Local News

Racers, motorsport fans and avid gamers can get behind the wheel to race the iconic Silverstone circuit at Silverstone Museum’s all-new Sim Suite At Silverstone. The Museum has launched its latest attraction, announcing the arrival of the Sim Suite At Silverstone, equipped with the UK’s leading racing simulators geared to offering a hyper-realistic racing experience.  Sky Sports F1 analyst and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Simulator driver, Anthony Davidson, visited Silverstone Museum to officially unveil its new bespoke, purpose-built space at the home of British motor racing. The state-of-the-art sims are situated in a new futuristic style, custom-built space at the Museum, which is located trackside of the world-renowned Silverstone race circuit.  The new Sim Suite At Silverstone, which is also available to hire for private events, parties and corporate bookings, is exclusively designed to entertain everyone from motorsport fans and pro-gamers to Museum visitors seeking an exhilarating and adrenaline-fuelled unique experience. Silverstone..

Grime rapper Dizzee Rascal will be playing in Northampton at Delapré Abbey on Friday 9th August 2024! Dizzee Rascal, is a British MC and rapper. A pioneer of grime music, his work has also incorporated elements of UK garage, bassline, British hip hop, and R&B. He released his debut album Boy in da Corner in 2003. It earned him the 2003 Mercury Prize, and has since been considered a grime classic. Follow-up albums Showtime, Maths + English, and Tongue n' Cheek were critically praised and certified platinum, with Tongue n' Cheek going platinum for sales exceeding 300,000 units in the United Kingdom. He has achieved 5 UK number-one singles, "Dance wiv Me", "Bonkers", "Holiday", "Dirtee Disco" and "Shout”. UK music icon Dizzee Rascal returns with the electrifying new album “Don’t Take It Personal”, out February 9th, 2024 via Big Dirtee Records Ltd.  The announcement is paired with the release of new single “How Did I Get..

Imagine being uprooted from your family and friends, and put in a cage while over the following days, weeks, months and sometimes even years, potential new families overlook you in favour of another. Being a discarded dog is tough – and it's left to Annie Marriott to try to pick up the pieces and raise their spirits; just one of her numerous daily jobs as manager at Little Irchester's Animals in Need rescue centre. When Annie shuts her front door behind her and heads to work, it's a short commute - from door to door takes mere moments, because she lives where she works. And work for Annie never really stops. Her first task of the day is to open the kennels and begin the process of getting the dogs out for a leg stretch and for them to do what they need to! If they are bewildered by kennel..

Saturday 13th April will see two Northampton based Fitness Businesses run a free fitness day at Hardingstone Village Hall, as part of their aim to tackle the growing ‘stress related’ health problems faced by a growing number of people. The fitness day, which will be run by ‘Prana Yoga’ and ‘Zumba with Chantal’, are offering free stress-busting taster sessions, for those that may have always wanted to try these types of exercise, but never quite got round to it. Stress awareness month - which runs every April, has a new theme for 2024 which is #LittlebyLittle (a little becomes a lot) highlighting ‘the transformative impact of consistent, small positive actions on overall well-being’ – Stress Management Society. Chantal-Lawren, owner of Zumba with Chantal said of the day: "We know that there are increasing numbers of people suffering every day with stress and we want to help by offering people the..

The 17th annual celebration of the UK’s independent record shops will go live on Saturday, April 20 with 100s of artists issuing special Record Store Day releases. There really is something for everyone with records spanning rock, pop, jazz, hip hop, reggae, classical and folk, writes Sammy Jones. Among those participating this time, music junkies can grab exclusives from Blur, At The Gates, Billy Bragg, Bowie, Fatboy Slim, George Harrison, Jessie Ware, Ladytron, Little Richard, Motley Crue, PiL, Pulp, Ringo Starr, Sia, Steven Wilson and The 1975. You want more? The Rolling Stones, The Verve, The Yardbirds, Thin Lizzy, Tom Grennan and Zappa will all figure too. Like we said, eclectic and something for all. Of particular interest to some ‘fampton folk will be the Peter Murphy live release, Volume One – Covers. It is the first release on the Northampton born post punk and goth originator’s own label, Silver..

The Hall and gardens will be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the 2024 season. The Stableyard Café will be open with an extended menu still promoting local and ethically sourced produce as well as a brand new snug area for a comfier experience. The gift shop has also expanded, selling affordable gifts, local artisan products and a wider selection of books. The Hall also welcome weekday group bookings by appointment. In addition, join them in 2024 to celebrate 50 years of the Lamport Hall Preservation Trust. Set up by Sir Gyles Isham in 1974, the Lamport Hall Preservation Trust was established to continue the lengthy restoration programme of the hall, gardens and estate which Sir Gyles started to ensure its survival for the enjoyment of visitors and as a centre of culture and education. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of this momentous occasion in Lamport’s history. This specially curated..

Boughton House is looking forward to opening its doors over the Easter and May Bank Holiday weekends (Saturday 4th to Monday 6th May and Saturday 25th to Monday 27th May). This year, in addition to the world-class art collection and fascinating history, visitors can admire the newly restored State Room ceilings, which were featured in Hollywood epic Napoleon and view works by local artists. The State Rooms at Boughton House were originally built to impress the King and Queen, William and Mary, by showing them the contemporary style and tastes of the French Court. This included the magnificently painted ceilings by Louis Chéron, a celebrated French history painter and book illustrator. These ceilings have just been restored as part of a larger 10 year project to  conserve and clean these artistic treasures, revealing their original splendour for generations to come. Using cutting-edge 21st century techniques and materials, the experts at..

The kind-hearted team at Northampton’s Bhangals Construction Consultants have made their annual Easter donation to Cynthia Spencer Hospice. This is the third consecutive year that the construction consultancy has given chocolate eggs to the hospice to share with patients, their families and the hospice staff. Last week, director Karen Bhangal and associate operations director Katie Newman delivered a car boot full of Easter eggs, which they hope will bring a smile. Karen said: “It is our pleasure to be able to support Cynthia Spencer Hospice and our Easter eggs are just a small gesture of gratitude for all the incredible work that the hospice does in our community. “The comfort and support that the hospice brings to people when they need it most is invaluable, and it is both a joy and a privilege to be able to bring a donation to the cause.” Nina Gandy, corporate partnerships fundraiser at..

The new season has officially arrived at Rushden Lakes. The deckchairs are coming out, the lake will soon be covered in canoes and the shops are bursting with pastel shades. This spring, Rushden Lakes wants to highlight that it's the perfect time to enjoy the simple things in life and how the destination offers a space to connect, indulge in joyful fun, and seize the latest seasonal trends. It's time to pause and discover how we can all make time for spring. Donna French, Rushden Lakes Centre Manager said, "We're always excited to welcome a new season at Rushden Lakes. This spring, we've launched our 'Let's Make Time For' campaign, to highlight how visitors can ensure they're making time for self-care, nature, eating well, and enjoying each other's company. At our destination, Shop, Eat, Explore is the motto, and the springtime calendar is full of ways to do just that."..

Swansgate Shopping Centre in Wellingborough, is excited to bring a Dino Eggstravaganza to the town this Easter holiday. A herd of dinosaurs will take over the centre and all the children of Wellingborough are invited to join the ROARSOME event! On Friday 5th April children will be able to come along and meet some dinosaurs from towering prehistoric performers to adorable baby dinos, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Families will also be able to embark on a trail around the centre in search of clues on the dino trail and find the hidden letters, which spell out the secret word when put together. All budding archaeologists should head to the kids club area where they can dig for bones and dust down their discoveries, there will also be a display with some fun facts about fossils. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Children can also join in with the..

Northampton’s commitment to creating a dynamic, secure and vibrant evening and night time economy has been formally recognised with the confirmation of its Purple Flag accreditation. Mark Mullen, operations manager at Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) was on hand to collect the globally recognised award at a ceremony in Nottingham, alongside Charlie Childs, Markets and Urban Activities Manager at West Northamptonshire Council. This prestigious award highlights Northampton's blend of night time entertainment, dining, and culture, all while ensuring the safety and well-being of residents and visitors. Purple Flag, similar to the Blue Flag for beaches, aims to raise the standard and broaden the appeal of town and city centres between the hours of 5pm to 5am. There are 100 Purple Flag destinations around the world including everything from world renowned tourist destinations to small market towns. Northampton Town Centre BID has worked closely with multiple partners, including West..

The UK’s leading Japanese food brand, YO! Is opening its doors at Rushden Lakes on Good Friday, 29th March 2024. The retail and leisure destination will be home to a new format of the famous YO! sushi restaurant. YO! promises to be a quick and convenient option for visitors, who can find the new store between neighbours, Five Guys and Greggs. On the extensive menu will be new customisable donburi rice and noodle bowls inspired by the Japanese food scene, you will find, restaurant quality, sustainably sourced, hand-crafted sushi, and the best of Tokyo Street food. Ramen, poke, and salads will also be readily available, as well as Kid’s Bentos and dessert options including Little Moons Mochi. Visitors will also have the option to click and collect. Donna French, Rushden Lakes Centre Manager said, “We’re delighted to welcome YO! to Rushden Lakes. YO! is joining an already impressive line-up of restaurants..

Plans to transform the vacant Market Walk shopping centre in Northampton town centre have been given the go ahead by West Northamptonshire Councillors at the Strategic Planning Committee this week (19 March). Leisure developer STACK’s planning application will see the creation of an exciting and innovative entertainment hub with independent street food outlets, bars and a dedicated space for interactive games. The scheme also includes a main stage, which will be used for live music and entertainment. The facility is set to be the first in the Midlands and will enhance the town’s vibrancy and vitality, supporting both the daytime and night-time economy and complementing the adjacent ongoing transformation of the historic Market Square and public realm of Abington Street and Fish Street. STACK completed on the site in August 2023 and the planning approval takes it one step forward, license approval is still pending but once granted the design development..

Get one step closer to a luxury summer holiday with the newly launched Cynthia Spencer Hospice Step into Summer Raffle. Support the hospice by purchasing tickets in the raffle for just £1 each to be in with a chance of winning the top prize of a seven-night getaway in Lanzarote. The week-long luxury trip will include self-catering accommodation and airport transfers, as well as an extensive tour of the island and a choice of numerous fun activities including snorkelling, wine tasting, surf lesson, escape room or swim coach. Second prize is a huge £1,000 and five runners up will take away £100 each. Tickets are available online from Wednesday 20th March, until Friday, 21st June. Anita Frith, Director of Income Generation and Communications at Cynthia Spencer Hospice, highlights the dual benefit of the raffle. She said: “Every ticket we sell helps us to continue to provide vital care and support..

The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are back for a sixteenth year of shining a spotlight on local culinary excellence. Recognising and celebrating the county’s brilliant people, places and producers, the Awards fly the flag for buying and supporting local, and as spending pressures continue, that support for independent and local is more important than ever. With a sensational set of sponsors, and eighteen categories, this year’s Awards are a toast to all that is great about the county’s experiences, produce and drink; a reward for those who work so hard locally – rising to not insignificant challenges facing the hospitality sector – and keep Northamptonshire firmly on the foodie map of England. Headline sponsor, Weetabix, who last year committed to supporting the competition for another three years, will once again be joined by category sponsors including All Things Business, Booker, British Pepper & Spice Co. Ltd, Daily Bread..