Putting Northamptonshire On The Map

A group of passionate businesspeople from the area think it’s high time that Northamptonshire has its own brown sign to help drive visitor numbers to explore all that we have to offer.

They told Pulse’s Sammy Jones what it is, and how they are going to get it…

What a lot Northamptonshire has got; from our stately homes and ancestral seats to our beautiful green spaces, thriving independent employers and the big businesses who are flocking to make this area their home, not forgetting our prominence as a place for culture and the arts.

We can’t fail to mention that our county is rich in sporting class, can we? And of course our position as the home of motorsport was sealed long ago.

If you live here, we are preaching to the converted – you know already what an engrossing, lively county this is and just how much it has to offer.

But what if you are driving through on the M1? You’d have no idea of the places you are passing in your wake because, unlike other counties, Northamptonshire doesn’t have its own brown sign on the motorway to tell you.

Brown signs shout about attractions and facilities across the UK, highlighting places of interest to visit — from historic buildings to art galleries, to nature reserves and country parks, hotels and picnic spaces, and plenty more in between.

Now, a group of enterprising business leaders from the area are out to make amends. This Brown Sign Working Party comprises carefully chosen members who will bring the right skillset to achieve success, and—fingers-crossed—get that sign sorted!

On a networking trip to the Houses of Parliament last spring, Pip Jeyes and Anna Jeyes-Hulme from Jeyes of Earls Barton raised the subject of the brown signs — asking whether a local MP would be interested in working together to help apply for a sign, alerting ‘motorists to the county’s impressive heritage, cultural and recreational sites that they would not reasonably expect to find in Northamptonshire ultimately boosting tourism and the local economy.’

Together with co-founders Sara Penrose and John Henderson from Sara Penrose Performance Optimisation they researched and created a strategy for Northamptonshire to apply for a “Brown Tourism Sign” on the M1. Representatives from sectors including tourism, heritage, financial, legal, media and the community came onboard to help turn the dream into reality.

Collectively, this working group calls itself On The Map.

It wants an informative brown sign on the M1 Northbound, at Junction 15, to alert new visitors that we are a county to come and be wowed by, with our many attractions and experiences.

This isn’t a first time initiative, but this is the one the steering group intends will be successful.

“We know that other people have tried in the past and in a way we are picking up the baton from everyone who has tried before. We recognise that it’s not a new idea, but it’s a new energy,” said Kate Dent, founder of the Destination Management Organisation, Britain’s Best Surprise.

“We are driving this need forward with young, fresh energy and enthusiasm,” she promised.

Pulse Magazine director Kerry Lewis-Stevenson is part of the team.

“Northamptonshire Pulse is committed to supporting business and culture where we live,” Kerry said, “Being a part of the group driving this initiative forward was a no-brainer. I’m passionate about the county, which is a significant corridor, and an enormous place with so many reasons to visit—not just once, but again and again.

“Northamptonshire has more historic houses than any other county, it is home to world class motorsport and has stately homes fit for royalty, not forgetting the incredible rural scenery and vibrant towns with superb shopping, food and drinks venues.

“We are in a strategic location within an hour of London, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge with a wealth of cultural organisations and exceptional grassroot venues across the county, as well as offering tourism and hospitality experiences for locals, tourists and international visitors with places such as Adrenaline Alley, and Silverstone along with incredible hotels like Fawsley Hall and Rushton Hall.

“All of these venues are in line with Visit England’s sustainable strategic initiatives.”

With the pressure on all sectors as the cost of living crisis continues, vying for the leisure pound is all the more important. From Northamptonshire’s grass-roots venues and food and drink industry to those aforementioned stately homes, the tourist spend is all the more important in building sustainable foundations for the future.

If agreed to, brown signs aren’t just erected, they cost a significant amount of money, starting at £17,000. That could be seen as another obstacle, but On The Map is all about positivity — for the county and for the project.

“It can be expensive, but it can be done,” Anna says, resolutely, “Other counties have done it.

“We’re all about removing the barriers and the blocks. If we get to a stage where funding is needed, we’ll explore every option,” she promises. “It’s a process. We are working with so many different people who all have a shared passion to make this happen, and we have set ourselves a deadline of a year to turn this around.

“We think it would be amazing to fly a permanent flag for Northamptonshire.”

At the last count, there were 93 attractions and facilities symbols that can be used to highlight areas of interest.

If—or should that be when?—this idea receives the green light for a new sign, On the Map members will choose what symbols are most appropriate and that best captures the essence of Northamptonshire. Anna said, “As a group we will give this a lot of thought as to what is highlighted, because we are such a vibrant county with so much to offer.

“As the journey goes on we will be sharing our work and progress with the community. The support we have received for this project so far has been positive and encouraging so we look forward to moving forward and achieving our goal for Northamptonshire.

“This project isn’t for On The Map as a group of businesspeople, we are doing this for all of us — the wider community of Northamptonshire and for future generations.”