Two senior business figures have joined the board of Northampton Town Centre BID as it begins a new five-year programme backed by more than £2.2m of private sector investment.
Mark Townson, branch manager at NatWest in The Drapery, and Matthew Tyrrell, director at Michael Jones Jeweller, have been appointed to help guide delivery of projects aimed at strengthening the town centre economy and supporting local businesses.
The appointments follow a renewal ballot in which 82% of businesses voted in favour of continuing the BID. As a result, funding has been secured to improve trading conditions, increase footfall and enhance Northampton’s commercial offer.
Mark said his role in the town centre has given him direct insight into business needs and customer behaviour. “I spend every day engaging with business owners in town and the public when they visit the branch, whether they are regular town visitors or if they have travelled in from further afield,” said Mark.
“I am passionate about Northampton as a town and want to do my part to help it thrive by helping to implement changes and promote the brilliant initiatives that are happening.
“The town centre has been through a period of huge change and that work is still ongoing. It’s an opportunity to create something very special and I think we’re all excited to see what comes next. Northampton is ready to go to the next level and I’m keen to play my part and help make a difference where I can.”
The new BID term, which begins on 1 April, expands its coverage to include businesses in Marefair and the University of Northampton’s Innovation Centre near the railway station. This broader footprint reflects a shift towards a more integrated commercial district.
Over the next five years, the BID will invest in initiatives designed to drive economic growth, support business performance and increase the town centre’s competitiveness.
Matthew said long-term investment from established businesses would be key to sustaining momentum. “We have traded from Northampton for 107 years, with two of our three shops within the town, and I want to play my part in supporting the efforts to improve the offer Northampton has,” said Matthew.
“As a local success story, recently expanding both showrooms and experiencing huge growth over the last 10 years, we are well-positioned as a business to spend time and resources to promote the town and support the BID as they build on what they have already achieved.
“Speaking to customers every day, people can see the upwards trajectory Northampton is on and it is beginning to unlock the potential that our town centre so clearly has.
“It has been tough for town centres everywhere but we are now starting to realise different ways they can be used. Northampton is very much at the forefront of what a modern, inclusive and vibrant town centre needs to be.”
The board is co-chaired by Sali Brown, formerly of Chelton Brown Lettings & Sales, and Andrea Smith of Franklins Solicitors.
Mark Mullen, BID operations manager, said the focus would remain on delivering measurable value for levy-paying businesses. “I’m looking forward to working with our new board members as we enter our new five-year term,” said Mark.
“As a collective, we will be working hard to deliver projects of value for our businesses that attract more people into our town centre.”
