Potential of £12m square seen a year on - council

Northampton Market Square reopened in 2024 after being closed for 18 months

The "full potential" of a £12m makeover of a market square is now being seen a year on from its opening, a council leader has said.

The revitalised Market Square in Northampton welcomed back customers in September last year, with the official opening a month later.

It followed 18 months of work to install new paving, bespoke fixed stalls, lighting, seating and trees.

Mark Arnull, leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said the range of events on the Market Square brought the space "into community use".

Over the summer the Market Square was used as a fan zone for the Women's Rugby World Cup, as well as hosting the Diwali celebrations and is set to hold the Northamptonshire Day event.

Arnull, from Reform UK, which took over the council in May, said: "I think you're now actually seeing the market square with its full potential."

He said during Diwali he had "never seen so many people in the square all in one go".

The council leader told BBC Radio Northampton the Northamptonshire Day event "should be another example of how we can use this space for its best".

He added the authority was also preparing to host Christmas events in the Market Square this year.

The renovation work was part of a wider multi-million pound regeneration project in Northampton, started by the previous Conservative administration.

Arnull said the work in the town centre would continue under Reform UK.

"I think it's within scope [of the council's budget]," he said.

"We have to invest to save and we have to invest to drive traffic and footfall and that's what we're here to do."