The Best Western Rockingham Forest Hotel looks set for major investment, with plans to build a flagship hotel for the town; boosting the local economy through tourism and the creation of new jobs.Once the jewel in Corby’s crown, the Best Western Rockingham Forest Hotel has been purchased by Avidity Hotels. A partnership set up by brothers Daniel and Antony Woodcock, sons of legendary hotelier Louis Woodcock, founder of BDL Management, and local entrepreneurs and property developers Mulberry Commercial Property, the experienced team behind many of Corby’s regeneration projects.Prior to Avidity Hotels taking ownership, the hotel has experienced many challenges. Previous...

02 September, 2024

Royal & Derngate and Northampton Town Football Club have embarked on a new partnership to work more closely together, building on the football club’s ongoing membership of the theatre’s Business Club.Both the Cobblers and Royal & Derngate enjoy loyal support from the people of the town and county, and through cross promotion of activities at the two organisations they hope to encourage more people to try something new.One area they will both be focussing on is families. NTFC is renowned for its family offering, winning the EFL Family Excellence Award for an impressive nine years in a row. The award...

02 September, 2024

3RS IT Solutions, which offers IT support to businesses, has announced the appointment of Riley Harvey as Technical Support Engineer to support in its impressive growth plans.Having started out from offices in Wellingborough, the company – led by husband-and-wife team, Steve and Leila Souch – recently expanded by opening another office in Leicester, alongside an office space in Nottingham, with Riley’s appointment increasing its team members to eight.“We are really proud of the growth we have made this year and having Riley onboard has strengthened the team even further,” said Leila Souch, marketing director, 3RS IT Solutions.“In 18 months since...

02 September, 2024

Dog lovers, mark your calendars! On Saturday 14th September, from 10am to 4pm, Delapré Abbey will host a pawfect day out with Delapré Dog Fest.Organised by Trinkety Paws, this family-friendly event is set to be a day filled with fun activities, live music, and tail-wagging excitement, making it the perfect outing for dog enthusiasts and families.With a range of activities lined up, there’s something for everyone. Highlights of the event include a fun dog show where your pets can compete for titles such as Best Boy, Best Girl, Best Puppy, Best Oldie, Best Rescue, Waggiest Tail, and Best Smile. There...

29 August, 2024

A new partnership has kicked off this season between the Cobblers and Commsave Credit Union.The Cobblers, which Commsave has been supporting as their men's first team training kit partner for the last two years, has this month signed up to become a Commsave Partner - a free financial wellbeing staff benefits package designed to help organisations stand out from the crowd so they can recruit and retain the very best.Commsave is a not-for-profit member-owned financial co-operative credit union based in Northampton whose vision is ‘to see a world in which everyone is financially included, has access to responsible credit, a...

29 August, 2024

The team at business support hub Vulcan Works are welcoming applications for the second cohort of their successful entrepreneurial incubation programme.Vulcan Creatives launched earlier this year to support would-be entrepreneurs in Northamptonshire.The free, six-month programme, funded by West Northamptonshire Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), supports ambitious individuals to create business plans and learn the skills needed to succeed in the world of entrepreneurship.In the first cohort, 10 businesses were selected to work with Vulcan Works onsite business growth manager Darren Smith to either turn their ideas into viable businesses or grow their fledgling enterprises.Preference was given to...

29 August, 2024

A brand-new café-bar will be opening in Northampton’s thriving cultural quarter this September. Based at Royal & Derngate, and situated on the corner of Guildhall Road and Swan Street, Lola’s Bar will be the new go-to place for lunch meetings, dinner dates, social gatherings and, of course, pre- and post-theatre refreshments.Operated by Bad Butler Hospitality in collaboration with Royal & Derngate, Lola’s will open in early September, initially offering drinks including cocktails, wine and beers, along with speciality coffee. Pastries and cakes will also be available during the day. The full food menu will launch later in the autumn, offering...

29 August, 2024

Northamptonshire membership organisation, NNBN is the latest organisation to support the fight against cyber crime in the East Midlands by becoming a friend of the EMCRC.The East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre is a collaboration between police, business and academia working together to protect our SME organisations, and in so doing making the online sphere safer for all to do business. The CRC model is acclaimed by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and is replicated across the country in each region, forming a thriving network of Police led Cyber Resilience Centres each delivering essential cyber resilience services, guidance and education.With cyber crime...

22 August, 2024

Staff and students from Northampton College’s construction department were treated to a barbecue to say thank you for their work in restoring a much-loved statue in the walled garden of Delapre Abbey.The team have worked hard in recent months to bring Sir Frank Dobson’s ‘Woman With A Fish’ back to its best, clearing overgrown weeds, creating a brickwork surround and giving the statue the prominence it deserves.The statue was brought to Delapre Abbey from St Katherine’s Gardens in the town centre and had fallen into a state of disrepair until the college’s intervention.Mark Bradshaw, curriculum manager for construction, said: “It...

20 August, 2024

A planning application to restore and repurpose the 19th-century stables and associated buildings at Grade II* listed Delapré Abbey in Northampton has been approved.Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust appointed Buttress in March last year as the lead designer and heritage consultant for the project, signalling a significant step forward in the ongoing preservation and enhancement of the 900-year-old Grade II* Delapré Abbey estate.The £4.8 million initiative will transform a cluster of stable buildings on the site into a mixed-use development, which will include wellbeing, retail and community uses.  This has been made possible through the generous support of the National Lottery...

19 August, 2024

For Royal & Derngate’s recent co-production of Moby Dick, the theatre set itself ambitious targets for improving its sustainability, and the organisation is pleased to report that recycled materials made up 93% of what was used to create the set, props and costumes. In addition, 96% of the materials used will have a future life.Royal & Derngate’s production teams are committed to improving the theatre’s sustainability practices through re-use and recycling wherever possible.As part of its Made in Northampton seasons, the theatre creates numerous ambitious productions, captivating and delighting thousands of audiences each year who enjoy the imagination, the stories...

19 August, 2024