“I’m delighted that the Market Square has reached this point,” said
Martin. “It has always been a priority. 78 Derngate and the Vulcan Works are important, but they don’t necessarily encompass every- body in the way the Market Square does. Historically, market squares are at the heart of the community and we’ve now got a space that looks good, where there are plenty of traders coming in, and I think that if you make the public realm attractive, people will come back. “One of the game changers, I think, is the leisure, food and enter-
tainment group STACK taking over Market Walk. T at’s going to be a large space for the leisure sector and will transform the night-time economy and it’s a fantastic repurposing of retail space that’s not needed any longer. “And I think where the larger retail units, the old BHS and Marks and
Spencer stores, for instance, are carved up into smaller spaces, we’ll end up with something that looks more like a traditional town centre, the sort of thing you might associate with the Fifties. And that’s good because retail has changed, we have to come up with alternative ways to get people back into the town centre and not just because they’re visiting the Post Offi ce or hairdresser, but to come in and stay a while.” Having a health and thriving town centre is something that
means a great deal to Martin, given his involvement in one of the town’s highest regarded businesses. “Tricker’s is a very important business in terms of history and
prominence,” he said. “Footwear manufacturing was the cornerstone and bedrock of Northampton and the fact that it is known around the world as a centre of excellence it crucial to how we market ourselves. To be able to say that our shoes are 100% made in Northampton is a mark of credibility. T e heritage and prominence of Northampton, the fact that it is recognised as the best in the world for Goodyear Welted footwear, is critically important for our brand and reputation. “Northampton is recognised globally, so want to be here. But,
just like all the other businesses in the town, in order that I can keep the business going here I need to attract the right people. And those people need a nice environment around them. “Local businesses are good for the circular economy and
sustainability. People live near where they work, and they want to shop and eat near where they work. I run a business in the middle of town and I want my staff to stop bringing lunch in with them and have somewhere they go for a walk and get a sandwich and a coff ee at lunchtime. I want to stop bringing my lunch to work and have somewhere I can go and get something from these small traders.
37 Martin Mason
“It’s a pleasure doing business here, and I very much hope that
Northampton Forward continues its work because there is still so much to do. But for now, I’m very proud of what we have done and proud to see the regeneration of the Market Square.”
Scan the QR code to fi nd out more about Northampton Forward Find out more about Tricker’s at
www.trickers.com
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