Ian Nairn on Northampton

Ian Nairn makes a plea for the doomed Emporium Arcade in Northampton.

[@SteeeveO]

And what do the planners say a town centre needs now? Lots of small independent shops. Another example that they haven't a clue.

[@crispybits3765]

It beggars belief how anyone could even consider demolishing such a gorgeous and unusual building but such was the short-sightedness of many councils in years gone by. Bloody shameful though.

[@D-777i]

Can't believe they pulled down that Emporium and look at what they replaced it with!

[@D-777i]

This guy speaks a lot of sense, so ahead of his time

[@artec0]

Wonderful piece of nostalgia. Poor old Emporium - poor old Northampton :o(

[@daelra]

Born and grew up in Northampton. My dad worked for a time above the arcade so remember it well, even as a 5 year old. I even managed to get up in the balcony on a couple of occasions. I might be misremembering it but the was a tiny toy shop with the front window filled top to bottom with little matchbox/dinky cars. Heaven for a teeny kid. I left Northampton in the 80's . Went to Uni and never went back. It is possibly the most apathetic town I've ever come across. It's was a monotonous sea of nothingness. Not much left of anything truly historic, very few beauty spots, nothing strikingly new and futuristic. Only one or two tiny museums, just one cinema, just two public swimming pools, practically no-where to go for teenagers and young adults and just a general dearth of any recreational facilities . Thank the gods of music that The Roadmenders existed. Way too small a venue for a town of this size but at least we had it. A city sized town with a village sized mentality. Couldn't wait to leave.

[@SteeeveO]

I arrived here in the 80's but I can see what you mean.

[@paulwedgbrow7120]

Pleased you've fucked off ... with your attitude we dont need you 🖕

[@dirkbruere]

Ditto. There always seemed to quite a lot of retarded looking people about as well. However, underneath the surface there was some serious weirdness happening

[@eighteenfiftynine]

"...a town of its size..." That points to the problem, I suspect. It _wasn't_ a town anywhere _near_ that size until it was made a new town. They have since demolished a large portion of what was put up in that time (along with more of its far prettier historic buildings) and nothing much has changed. It's criminal what was done to these towns by the post war politicians and planners, and yet more is happening in the same vein across the country even now.

[@geoffreymawdsley8102]

😊​@@eighteenfiftynine

[@AndRewUK24]

Northampton was a nice good town before I was Born. Now look at it.

[@Shanath2726]

This happened two years before I was born. What a crying shame. My home town is now a husk compared to what it was. Ruined by an inept Council, which could not see beyond the end of its nose. So sad watching this. Northampton could have been a great attraction town centre wise but alas now it's just a dreadful 1960/70's concrete farce (well apart from St Giles Street and the culture quarter).

[@isaactimmins8959]

The attempts to modernize have backfired as well need I mention Northgate.

[@nfkadam]

It's such a shame this did turn out to be an obituary. I can imagine what a pleasant row that would be now, a small bookshop, a coffee shop and perhaps a good restaurant. You'd have to hope we were more considerate now but I fear we aren't.

[@minixtvbox]

Tory Britain=afrikkan swamp

[@IMMORTALDIO]

@0.25 J Sweet stall [ clothing ] Jesse sweet used to have a shop opposite the old indoor fish market . In the late 70's early 80s he sold coats on the Market too and i worked there before and after school setting up the stall and packing away . A kind Gent who was quite generous .

[@russell6777]

My wife bought her leather trench coat from there in the 70s

[@flyfishermanman]

Thank's Ian Shame this wasn't a lot longer would have loved to have seen more,But Thanks for sharing it,What a Shame it had to go as Frank Baverstock states in his Video's of Northampton its Desicration and not Demolition to late now only we have the Memories Mick

[@russell6777]

If my family didn’t live there I would never go there again ( I lived there for 40 years)

[@nicksdave]

We need a few angry people like Nairn to shake things up in Northampton, the town has been badly served by its councils for far too long, apathy is part of the problem, it's taken as consent. Www.new-model-tours.com

[@bwytacig]

‘A good neighbour’ 👏🏻

[@stevepoole7733]

Why was The Emporium not a listed building ? Probably was but the Tories smashed it

[@mmff5242]

seek help mate.

[@njmcgarrigle2892]

NAIRN FANS: good news, it seems Notting hill editions is set to publish Nairn's Paris, long out of print, next year. So don't get suckered buying one on eBay etc for fifty quid. As Ian might have said, chin chin.

[@NDILHM.X]

It will never be the same :/

[@mmff5242]

Grew up in the teyn 70s/80s - Went back first time since 90s. Was awful

[@rodelors]

Same as the stupid location where they have stuck the bus station - why on earth they didn't put it opposite the new train station I'll never know.

[@isaactimmins8959]

Its nowhere near big enough.

[@Juneaugold123]

If it was "drab" then, what would you describe it as now??

[@gavinthorburn5385]

Devistating to watch,my god what were they thinking

[@SIMBAofSIMBA]

Moved to the town from London 2021,I think it's a great place to raise children up the age of going to University,

[@minixtvbox]

Tory scum Northampton, tramps, rapes, afrikkans