What's On

Food and drink producers across the county have begun the celebrations ahead of this year’s Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards. The first gold, silver and bronze award winners in this year’s competition have been announced ahead of the ceremony itself on November in order to enable those in the three Artisan producer categories to promote their produce and their award during the round of food and drink festivals this summer. “This has been an amazing year for our three produce and drink categories,” says awards director Rachel Mallows. “At every stage of judging I have received such praise for the..

An award-winning Northamptonshire business coach has been chosen to mentor Love Island winner Jess Hayes. The reality TV star, who shot to fame in the first-ever series of the ITV2 show in 2015, is now in the process of setting up her own property business with fiancé Zeb. Industry expert and construction coach Parm Bhangal has been working with the couple for the last six months, using his extensive knowledge of the property and construction industry to help them establish their company, putting essential systems and processes in place. The company, Eminence Properties, is based in Oxfordshire and sees Jess,..

The Northampton Balloon Festival makes a welcome return to the Racecourse this August, after a 14-year absence from the park.  The popular festival will take place across three days from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th August, with over 50 hot air balloons on display, alongside a packed timetable of activities and entertainment for all the family.  Northampton Town Council are delighted to support the event, which is being organised by Show Time Events Group (Northern).  Action Man, a coffee cup, a dragon, a globe and Thomas the Tank Engine will be among the many balloons taking to the evening skies,..

Plans have been approved for a family-run garden centre to move to a new purpose-built site in Irthlingborough. Bosworth’s Garden Centre is currently located in Burton Latimer but has now been given the go-ahead for a new centre off the A6 in Irthlingborough. Local architects, GSSArchitecture, are leading the designs and have been working closely with the garden centre to deliver the new site which, compared to the existing site, will have increased car parking capacity for both customers and staff, together with an increase in retail and catering space, whilst still retaining the customer journey through their fantastic plant..

Members of an art club at Northampton School for Boys have taken part in a competition to design flags for a lifestyle store in the town. The competition was organised by Bell of Northampton, a store situated on Kingsthorpe Road, as part of its 125thanniversary celebrations. Students were challenged to design a commemorative flag that draws on the store’s heritage but with a modern twist. The top three entries, judged by the team at Bell of Northampton, will be produced in real life and fly on the three flag poles that stand proudly outside the store. Amazon vouchers were also..

The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink awards is back in its fifteenth year. With an aim to celebrate and recognise excellence in the county in food and drink. The Whitco Chef of the Year is one of their 18 categories. The Manna House, Corby, is home of our new Associate Sponsor - Tresham College, Bedford Group. They again kindly hosted the ‘Whitco Chef of the Year’ cook off. Open to Chefs aged over 25, for entry they were asked to ‘Devise a 2 course menu plan for a meal for two you would be proud to cook for your idol,..

Northamptonshire’s tourism treasures take centre stage in a new campaign showcasing the county as a brilliant place for great value days out. The campaign is highlighting 30 destinations – including Silverstone, Wicksteed Park, Shambala, Greenbelt and a host of hidden gems – that are welcoming visitors for a day out at under £10 this summer. Funded by West and North Northamptonshire Councils, the initiative is being delivered by the Northamptonshire Britain’s Best Surprise team. “Northamptonshire’s people and places offer an incredible variety of great value days out and experiences to visitors,” says chair Rachel Mallows. “We look forward to continuing..

A Community Fund set up by a Northamptonshire based credit union has made its latest donation – supporting looked after children across Northamptonshire. Commsave, one of the largest and most successful credit unions in the UK, set up its Community Fund last year, and has since awarded nearly £30,000 to both local and UK-wide charities and causes. This month the credit union awarded £2,000 to Northamptonshire Children's Trust, a not-for-profit organisation which delivers children's social care and targeted early help services on behalf of both North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council. The donation was used to recognise and reward..

A town centre hotel is to be rebranded and upgraded to four stars as part of a seven-figure investment programme hailed as a ‘pledge of faith’ in Northampton’s future. The Park Inn is currently run under the Radisson banner but will become a Mercure next year as part of the rebrand. Parent company Accor announced the deal and said the revamped hotel will be a joint venture between real estate fund manager Frogmore and C1 Capital Partners. The 146-room Mercure Northampton will be operated under a franchise agreement and the extensive renovation will see a real focus on the ‘market..

Tenacious students at Northampton College’s Daventry campus have been praised for their “desire to make a difference” as they prepare to enter the workplace. An awards ceremony held at the Badby Road West site on Wednesday, June 21 honoured dozens of students who have excelled over the past 12 months, both in terms of academic performance and personal progress. Among the winners was social science student Eddy who was praised for his enthusiasm and how he uses past hurdles or difficulties he’s faced to address potential hurdles and develop strategies to overcome them. He said: “I have really enjoyed my..

Work to give a new lease of life to a forgotten green space in Northampton town centre has been recognised at a national awards ceremony, with judges praising the project’s impact. St Katherine’s Gardens had become a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour but has now gone from ‘grey to gorgeous’ thanks to a lottery-funded volunteer project as part of The Big Help Out to mark the King’s Coronation weekend. The project, led by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Northampton Town Council, was named the winner of the ‘Social and Community Contribution’ at the Association..

Summer gets off to a roaring start at the Silverstone Museum as it launches its Summer of F1 exhibition showcasing incredible Formula One cars driven by some of the sport’s most famous racing legends. From July 8th and throughout the summer, the museum celebrates everything linked to the iconic race with amazing world-famous racing cars, exclusive motor racing memorabilia and activities. For the first time ever and for a limited time only, F1 fans, families and visitors to the museum will be able to get up close to the magnificent collection of machines driven by Formula One champions and racing..

Gala performances, showcase events and tribute opportunities rule in theatre-land this month. Pulse’s Sammy Jones has your preview... There’s an opportunity to check in on rising talents from the town (July 2) when Limelight Theatre School presents Groovy Baby at the Derngate. The young talents will lead you on a journey back to the ‘60s and cut loose the best songs from the decade that swung! The UK premiere of composer James Burton’s The Lost Words will be realised at the venue (July 5) when choirs from across the primary and secondary schools of the David Ross Education Trust clear..

Multi-award-winning T&K Home Improvements are leading the way with innovative roof styles that will keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Not only do they look great, but they also significantly reduce energy costs from older roofs.  T&K’s Insulate+ Replacement Roof System is made from quality materials that are designed to last for years without needing repairs or replacement. Plus, they come with a 10-year warranty! Now that the hotter weather is upon us, having a conservatory that is kept cool is important for several reasons. First and foremost, a cool conservatory ensures a comfortable..

Music fans with a penchant for the Northampton scene will want to know all about a new-to-the-shelves release which shines a light on the punk and new wave scene, specifically between 1976-1980, writes Sammy Jones. A To Z NN Punk New Wave 1976 To 1980 is a comprehensive release – with more than 200 pages to devour. It is the work of Pete Pulse, and was realised during the pandemic. “To be honest, it kept me sane and helped me connect with the outside world,” Pete told me, “All the interviews were conducted by email, and most people were happy..