The Rose of the Shires
Northamptonshire, situated in the East Midlands of England, is one of the most underrated counties in the UK. Historically, the town of Northampton is renowned for its shoe-making industry and the exhibits in the town’s museums are well worth a visit. Marvel also at the historic churches and artworks within, the splendour of the varied architecture, or take a journey back in time on a steam engine.
Alternatively check out NorthamptonÂ’s vast pub culture…
If pub crawls are your thing, youÂ’ve come to the right place. Because of the large student population of Northampton, pubs are plentiful and always packed. The recently opened “Picturedrome” on the Kettering Road is unique in that it sports a giant cinema screen showing films and comedy videos several nights a week (Just last night I watched 6 hours of the Star Wars Trilogy), and other nights you can see gigs by some of the counties up and coming bands.
A pub crawl along the Wellingborough Road makes for a great start to any night out. Heading towards the town centre, there is at least a dozen pubs of varying virtue and thatÂ’s before you get into the high street. These are just some of my favourite town pubs:
The Rat & Parrot – plays great music, has miles of bar space to avoid queuing for a pint and also has a pretty cool beer garden for those warm summer evenings.
The Fat Cat – a newly opened jaunt with wooden floors, a great atmosphere and another fairly good beer garden.
Cuba Libre – small but perfectly formed, popular starting point for nights out, brightly decorated and upbeat music.
For a few extra hours drinking time, you might want to check out Chicago’s Rock Café, still popular since it’s opening last year and open until 1am. Chicago’s is the place to go for a girls or lads night out. The only music you’ll ever hear here is 60’s – 80’s and that includes some great tribute bands covering the likes of Bon Jovi, the Beatles, the Blues Brothers and many many more. This is a popular place for stag and hen nights and attracts all types of people.
For a more 90Â’s feel, check out Legends, the Lounge or Visage. Legends is small but less pretentious than the vast meat-market that is Visage (where the average clubber is barely old enough to drink) and the Lounge, although decorated like a giant cow, plays some good tunes.
While Northampton is not exactly the most happening place in the country, it does at least try. For a change of scenery and yet another excuse to get drunk, check out our summer shows.
Northampton Town Show – Abington Park July 17-19
Lamely described by the organisers as “The Show that takes traditional fun into the future.†Actually this is a good excuse to lounge around in the sunshine and boogie to some cheap and cheerful entertainment provided for free by our local authorities. You may have to fight your way to the beer tent unless you can sneak in some supplies of your own. Friday and Saturday evenings are brought to a head with a groovy firework display.
Northampton Balloon Festival – The Racecourse, Kettering Road August 14-16
This national event attracts over 200,000 visitors each year to watch the spectacle of over 80 hot air balloons, of all shapes and sizes, take to the skies over the town in the early morning and evening.
On the ground there is never a dull moment, with national roadshows,
children’s amusements, trade stands, arena displays, evening balloon glows and firework displays. The park is also conveniently close to some great local pubs, including my local, The White Elephant.
How to Get There
Rail
Northampton rail station is just a few minutes walk from the town
centre and is served by frequent trains from all over the country. A direct train from London takes less than an hour.
Coach
Greyfriars Bus Station serves as the hub for all coach transport. From Northampton, frequent coach departures link the town to Britain’s major cities.
Road
Northampton is located immediately adjacent to the M1 and is served
by three junctions – 15, 15A and 16. There is easy access from the M1 to the M5, M6 and M25 which provide good motorway links to London, Birmingham, the West Country and the North.
Air
The international airports at Luton, Birmingham and East Midlands are
less than an hour away, while Gatwick and Heathrow are within 100 and 70 miles, respectively.
For more information about what’s on in Northampton, check out the following websites:
About the Author
IÂ’m 25, English and my overseas travelling up until now has been
opportunist and sporadic.
I studied languages and have visited Japan, Australia
and studied in Germany for a year.
My boots right now are the student choice of DM’s. Before I leave for Oz again in October IÂ’ll be getting some CAT’s.
