West Northants Council outlines how it will bring more traders to Northampton's £13.5m Market Square after public raise concerns
Plans to bring new traders and more pop-up stalls have been outlined by the council amid concerns from the public the £13.5m revamped Market Square was looking quiet.
A number of Chronicle & Echo readers have messaged to say that there do not seem to be as many pop-up stalls in the market and it was not as busy as in previous years.
The Market Square redevelopment was completed in October 2024, but it is now February 2026 and many of the stalls have remained vacant for months. Traders have previously told this newspaper that busy stalls mean higher footfall and that each trader “buzzes off” one another. Instead, some are saying the heart of the square appears to be regularly quiet, other than the food vans and the cabins dotted around the outside of it.
In response, West Northamptonshire Council said January and February were traditionally quieter months for markets, with many traders taking a break, but the council outlined how it was working with the “existing traders and wider partners” targeting new traders and events, including pop-up stalls.
As well as messages from readers the Chron also received the following letter from a resident who wanted to share her “profound sense of disappointment and sadness” at the situation.
It reads: “I am writing to you to express a profound sense of disappointment and sadness regarding the current state of Northampton town centre and the Market Square.
“I moved to Northampton from London at the age of 18, during the era of the New Town Development Corporation. At that time, the town was a beacon of expansion and optimism. The Market Square was a vibrant, bustling heart of the community – a place of excitement, cleanliness, and genuine economic energy.
“I am now approaching 70, and my visit to the centre yesterday was nothing short of depressing. Despite the significant public funds – amounting to millions of pounds – invested in new paving, slabs, and cobbles, the aesthetic result is being sabotaged by two preventable issues:
“The ‘scabbed’ pavement: I was dismayed to see the brand-new stone already being dug up and replaced with ‘temporary’ tarmac patches, particularly around Fish Street. This creates a vision of neglect and suggests a lack of coordination between the Council and utility providers. It makes the high cost of the regeneration feel like a total waste of taxpayers’ money.
“The chewing gum blight: The sheer volume of discarded gum is already dragging down the new stonework. Without a rigorous, visible, and daily cleaning regime, the ‘new’ Northampton is quickly beginning to look as tired as the old one.
“Yesterday, the Market Square felt deserted; it lacked the soul and ‘hustle’ that once defined this town. To see more activity in a cemetery than in our primary civic space is a tragedy for those of us who remember what this town once was.
“I fear that the town I once loved is being lost to a lack of pride and poor maintenance.”
The Chron asked WNC if they would like to respond to the letter, what is being done to actively promote the pop-up stalls with potential traders, and whether there is a reason they have been empty for so long.
A WNC spokesman said: “January and February are traditionally quieter months for markets, with many traders taking annual leave after the Christmas period. Working with the existing traders and wider partners, such as Discover Northamptonshire, we will be proactively targeting new traders and events, including our pop-up stalls to expand and complement the existing offer.
“We are also excited to welcome the upcoming STACK development and a programme of events in the Market Square, including a vegan market, pop-up Planetarium, St George’s Day celebrations, and our annual Pride festival – along with more announcements to come, all of which are designed to boost footfall and spend locally to support a bustling and well-used town centre.
“We operate an enhanced cleansing programme in the town centre, providing daily scheduled litter picking and street cleansing. This includes regular washing of high-priority areas and an ongoing programme of chewing gum removal. To protect and maintain the new paving, additional specialist equipment has been purchased and is used daily by the cleansing team.
“Working in partnership with the BID, we have also recently applied for additional funding from Keep Britain Tidy to support a targeted chewing gum campaign, encouraging responsible disposal while securing further resources to tackle gum staining more effectively.
“We understand that temporary tarmac reinstatements by utility companies can look unsightly and detract from the appearance of the town centre. It is inevitable that repairs or improvement will need to happen and while regulations allow utility companies up to six months to make an interim repair permanent, we work closely with them from the outset to minimise disruption and in most cases permanent reinstatements are completed within a few weeks.”
Editor’s note: This article has been amended. The article originally referred to a cost of £15m. This was incorrect. The figure was, in fact, £13.5m. We apologise for the error and are happy to make the correction.