Northamptonshire businesses are being urged to get behind Shoetown 2027, a new celebration of shoemaking designed to attract visitors, support local trade and encourage a new generation into the industry.
Plans were outlined at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on Thursday 29 October, bringing together shoemakers, business representatives, cultural leaders and council officers to hear how the town’s international reputation for footwear could benefit its wider economy.
A three-day event is planned at the museum in May, giving visitors the opportunity to meet makers, see traditional skills demonstrated and understand the processes behind Northampton-made shoes. The ambition is to build an annual celebration, with businesses across hospitality, retail and tourism encouraged to contribute.
Chris Woodford, owner of Crown Northampton and a fifth-generation shoemaker, described the opportunity to bring an international audience to the town whose craftsmanship they already value.
Having travelled overseas to sell his footwear and demonstrate the skills involved, Chris said Northampton’s name carries weight with customers before he has explained the product.
His vision for Shoetown 2027 centres on giving visitors direct access to the people, materials and techniques behind the industry, while creating reasons to explore the town and county.
“It has to be led by the businesses, by the industry,” he said.
Chris outlined plans to organise the museum experience around four stages of shoemaking: clicking, closing, lasting and making, and finishing. Alongside demonstrations and conversations with manufacturers, he proposed recording memories from people with family connections to the trade.
He also encouraged businesses to consider how they could connect with the event, from helping visitors find accommodation to offering incentives to explore local shops and venues.
“If we connect all the dots, led by industry, supported by community, it will create something that will last year after year,” he said.
The stakeholder evening included a live hand-welting demonstration, giving guests an introduction to the skilled work that organisers want to bring to a wider audience.
Opening the event, councillor Kamala Guliyeva, West Northamptonshire Council’s cabinet member for local economy, culture and leisure, linked the project to the town’s regeneration and the potential to support independent businesses.
She said the ambition extended beyond celebrating heritage to creating a stronger visitor destination, with benefits for the people and businesses already based there.
Richard Clinton, chief executive of Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust and chair of Discover Northamptonshire, the county’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership, said the industry’s leadership made the initiative particularly significant.
He argued that shoemaking could connect with Northamptonshire’s wider heritage and cultural attractions, encouraging visitors to spend longer in the county and supporting hotels, restaurants and other businesses.
“We’ve got a job to be doing, to be shouting about what we’ve got here in Northampton, and that is a collective job,” he said.
Richard also highlighted the importance of protecting craft skills and showing young people the careers available locally. He described the potential for children visiting the museum to discover shoemaking and see a future for themselves in the industry.
However, he urged those attending to turn their enthusiasm into practical support, whether through funding, time, expertise or connections.
“You’ve all got something to give,” he said.
Businesses and individuals interested in helping shape or support Shoetown 2027 can register their interest here.
Pictured: “It has to be led by the businesses, by the industry.” Crown Northampton’s Chris Woodford calls for collective support as he outlines his vision for Shoetown 2027.
