Rushden Lakes offers big brand fashion alongside lakeside restaurants and cafés and a world of outdoor discovery awaits, all in a beautiful lakeside setting, against a backdrop of natural countryside.

Around the attractive water’s edge location, native species of trees and flowers abound, creating a natural habitat for wildlife. Low-rise buildings blend naturally with the surrounding landscape, some roofs displaying wildflowers, others creating solar power. Natural lighting also helps reduce energy consumption.

The SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) will be integrated with the retail scheme to provide a combined retail and leisure destination and includes a visitors’ centre, a marina and boathouse, footpaths and cycle routes through the SSSI, and access into neighbouring tourist attractions such as Stanwick Lakes.

The site is situated just off the A45 main arterial route between Junction 15 of the M1 at Northampton and the A14/A1 Junction.

The first part of the centre with some key shops opens on July 28th, followed by more new retail outlets by the August Bank Holiday weekend.

An 11 screen cinema, further restaurants and a wider leisure offer will be ready by Summer 2018.

The landscape has completely changed over the past two years; the road has been widened, a new footbridge installed, and we’re looking forward to being able to walk to the iMax cinema next year.

As the site matures, it will be a great place to explore and enjoy natural habitats and walks around the lakes, with relaxing views at bars and restaurants, after a hard day’s shopping!

Come and stay at The Old House, and take a break away for the weekend.

Visit Rushden Lakes website here: www.rushdenlakes.com

For years, we have used Portmeirion Botanic Garden crockery for ourselves and for guests, but after so long, we decided it was time for a change!

But what to? There are so many beautiful designs of crockery available, but when we both owned a deli and kitchen shop in Northampton a few years ago, one of the best suppliers was a crockery manufacturer called Burleigh.

Established in 1851, they are one of the best known pottery companies in Stoke on Trent. They use traditional techniques that other mass-producing companies do not use, and we felt as though their skill of manufacture, quality of product and customer service were the basis for a good start.

A busy pattern works well in a breakfast environment, and we decided on ‘Black Regal Peacock’ as the design. Regal Peacock caught the eye of Queen Mary when it was launched in 1913, and has been an important design in the Burleigh range ever since. The complicated design is decorated using tissue transfer printing from hand engraved copper plates. It is a 250-year old process takes seven years to master and is one of the many skills that comes out of the Middleport pottery.

The addition of new crockery has brought a new dimension to our breakfast tables, and together with the breakfast servery area introduced in late 2015, we hope that our customers appreciate the quality of our breakfast which is guaranteed to start the day on the right foot.

You can find out more at: www.burleigh.co.uk