Mystery surrounds possible closure of popular nightclub in the heart of Northampton town centre

Mystery surrounds the permanent closure of a popular nightclub in the heart of Northampton town centre.

Retro Bar in Bridge Street appears to be temporarily or, possibly, permanently closed down.

The once-thriving nightclub, which played old school pop tracks from the 1970s to the 2000s, currently has its front windows smeared in paint, making it look closed down.

The nightclub’s owner, Danny Edwards, declined to comment when contacted for comment by this newspaper.

Here’s what we know…

Retro Bar’s Facebook page says it is temporarily closed but there is no explanation as to why.

The bar has not posted anything on its Facebook page since June 3 despite posting frequently prior to that date.

It is also still an ‘active’ company on Companies House under the name Retro Northampton Ltd.

The bar had reportedly been hit hard by the pandemic – like many other night time venues in the town – and only reopened in March last year.

Speaking to Chron and Echo last year, Mr Edwards said: “If we can survive two years of being closed, hopefully we can survive the next few years of being open.

“We’ve managed to stick it out with next to no trade, but still having to pay outgoings, so I would like to think we will be looking at several more years of trade.”

The Boston Clipper, in College Street, also owned by Mr Edwards, is still open and is a popular night spot in the town.

Other venues in the town which have closed down this year include St Giles Ale House, Element nightclub, Chilli Village, The Old White Hart pub, T.H.E Hospitality and more.

Many troubled venues have cited ‘spiralling costs’ as a key factor for closing down.

Miranda Richardson, a well-known landlady in the town, previously told the Chron that pubs and bars ‘have been hammered’ in the past three years.

She said: “The pub industry has been nothing but hammered in the last three years, every step we take we are hammered.

"The bigger chains will survive but the smaller community ones, they are not going to be able to cut it."