aprilp's Qype profile

This store has recently been refurbished and I prefer the new lay out for most of the store, but I don;t think it has done the food department any favours. It is dark and cold, and although bigger the ranges seem to be smaller and not as well stocked. However, the clothes are much improved and the gift section is brilliant. The home ware is upstairs, but it is worth looking at as there can be some good bargains. The Christmas stock is very good. Marks and Spencer stuff is usually very good quality. Staff are usually friendly and although the store gets busy, the queues are always quick moving. There is now an in store cafe too.

This is a really lovely restaurant. It is great for families but equally good for a quick week day lunch. It is light, bright and airy. The menu is very varied with lots of choice for everyone including children. Their pizzas are really lovely. The dough balls are fanastic and I adore the warm chicken salad with roasted veg!! Desserts are also to die for!! Usually quick service, but not always - if you are in a hurry - tell them and they will do their best for you. Toilets are upstairs and a bit of a trek, but very nice.

This used to be a very small and limited supermarket but now that the refurbishment has been finished it is a much better lay out of the store. They seem to have a lot more variety and seems to be better stocked much more like a larger supermarket. It doesn’t carry the clothing range, but otherwise it is very good. They stock some of the less popular magazines etc and their baking section is excellent. The check out process also seems to be a lot more efficient now too. It is very handy to be able to pop in if you are in town.

This is a really brilliant cook ware shop. They have a huge range of unusual stock items, including Le Creuset and Typhoon. They carry some gorgeous retro style items which I love! Their range of baking ware is excellent, with lots of different tins, cutters, boards and boxes. A very wide range of knives and utensils. They also have supplies for jam making. Upstairs is more expensive designer items such as Alessi, but equally worth a look. I could quite easily spend ages just browsing here and spend a fortune!!! It is not on the main shopping street but well worth a diversionary trip!

This is a very nice coffee shop in the centre of Northampton. It is often busy but they have lots of seating so even when it’s really busy you can sit down. I think their coffee is lovely and there is a very good selection of snacks - sweet and savoury as well. Prices are very reasonable and service is usually very efficient. The toliets are clean but very small. Be careful if you are carrying a lot of bags as there sometimes isn’t much room between tables. It can be cold in there as well. There is outdoor seating as well.

This is a really fabulous family restaurant. They have loads of variety, very generous portion sizes. The menu and the staff are not patronising to children - but allow them to have more grown up meals. The fantastic cocktails are worth a visit on their own! The food is always fresh and really good quality. The restaurant has a really lively, buzzy atmosphere. They offer very good value. Close parking but it is always worth booking - especially for weekend evenings. The staff are really vibrant and outgoing. Service is usually quick and puddings are rather nice! Try the Wicked Chicken!

My favourite indian for takeaway. They have very generous portion sizes at extremely reasonable prices. It is good quality food and very quick delivery times. The food is always freshly cooked and worth the waiting time - which is always less than an hour, even at peak times. You often get free extras such as pappadoms and dips, but not always. Delivery is free if you order more than £10. A very nice touch is that the delivery person always has the right change! The menu is updated regularly. The staff are very friendly and will always offer to call you back if they are busy rather than you hanging on the phone.

This is a family friendly health centre with a large gym, 2 studios, indoor and outdoor pools, spa, sauna and steam room. They have large changing rooms, a good bar area with very nice food. There is a very active social scene and good facilities for children. They run a holiday club for children which is reasonably priced and good fun - according to my daughter! They offer some very interesting occasional classes such as belly dancing, colour therapy and ballroom dancing. It is not the cheapest club to belong to, but you do get value for money. The staff are very friendly and helpful and the personal trainers are very encouraging.

This is a very good cinema. They have lots of screens with comfortable seats but some screens can be a bit cold - so take a jumper! It gets very busy at peak times, so don’t wait until the last minute. They offer a very good selection of snacks including Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Parking is OK, and free for the first three hours, but you need to get your ticket chipped and remember to pay the excess if you go over the three hour limit. There are plenty of toilets which are all clean. Sound quality is very good.

This is a very nice coffee shop environment and atmosphere with friendly staff. They have lovely drinks and snacks - i.e cakes and cookies but the actual meals i.e sandwiches and salads can be a bit dull and I am not too impressed with the variety. The metal floor can be very noisy, but this is a very popular haunt of mums on the school run down Wellingborough Road - me included! It is quite small and can get very busy. It is very relaxed and is a definite community place. Prices are reasonable and portion sizes are pretty good.