Local News

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..

A 150-strong parade of Northamptonshire District Sea Cadets and the 6F RAF Cadet Band will march through Northampton town centre on Sunday, 24th March at 11am to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Laforey warship. The Laforey parade, supported by Northampton Town Council, will step off from the Guildhall, following two loops of a route along St Giles’ Street, down Hazelwood Road and up Derngate, back to St Giles’ Square. At the end of the parade, cadets will salute local dignitaries, including Brigadier David Russell-Parsons, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire and the Mayor of Northampton. HMS Laforey was adopted by the community of Northampton in 1941 during ‘Warship Week’, a Royal Navy fundraising initiative which saw towns and cities in Britain raise money towards building naval ships.  The town raised more than £750,000 to fund HMS Laforey and she was assigned to several operations in Mediterranean Sea,..

Silverstone Museum celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) with the announcement of a month of extensive activities planned for October to mark this year’s #GirlsWill campaign. The Museum revealed it is expanding its 2024 #GirlsWill initiative, aimed at driving greater diversity in motorsport, by inspiring girls and women to explore career opportunities in the industry. The Museum marked IWD, on March 8, by unveiling a series of pop-up panellist events planned for this October. The events will feature female sports stars as part of the month-long celebration of motorsport’s growing legion of female fans. There will be a range of education and career workshops taking place throughout the month of October. The Museum also announced that guest appearances by acclaimed authors and researchers will form part of the events scheduled to ensure #GirlsWill is another roaring success. Silverstone Museum Chief Executive Phil Lawrie said: “We are thrilled to reveal initial details..

A record number of teams have signed up for a charity challenge to raise funds for eight charities from across Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire. The Apprentice-style fundraising challenge, organised by local legal firm Franklins Solicitors LLP, has a total of 42 teams taking part – the highest number since the challenge first launched in 2018. Teams have already started their fundraising efforts with initiatives ranging from doughnut sales to raffles, dress down days, net-walks and office swear boxes. The Apprentice-style fundraising challenge sees each team receive £50 from Franklins Solicitors. The teams then have three months to turn the seed funding into more money for their chosen charity. Since it began in 2018, the Franklins £50 Challenge has raised more than £100,000 for local charities, showcasing the potential for collective efforts to bring about meaningful transformation. The eight charities benefitting from this year’s challenge are Cynthia Spencer Hospice, the Hope..

The King’s personal representative for Buckinghamshire has selected Milton Keynes to be home to an official Coronation Tree. At a planting ceremony on Friday 23rd February, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, The Countess Howe, planted the tree alongside a commemorative plaque. The King granted funds to each of the UK’s Lord-Lieutenants to plant one tree in the area they represent to commemorate the Coronation, and as a continuation of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. Lady Howe chose Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire’s most populated urban area, which enjoys a vast network of over 6,000 acres of green space maintained under the expert care of local charity The Parks Trust, ensuring that this tree can be appreciated by the public for years to come. Lady Howe said: Planting this tree is a wonderful tribute to the legacy of The Queen’s Green Canopy project and Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as well as..

Northamptonshire Community Foundation has raised over £137,000 so far through the Shining a Spotlight on Rural Community Needs appeal, which has enabled the launch of the Rural Community Needs Fund. The Rural Community Needs Fund is the foundation’s first to focus solely on rural Northamptonshire and will award grants of up to £10,000 to charities, community groups and volunteer-led organisations working to address urgent needs within rural communities, such as access to community transport, fuel poverty, refurbishment of community building and equipment, access to wellbeing and health services, activities and education services for young people and support for older people. Rachel McGrath, CEO at Northamptonshire Community Foundation, said: “The Rural Community Needs Fund is the result of support from our incredibly generous donors and partners, and match funding from the Constance Travis Charitable Trust. At Northamptonshire Community Foundation, we’re passionate about improving the lives of all our county’s residents, so..