To wonder what Northampton has got going for it?

[Bluebellsinseason]

Anything? Apart from some nice villages?

Blue Plate Cafe
Balloon Bar

That. Is. It.

I have some lovely friends there too, but they're being sucked into the vortex of doom that is Northampton.

Wollaston has a road called Bell End, which is amusing as is Titty Ho by Raunds, but thats as far as it goes WRT culture.

Worse is Desborough. Go, have a look around. Marvel at how everyone looks the same. There is a reason for it.

haha at Desborough I use to live there

I was sort of at Nene College (as in we were primarily based elsewhere in Northampton) but could use Nene facilities - however didn't bother in the main. Agree with Welly road pub run was best thing about it.

We lived in a truly delightful area (behind racecourse), whereby we (house of four young girls) were often "propositioned" whilst walking home. I had downstairs room (straight onto street) and once woke up to full on catfight between two prostitutes arguing over who "owned" that patch. There was a garage at end of road and blokes who ran it seemed ok and their children went to local private school - until again we were woken early doors by the sounds of the local drugs squad doing a raid - they were all carted off to never be seen again.

Piece de resistance - was at home in holidays (I lived about 40 miles away) and local news was discussing recent murder - cue shot of our street!

So maybe my impression of Northampton is biased - even when I lived in Wakefield and had cause to visit CasVegas/Ponte and Donny - somehow they paled in comparison to Nothampton!

It's easy to get out of.

You are an hour from London, Birmingham, and The coast is near enough for a day trip

My friend calls it 'the graveyard of ambition'

It could be worse. Northampton is in fact better than both Corby and Kettering.

fashioneater I think Olney is in Bucks.
I agree Stanwick Lakes is good, and Irchester Country Park and Sywell Lake, but none of these is actually in Northampton. Northamptonshire itself is a lovely place to live but we rarely go to Northampton if we can avoid it.

FashionEaster - you missed Wellingborough!

girlwithallamatattoo you beat me to it. Wellingborough hasn't got much going for it except free parking, and they have to do that or no-one would go there (except maybe for the Castle Theatre).

mmm.....good points. Not sure. My experience of Nhants is:

Weston Favell centre.....

Billinge Aquadrom? (aquadrome?)

Cogenhoe Village.

Southfields estate.

Scary hotel in Rushdon that I had to stay in whilst on business and am convinced I was about to be killed by a ghost drama queen

Countryside is beautiful. Welly Road - had amazing curries when I used to frequent. Chicago Rock Cafe, about 10 years ago.

That's my experience of the wonder of Northampton. Have family there, have always had a great time with them but the town itself leaves a lot to be desired.

It's a shame as actually the town could be really nice if the town planners and chains left it alone.

Another vote here for Irchester CP and Stanwick Lakes (I'm in Bedfordshire).
We also travel there for the caravan/motorhome shop in Rushden. My neighbour drives to Rushden as apparently the swimming pool fun sessions are really good.
Also, you have The Pinnacle climbing centre.
And a ring road that gets you quickly to the M1....

My home town might be in need of a bulldozer but by heck it's cheap to live here, and there are lots of trains and roads you know

Ah, so Olney is nice because it isn't in Northants . I like Market Harborough for the same reason.

And how can I forget Wellingborough [shudder] it used to take its fair share of antisocial evictees from housing estates in London, a lot of teens are tooled up.

And very true about Desborough; no-one ever leaves & the barter system still is in operation.

Bloody hate these threads about 'crap' towns. So judgemental and snide. No, Northampton itself isn't particularly exciting. But it has no pretension and the people are friendly and approachable and not totally up their own backsides. The Derngate usually has some really good productions.

Presumably OP you're talking about the county, Northamptonshire. It has some very pretty and unspoilt villages and some great countryside locations - Stanwick Lakes in particular is gorgeous and fab for kids.

Olney's actually part of Milton Keynes - technically.

Don't confuse Northampton with Northamptonshire. This county has some beautiful villages - I live in one myself in the north of the county - stately homes, castles and historic sites.

And because it's one of those counties that people rush through to get to the so-called 'beautiful' counties we don't get overrun with bloody tourists and inflated Michelin pub prices! Long may it continue

Ok, just to balance things up, I shall say some good things:

Two outstanding schools - Boys and Girls, plus outstanding College (Moulton)
Great park (Abington)
Welly Road pub crawl already mentioned, but for us older types, 2 bloody good restaurants on there - Memsaab and Gianbiaz - both independently owned still I believe.
Delapre Abbey - lovely nature walks a mile from town, beautiful building, delicious home made cakes in their café
Hullaballoo soft play - cheap and clean and sells wine
Good, free, school holiday activities laid on by play rangers

Ooh Stoatie I was born in a house behind the racecourse! No wonder my parents moved when I was 2 (42 years ago!!!).

Though Tory's right about Delapre abbey, I used to live behind it. The county is OK but no mountains or sea or anything spectacular.

I agree grimble

i happen to live in the 'carbunkle' of Northants , but can walk to one castle, several NT/EH sites and see open countryside from my bedroom windows

most of the village pubs do fabulous food, all night and there are some great local arts groups about

if i want 'big' stuff i can always get to Leicester

I grew up in Creaton which was an idyllic village, primary school, village green, church and pub. There's a lot of pretty similar villages nearby. Moved closer to town later, not so pretty. Town was utterly dull sounds like not much improved. The natives (of which I was one) are sheltered and a big day out is a trip to Milton Keynes!! Left 14 years ago, don't miss it at all, I'm actually saddened by it when I do visit. So pluses are pretty picturebox villages, downsides are the town and how insular it is.

Stoatie you lived in the posh bit then?

Like Blatherskite, both my sIL's live their, so it is clearly a good place for SILs.

One of Northamptons redeeming points is its access to other, more interesting places.

Actually Blonde usually threads like this result in finding out lovely things about a town. I think the op was asking a fair question. And describing the people as not up their arses is hardly a selling feature is it? Just a snide dig.

And my relative got an OBE for creating the RoadMender, he set it up so younger people had somewhere to go and something to do.

I went there over half term as I had to collect something for my daughter and the countryside between Bedford and Northampton was lovely

I know nothing about N'hampton. Apart from the fact that people I work with atm live there.

Can I ask why you want to know?