Research suggests Northampton is experiencing one of the most dramatic shifts from retail to dining.
Josh Fitzgerald , director of Brother's Pub Co, is preparing to open a new venue in the town's Abington Street, offering entertainment and "social gaming"
"Instead of being that big night out where people are just drinking, we've seen families, groups, celebrations, team-building, date nights, speed-dating and things like that, so we've opened it up as more of a usable space for everybody," he said. "There is an opportunity here for turning town centres into more social community hubs where people can get together, like they do in Spain, and have alfresco dining," he said.
Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton's Business Improvement District, which has the aim of attracting people to the town centre, said: "Since the pandemic, businesses have proven they can adapt and evolve to become experiential providers to complement their offer."