Latest news with #Wellingborough
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Northamptonshire food week shows 'so much talent in the county'
Organisers of a nine-day celebration of eating and drinking say it will show that there is "so much talent in the county".The Northamptonshire Food and Drink Week includes an event showcasing 80 different producers as well as demonstrations and tours at venues across the county.A major hotel is using the occasion to launch a new "dining experience".The festival also coincides with the launch of a beer commemorating a catastrophic fire in the county town in the 17th Century. Across Northamptonshire, restaurants, hotels and food producers are getting a chance to show off what they can do during this year's food of the highlights will be a two-day festival at Delapre Abbey in Northampton, featuring no less than 80 Nichols from Delapre said: "Northampton has so much to offer, there's so many different producers coming out, so much talent in the county. It'll be a great showcase of everything Northamptonshire has to shout about." At Chester House near Wellingborough, food from several different local suppliers is being brought together in a "ploughman's platter".The venue is hoping plenty of hungry hounds turn up during the Hust, general manager, said: "We're very dog-friendly - we even have a dog-friendly room in our farmhouse and a dog menu. "The favourite is the sausages - everybody loves the sausages." The Kettering Park Hotel is using the week to launch a new dining experience called Curious hotel's general manager, Andrew Hollett, said the concept was "a slightly more modern, relaxed style of dining. "This makes it a bit broader in terms of taste and ingredients being used, and probably it'll appeal to a broader range of customer, particularly the younger diners." The festival will be a busy time for Johnny Howes at Phipps Brewery in Northampton, as he prepares to replace the long-standing managing director, Alaric Neville. He has a specific goal in mind: "It's hard to go into a pub that serves real ale and not see Phipps [beers]. My remit now is to add on keg beer - the craft beer - to that."Cask is sticking around - I just think cask is just a bit harder to look after for the bar staff - it's a dying trade." The brewery is launching a new ale called From The Ashes to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of Northampton. It is described as a porter which is very dark, thick and - inevitably - smoky. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Huge blow as drivers' go-to garage with 200 branches to shut another site after motoring retailer ‘reviews estate'
A POPULAR garage with 200 branches will shut another one of its sites in a huge blow to drivers. National Tyres and Autocare in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has been a go-to for locals for years. 1 But the garage on Oxford Street will shut down following what the company calls a "review of our estate". National Tyres and Autocare is a national brand of fast fit specialists and is part of the Halfords chain. Halfords say they are supporting the staff affected by the closure and is offering them alternative roles at nearby locations. But it has not been confirmed how many jobs will be affected or whether the site will be closed on a permanent basis. A spokesman for Halfords told the Northants Telegraph: "We can confirm our National Tyres and Autocare garage on Oxford Street in Wellingborough will close following a review of our estate in the area. "We are committed to supporting impacted colleagues and are offering alternative roles at nearby Halford locations where possible. "We'd like to thank our customers for their continued support and hope to welcome them at our Halfords Autocare garage on Turnells Mill Lane, Victoria Trade Park, which is just a six minute drive away. "Customers can also use Halfords Mobile Expert service for tyre fittings, battery replacements, and other essentials right at their doorstep." The Wellingborough garage has a 4.3 out of 5 star rating from 225 reviews on Google and was a trusted spot for locals. With many five-star reviews, customers cited the garage's "brilliant service" and praised their "super friendly and helpful team." Another added: "Great old fashion service that hardly exists these days". Halfords has more than 200 National Tyres and Autocare garages across the UK. They specialise in vehicle maintenance and repair, including tyres, exhausts, brakes, batteries, MOT testing, vehicle safety inspections and car servicing. But this isn't the only site they've been forced to close in recent weeks due to a "review" of their estate. The chain also announced the closure of its Broughty Ferry site in Dundee earlier this month for the same reason. The Broughty Ferry location is already up for sale or lease and surveyors believe the site to have potential for commercial use or redevelopment. Halfords is also set to close one of its main garages in Tweedmouth on June 5, with the company again citing a review of their estate as the reason. The news comes as the motoring industry faces wider challenges, such as the imminent closure of a huge car dealership with over 91,000 vehicles currently on sale, putting over 100 jobs at risk. The German online used car marketplace Heycar has suffered heavy losses since its launch in the UK in 2019, when it set out to rival Auto Trader and Motors. Now, its majority shareholder, Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS), has decided to pull the plug, leaving more than 126 employees across the UK, Germany, and France facing the risk of losing their jobs. A large proportion of Heycar's employees are based in the UK, and the company is expected to wind down its UK operations shortly after its closure in Germany, which was expected in mid-May. A VWFS spokesperson confirmed, 'We expect we will have to let go of a large portion of Heycar's employees.' Despite the closure, VWFS is planning to carry forward Heycar's innovations. In a statement, VWFS UK said: 'Volkswagen Financial Services (VWFS) UK is pleased to announce the launch of a new subsidiary that will integrate the technology and expertise developed by Heycar. 'Heycar has been a pioneer in the online used car marketplace and, despite the decision to wind down their operations, the valuable insights and digital solutions developed so far will play a crucial role in the future of VWFS UK, as we continue to explore new ways to drive growth and innovation in the automotive e-commerce space. 'We are anticipating that specialists and resources from Heycar will be joining the new subsidiary, ensuring we have the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively utilise and develop the technology we're acquiring.' Volkswagen Financial Services was the company's largest shareholder, holding a 78 percent stake, followed by Volkswagen at 13 percent and Renault at 9 percent. Why are so many car dealerships closing down? By Summer Raemason According to Business Rescue Expert there are multiple reasons why car dealerships are folding across the UK. The first major factor is rising online car sales which are beating in-person sales at dealerships. With an extensive range of comparison and second-hand sites to chose from, may car buyers don't even step foot into a dealership anymore. Secondly, the actual cost to physically run the sites has soared. Rent, wages and energy bills have all been increasing for roughly the past five years, putting many out of pocket. Car manufacturing across the globe was also hit by a semiconductor chip shortage in 2022 which made it difficult to produce new motors. The high demand with limited supply created a backlog, which although has eased, is still having an impact on the industry. A third reason for recent closures is the shift to electric cars. They are becoming more popular, given the Government initiative to be Net Zero in 2050. The industry is also affected when companies merge or are bought by rivals. This may lead to some independent names falling victim to the ongoing spate of closures.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Woman ‘sexually assaulted' in remote woodland next to industrial estate as cops hunt man in his 30s
A WOMAN has been sexually assaulted in a remote area whilst walking along a footpath as cops appeal for witnesses. The mystery man approached the woman near Rutherford Drive in Wellingborough on 24 May between 3pm and 4pm. 1 is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- BBC News
Latitude Festival steward had sex with child
A man has been found guilty of having sex with a 15-year-old girl while he was working as a steward at a music Stokes was a steward at the Latitude Festival in Suffolk in July 32-year-old, formerly of Burns Road in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was found guilty of penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and is due to be sentenced on 11 July at Ipswich Crown Court. Summing up the evidence heard across the trial, judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said the victim described how she and a friend started speaking to teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said they believed he was a security had been drinking alcohol, she said, and she told the defendant they were both 15. She claimed he provided them with more victim said the two had sex close to one of the music was arrested on 27 July 2022 and he said he lied in his first police interview - when he denied the sexual activity - because he was "scared".He eventually admitted the pair had sex, but claimed he thought she was older. Judge Talbot-Hadley said there was a "likely custodial starting point" for his he was convicted of one offence, he was found not guilty of rape, non-penetrative sexual activity of a girl and sexual wearing a checked suit in the dock, gasped as these not guilty verdicts were was released on bail and must report to a local police station where he was staying, which is in Wales. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
DofE gave Wellingborough carer 'a reason to leave the house'
A woman who completed the gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) said the scheme gave her a reason to leave the Kemp, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was chosen to speak about her experience at Buckingham 25-year-old said she decided to pursue the award while caring for her father, who had been diagnosed with said the DofE scheme helped her when "we don't have the luxury of choosing what challenges we face". The organisers of the scheme said the event at Buckingham Palace was one of four festival-style celebrations of "young people who have shown extraordinary perseverance, creativity and resilience" to achieve their gold a stage with the Duke, Prince Edward, and celebrities including chef Jon Watts and comedian Bill Bailey, Ms Kemp said she had applied to do the DofE award just before she reached the age limit. Ms Kemp said: "After I graduated from university, I was caring for my dad three evenings a week. "I enjoyed this quality time, but I knew that if I wanted to take care of my dad the best way I could, I had to take care of myself first. "I needed a community, a hobby, a reason to get out the house - a goal. I took another look at the DofE - given my age, I only had 21 months till I was deemed 'too old'. "Not knowing what the future would look like for our family, I did it anyway." Participants in the gold award scheme have to complete an expedition, and Ms Kemp completed both her practice and qualifying expeditions in Snowdonia at the same said the blisters she got were a "challenge", but "compared to caring for my dad, this felt like a holiday".She also had to complete a volunteering activity, and she decided to set up a Squirrel Scout says the four to six-year-olds who take part "remind me to find joy in the little things".She added that her father loved hearing about the group even after he no longer recognised his Duke of Edinburgh, whose late father began the scheme, said Ms Kemp and the other award winners should be "incredibly proud" and "walk a few inches taller". Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
