Northampton town centre is set to burst into festive life on Small Business Saturday, with a packed programme of family-friendly activities, character appearances and a town-wide competition designed to encourage shoppers to explore and support local businesses.
The highlight of the activities on Saturday, 6 December will be a mischievous ‘Grinch Takeover’ in Market Square, where families can enjoy meet-and-greet sessions with the Grinch every 30 minutes between 3pm and 5.30pm. Expect festive fun, photo opportunities and plenty of seasonal mischief.
Earlier in the day, budding bakers can get creative at cupcake decorating workshops in the Grosvenor Gatherings unit at Grosvenor Shopping Northampton. Running from 11am to 3pm, the sessions are free to take part in and perfect for younger visitors looking to add a sweet treat to their Christmas countdown.
Adding an extra layer of excitement, Northampton Town Centre BID is launching a special Grinch-themed competition. Families are invited to hunt for Grinch puppets, hand-crocheted by the Northamptonshire Women’s Institute, that will be displayed in shops around the town.
Some puppets will be holding a letter. Collect all the letters, spell the festive word, and email your answer, along with your name and address, to info@northamptonbid.co.uk for the chance to win a family ticket for four to the spectacular Market Square On Ice rink.
Mark Mullen, operations manager at Northampton Town Centre BID, said: “This year’s Small Business Saturday is shaping up to be our biggest and boldest yet. We want families to explore the town, meet the Grinch, enjoy hands-on activities and discover just how much our brilliant local businesses have to offer.
“There’s a real buzz building already, and we’re excited to see Northampton come together, have fun and support the independents that give our town centre its heart and soul.”
The event forms part of the BID’s wider Christmas campaign, encouraging residents and visitors to enjoy a festive day out while boosting the local economy.
Shoppers are being urged to ‘Win Your Christmas’ by taking part in a Northampton town centre Golden Ticket giveaway.
Four lucky winners will each win £500 of vouchers as part of the £2,000 prize fund, simply by hand-posting an entry ticket into one special post boxes found in shops and businesses in the town centre in the build-up to Christmas.
The promotion will run until Sunday, 14 December – with the winning names drawn on Wednesday, 17 December.
No festive season is complete without a visit to Father Christmas and families will be able to visit the new and improved Santa’s Grotto in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton from 10.30am to 4pm every Saturday and Sunday prior to Christmas, as well as Monday, 22 December and Tuesday, 23 December.
A visit to the grotto costs £2 per family ,with proceeds split between The County Toy Library and Rockin’ Roadrunner.
A 24-hour Christmas radio station dedicated to Northampton will be hitting the airwaves this December. Operated by NLive Radio, and sponsored by the BID, the station will be playing back-to-back Christmas songs, with businesses able to provide sound clips to be played as adverts.
The BID is also supporting West Northamptonshire Council’s covered open air ice rink in the Market Square. The 22m x 14m real ice rink will be open from Thursday, 4 December to Sunday, 4 January. Tickets are available to purchase at www.theoldsavoy.co.uk/ice-skating.
Cllr James Petter, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure at WNC, said: “Northampton is bursting with festive cheer this December, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
“The ice rink in Market Square is a real highlight, offering families a fun way to get active and make lasting memories together. It’s also the perfect opportunity to explore our town centre, support local traders, and celebrate the fantastic small businesses that make Northampton so special.”
Full Christmas information can be found at www.discovernorthampton.co.uk/christmas.
