Northampton’s newly refurbished High Street – and it looks absolutely incredible'

Abington Street has finally reopened to the public after 16 months of refurbishment works by Kier, on behalf of West Northamptonshire Council (WNC).

On Saturday (June 14), the orange plastic fencing came down on Abington Street at long last, and the space was once again open to the town.

The Chronicle and Echo visited on a beautifully sunny Monday morning (June 16) and was pleasantly surprised by the number of people already enjoying the space – young mothers with their children, as well as both older and younger generations. One woman walked past and immediately said, “HOW LOVELY.”

The £5 million project – funded by the Government’s Towns Fund – to enhance the public realm in both Abington Street and Fish Street includes new paving, seating, landscaping, and improved lighting.

The aim is to revitalise the town centre and attract more visitors. While initial completion was expected by winter 2024/25, delays pushed the project back.

Questions remain around the project’s longevity, the transparency regarding the delays, and perhaps the £5 million cost. But the end product is hard to fault – it looks great.

Daniel Lister, the Conservative councillor who led much of the project before Reform took control of the council, said: “I have already received comments from members of the public on how impressive Abington Street looks following its regeneration. By revitalising the town’s busiest shopping thoroughfare with high‑quality materials, additional seating and enhanced planting, we have transformed it to cater for modern shopping patterns. New lighting will bring Fish Street to life, and with the Heritage Park, Old Black Lion restoration, STACK, the Greyfriars scheme, the Waterside project, and the BHS and M&S demolition all at various stages of development, Northampton’s renewal is well underway, and its future has never looked brighter.”

Click through our gallery to see the new street.