The town has changed a lot. Big distribution and logistics firms along the M1, financial services and insurance, and more offices around the station and out at Brackmills. That means a steady run of conferences, company days and Christmas parties, and a masked magician doing impossible things with phones and screens makes a nice change from the usual.
Two venues worth knowing
The cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens, home of Northampton Saints, has conference rooms for up to several hundred people and hosts gala dinners and private parties as well as meetings. There's plenty of parking, which matters more than people think when guests are driving in from across the county.
Delapré Abbey, on the south side of town, is a restored country house that takes corporate functions and festive parties. It's a lovely setting for a smaller dinner, where close-up between courses feels right at home. Its winter light trail has made it a popular pick for festive parties too.
Old stone walls and a masked act with an iPad. It's a fun mix.
What works for a Northampton crowd
The mix of close-up and screens, mostly. A masked stranger doing something impossible with a colleague's phone gets a proper laugh, and it doesn't need anyone to get up on stage. Because the act works with the phones already in the room, there's no big set-up or stage crew to worry about either.
For a bigger room, add the stage show after dinner so everyone can watch on the screens. It works nicely as the bit between dessert and the dancing.
Company days and launches
Logistics and manufacturing firms often bring their whole workforce together once or twice a year. Those days need something to break up the presentations, and magic people can watch on a big screen is a good fit for a warehouse or a marquee full of staff.
And if you're unveiling something, a bespoke product reveal can put your logo or message at the centre of the magic. That could be a new service, a rebrand or a company milestone. We'll work out the details with you.
Close to home for private parties
Being local, we get plenty of private bookings from Northampton, Wellingborough, Kettering and the villages in between. Weddings, fortieths, anniversaries, the odd retirement do. Plenty of those are in village halls and pub function rooms, which suit close-up perfectly.
Pop us a message with the date and we'll let you know quickly.