By Brendan Bruder
Abbeyross Chartered Surveyors
WHILE the political situation in Northampton and the wider county may be in turmoil, the county town is undergoing major changes.
The Borough Council elections scheduled for 2019 may well be scrapped whilst the local politicians work towards a Summer 2018 deadline to finalise their unitary authority proposals, probably excluding the option of a unitary authority for the county town itself.
Whilst the political situation is in foment, Northampton town centre businesses are desperate to adjust necessarily to the challenges being directed at the high street retail and casual dining sectors. High profile retail and restaurant operator collapses have taken their toll on high streets and in shopping centres across the UK with Northampton not being excused, and notable prominent vacancies at BHS in Abington Street and the collapse of 99p Stores (also Abington Street) standing as reminders that the challenges are ongoing.
At the same time, the central area is already welcoming 1,500 or more Northamptonshire County Council staff based at the award-winning One Angel Square building. While NCC staff face the outcome of the political turmoil, that development and those staff members are now able to enjoy the shopping and leisure right on their doorstep.
By September of this year there will be 14,000 full-time equivalent students who will also call Northampton town centre their own, with most existing town centre businesses keen to welcome these new customers and adding considerable colour and footfall to shops and other businesses across the central area.
The Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) is working closely with Northampton Borough Council to ensure that businesses have the opportunity to create a retail, leisure and mixed use environment that not only serves existing loyal residents and visitors but also the newcomers. This coincides with the allocation of a fresh start in street cleaning and environmental contracts and NBC and initiatives with Northants Police and the night-time leisure sector who, through the BID, are promoting the town for Purple Flag status.
Co-operation across the town and the various representative bodies will be needed in order to create a vibrant, safe and beautiful environment and hopefully inward investment can be attracted which will begin to fill some of the gaps in the high street, shopping centres and central development sites for the cultural, social and economic benefit of the whole population.
Contact Brendan Bruder at AbbeyRoss on 01604 629988 or visit www.abbeyross.co.uk