Leisure

20th Mar 2023

Discover Northamptonshire Hub officially opened

The new tourism hub at Rushden Lakes was officially opened today, coinciding with English Tourism Week, which runs across the country from Friday 17 - Sunday 26 March. Run by North Northamptonshire Council and supported by The Crown Estate, the Discover Northamptonshire Hub is open 7 days a week, located next to the entrance of the cinema and promotes attractions throughout Northamptonshire, highlighting the abundance of unique offerings in and around our local area. The hub was formally opened today, representatives from North Northamptonshire Council, West Northamptonshire Council, the Crown Estate and partners were in attendance. The hub has been designed as a fully interactive space, promoting all things Northamptonshire, including days out, attractions, walks, town and village offerings, places to eat, sustainable transport, heritage, accommodation and local and major events. There is also a retail space, providing local businesses with a chance to showcase their products taking advantage of..

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10th Feb 2023

‘Valentine’s Day At Home’ Sharing Recipes for this February 14th

Are you thinking of saving up those precious pennies and celebrating Valentine’s Day at home next week? Here are three fail-safe and easy-to-follow recipes to impress your loved one with on February 14th this year. Middle-Eastern Style Shakshuka Serves 2-3 Ingredients: -1 Tbsp of Olive Oil -2 White Onions -4 Cloves of Garlic -2 Bell Peppers -2 Tins of Plum Tomatoes -2 Tbsp of Tomato Purée -1 Tsp Cumin -1 Tsp Coriander -1 Tsp Chilli Powder -1 Tsp Ras El Hanout -1 Tsp Rose Harissa Paste -1 Large (or small, if you don’t like it too spicy) Pinch of Cayenne Pepper -1 Pinch of Sugar -1 Handful of Coriander -1 Handful of Parsley -4 Eggs -Salt and Pepper to taste Fry the onions in olive oil on a low heat until translucent. Finely shop the garlic and add to the..

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24th Jan 2023

3 Bespoke Cocktails to Make at Home for Valentine’s Day

Why not save a little bit of money this month and celebrate Valentine’s Day at home? If it’s your first or your fifty-first Valentine’s Day with your beau, February 14th is the perfect occasion to crack out that cocktail shaker hidden at the back of your cupboard. Whether it’s an intimate 3-course dinner or more of a casual occasion, swap out your usual Mojito or Passionfruit Martini for something a little bit more special this year. Local cocktail designer and enthusiast Sunday Cocktail Club has created 3 bespoke recipes for you to try out and enjoy this year. Despite looking particularly eye-catching, these three cocktails are pretty low-maintenance. They only take a few minutes to shake up and require just a handful of ingredients. However you choose to celebrate V Day, Pulse Magazine has got you! Grab your ‘on the rocks’ glassware and then let Cupid take care of the..

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14th Dec 2022

10 Alternatives to Going ‘Out Out’ this New Year

It’s certainly hard to believe, but the year will soon be coming to an end – yes, really! It seems to me like just yesterday we were saying hello to the summer sun but we’re now saying hello to 2023. Yes, there are the obvious ways to bring in the New Year – heading out to party until the early hours may be the choice for some but, if you’re anything like me, all of the celebrations surrounding Christmastime mean that NY seems like the perfect time for something a little different! Here are some unique ideas you could use to ring in the start of the next 12 months around the sun. Murder Mystery Night Whether you want to party Gatsby-style or throw a James Bond themed soirée, a classic ‘whodunnit’ murder mystery is a great alternative way to bring in the New Year with friends or family. I..

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24th Oct 2022

10 Ways to Beat the End-Of-Summer Blues

I’m sure you’ve heard, but the ‘Summer Blues’ are real. SAD, or ‘seasonal affective disorder,’ can affect up to 1 in 3 of us and it is certainly hitting particularly hard for me this year. As I write this, the rain hammering on the window of this cold café in the centre of London and just days after my return from a sunny holiday in Majorca, I’m thinking of all the ways I’m planning on looking on the bright side this Autumn – even when it’s not so bright outside. Cold-Water Swimming There is nothing I love more in Summer than a sea-swim, so perhaps this is the next best thing. Something a number of my friends absolutely swear by, cold-water swimming has been scientifically proven to boost your immune system, activate endorphins for that natural high, burn calories, reduce stress and is a great way to make friends when..

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24th Oct 2022

Where to celebrate Firework Night with a BANG! in Northampton this year

Prepare to wrap up warm – after a few years of tentative celebrations due to Covid, Bonfire Night is back with a BANG this year! Read on to discover ten of the most EXPLOSIVE firework night celebrations in and around Northampton this November. __ Wicksteed Park Annual Fireworks Display This year, Wicksteed’s legendary Firework night event on Saturday 5th November will host a variety of family friendly activities including: speciality fairground rides, performances and entertainment shows, panoramic views of the lake and, of course, the colourful firework celebration, set to music, blasting over the scenic skyline. Tickets start at £5, but there is also the chance to book a Top Secret VIP Package which boasts a secret ‘experience like no other.’ Book your tickets and find out more here: https://wicksteedpark.org/product/annual-fireworks-display/ Northampton’s Annual Firework Spectacular Hosted at Northampton Racecourse by Northampton Town Council, the Annual Firework Spectacular will be taking place..

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11th Jun 2021

Green shoots for the travel industry

In the May issue of NN Pulse, I talked about the travel traffic light system, which sees countries across the globe assessed and categorised as red, amber or green based on the coronavirus risk and restrictions. At the time of writing it, we were yet to find out which countries would appear on each list. The eagerly anticipated announcement of the traffic light lists turned out to be a bit of a damp squib in my opinion. The following countries will be on the ‘green’ list from 4am Monday 17 May, the day international travel is permitted again: Australia, Brunei, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel and Jerusalem, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. This means that from 17 May, those travelling to green list countries will not have to self-isolate on their return but will be required..

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19th Mar 2021

Retail spends and pandemic trends

We have all had to adapt to new ways of living in the past 12 months with school shut-downs, reduced services, travel bans and so on, and that’s not to mention the trauma of being separated from our loved ones, and fear of contracting the disease itself. What we shop for has changed too. Pulse takes a look back at our spending habits over the past extraordinary 12 months… None of us will have forgotten the shameful behaviour exhibited at stores up and down the country a year ago, as people stripped supermarket shelves of staple items. Despite retailers doing their best to reassure us there was plenty to go around, images of selfishness flooded social media as people filled their trolleys with pasta, flour, tinned vegetables and toilet rolls which in turn promoted more panic buying and bigger supply issues. But when things settled into a ‘new normal,’ our..

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26th Jan 2021

Strictly speaking with Soo Yoga founder Kristina

As 2021 dawns, Pulse’s Sammy Jones checked in at Soo Yoga to see how the new business fared during an extraordinary year - and what the future looks like…. T he last time I spoke with Kristina Rihanoff she was buzzing; the Strictly Come Dancing star had just realised her dream of opening the first family wellbeing centre in Northamptonshire, and Soo Yoga was proving quite the magnet for those wanting to improve or maintain their health. Kristina and her partner, former England Rugby star Ben Cohen had poured their collective heart, soul, knowledge and finances into the venture, and the response had been fantastic. She was working crazy hours in her bid to ensure it was a success; often teaching half a dozen classes daily herself. It was early days, but things were going well. And then coronavirus bit. Like businesses everywhere, Soo Yoga had to pull down the..

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18th Jan 2021

New year, new you...

Stylist Jane Sumner of Image Matters shares her tips about getting your wardrobe in shape Many of us will be making new year resolutions to ensure we are ready for the arrival of spring and the longed-for summer. It could be we want to get back in to shape after making the most of the festive season and adding pounds during the lockdown. An incentive could be a wardrobe ready for the big reveal which meets the demands of both work and leisure. My first tip is to work out what clothes you will need in your wardrobe. This means you can plan in a focused way about what you will keep, throw away and most importantly what you are thinking of buying. In my experience most people buy clothes on impulse just because they ‘like’ them rather than working out how are they going to add value to the..

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22nd Dec 2020

Prize draw winners shop local in the lead up to Christmas

  Lucky shoppers have been spending their winning vouchers this week – shopping local in the leadup to Christmas. Northampton Business Improvement District (BID) launched its new £2,000 Festive Prize Draw in November – announcing that a total of 20 shoppers would win £100 each to spend in Northampton town centre. The first two draws took place this month, with more than 900 people entering to date and the first 10 winners choosing to spend their vouchers in a mixture of independent and big brand stores. There will be two more draws in January, with 10 more winners set to be randomly selected next month. Mark Mullen, Operations Manager of Northampton town centre BID, said: “This festive draw has been..

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15th Dec 2020

Rutland Cycling Support FareShare East Midlands

Rutland Cycling are donating £6,000 to FareShare East Midlands which will provide 24,000 meals to the local community. For the month of November Rutland Cycling pledged to donate 50% of all hire revenue across their 14 shops to FareShare East Midlands, part of the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, which provides food where needed to children and families.  Karen Archer, CEO, says: “As an essential retailer during the pandemic we have been in a fortunate position to have been able to continue to offer our hire bike service across Central England during the November lockdown.  Being a family-owned business, we felt it was important to support FareShare East Midlands during these challenging times and are delighted to be able to donate £6,000 to the campaign that Marcus Rashford, the Manchester Utd footballer, has brilliantly raised the profile of during 2020.  This will provide 24,000 meals to help make..

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04th Dec 2020

Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy shop, launches a pop-up at centre:mk this Christmas...

Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy shop, launches a pop-up at centre:mk this Christmas  World-renowned Hamleys has opened its first ever bricks and mortar pop-up outlet at centre:mk on Wednesday 2 December   The British toy emporium stocks a range of renowned brands as well as creating an immersive experience for shoppers with expert toy demonstrations  This Christmas, centre:mk, one of the UK’s top 10 shopping centres, promises fun for the entire family with the launch of an exclusive Hamleys pop-up shop, which opened on Wednesday 2 December now lockdown restrictions have eased.  The renowned British toy emporium offers shoppers an immersive toy wonderland, brimming with games, puzzles, and arts and crafts from well-known brands such as LEGO, Barbie and Playmobil, as well as stocking Hamleys’ own exclusive toy collections. Open in centre:mk’s Midsummer Arcade, the pop-up features expert toy demonstrations and exciting in-store appearances from much-loved characters, creating an immersive experience..

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30th Nov 2020

Made to suit your life after lockdown

Tailor’s made-to-measure looks offer the perfect fit for 2021 Living through a pandemic has certainly helped to focus outlooks on life and waist sizes but it is still business as usual for tailor Dean Anderson of Saint Crispin Bespoke Menswear. In 2021 it will be 10 years since doors opened at Saint Crispin Retail Village in Duston after making the move from Milton Keynes where he jointly owned Craig Anderson Menswear for many years. A decade later and Dean is continuing to do what he does best – create beautifully crafted made-to-measure clothes for clients who want to make their individual style statement. The appointment-only service means Dean has time to focus on the needs of each customer who might be looking for a suit for one of life’s landmark events like a wedding, celebration or awards ceremony and better still that suit in the wardrobe that just fits so..

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26th Nov 2020

intu Milton Keynes reopens ahead of the Christmas shop

intu Milton Keynes will safely open for non-essential retail on Wednesday 2 December at 9.30am with extended shopping hours, following the government’s announcement. The festive lights will be turned on, the smell of mulled wine will fill the air and the countdown to Christmas begins. The regional shopping destination will offer additional hours (2nd - 20 December: 9.30am-6pm Monday to Wednesday, 9.30am-8pm Thursday & Friday, Saturday 9.30am-7pm, Sunday 11-5pm, 21-23 December: 9.30am-8pm*) to encourage shoppers to stagger their visit throughout the day, where possible. Good news, intu Milton Keynes will be open Christmas Eve from 9.30am-6pm for shoppers wanting to get some last-minute ‘panic buys’. Wearing a face covering in the centre will continue to be mandatory and intu Milton Keynes’ team will be reminding everyone to do so if necessary. Hand sanitisers will remain at entrances and exits and throughout the mall and visitors are reminded to adhere to..

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