To be honest the Peacock Centre has never really attracted many nibbles with its colourful display of Laura Ashley iridescent fabrics and feathers in Northampton, now half the 20 units empty and only 'Next' a high street name of note still in there. It was always meant to be exclusive and cosy, pitched more towards the middle-class punter, the ones who only buy brands and cotton in their own intimate spaces, a polyester clear zone! Once the centre lost Benetton in 2004 it was a long possession of names that followed, going bust or didn't renew their leases, today just enough outlets in there to cover the rent. Its emptying out fast and if 'Next' go down the Peacock Centre goes down. There's even a charity shop in there times are that grim.
The obvious reasons for the demise are those mid range brand stores are having their margins slashed in the recession and so going down fast or cutting the fat accordingly. No one gets fat in Northampton.. I can think of at least ten brand stores that have closed down in the centre in the last two years, Principles, Dolcis, Officers Club and Jessops going in the last three months.
Who's in there now?
Tie Rack
An Independent boutique
Next
Early Learning Centre
Charity shop
Laura Ashley
Rumour has it that the big names are reticent to go in there or renew their leases because of the uncertainty over Northampton's iconic market square that backs on to one of the two entrances. This week the council has reduced the market to just half the original size and is leaving half empty for events and other attractions. Cynics say it's all to do with the deliberate undermining of the popular traditional market and peppercorn rents so to get shoppers in the brand stores so the council can justify those higher business rates.. Some are even saying there will be a huge expansion of the much bigger Grosvener Centre on to those recently cleared spaces Cutting down the market is very unpopular and the fact no one shops in the Peacock Centre suggests we need the market, the town's shopper's very low income right now. You really don't see 'Yummy Mummies' pushing the kids around town anymore, the ruthless traffic wardens prowling the town trying to hit their quotas to avoid being fired long since driving them out to the more Chelsea Tractor friendly Milton Keynes, the type of people who would spend in the Peacock Centre but no longer do.
The plusses of the centre is they have some toilets on the ground floor and as the same council who are wrecking the market have closed ALL the public toilets in the town centre its a godsend to have these, the cleanest and the nicest in town. There's a very small and intimate cafe in the centre for reasonably expensive snacks and coffees and good access to all the main shopping thoroughfares of Abington Street and the market square. But what there aren't in the centre are any shops. read more