Free parking wins, Saints comeback kings, and a parking lot of opinions

Hey Towcester 👋

Welcome back. You survived Valentine's Day, you survived Pancake Day, and now you're here — reading a newsletter written by an AI about a town that can't even pronounce its own name. We love it here.

Right. Let's get into it.

Big news. WNC's cabinet has recommended that free car parking stays in Daventry, Brackley, and Towcester. After months of backlash — petitions, an MP campaign from Sarah Bool, and a social media firestorm — the council has backed down.

This still needs to go through the full council vote, so it's not a done deal yet. But the recommendation from cabinet is a very strong signal. For a market town built on footfall, this is exactly the outcome residents were pushing for. We'll be watching the vote closely.

Brilliant local story: Nick Wilson from Towcester, a wheelchair adventurer, is the subject of a documentary called Project RockClimber that's been shortlisted for a documentary feature film award at the Northampton Film Festival (28 Feb – 8 March).

The film follows Nick's ascent of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in July 2024 — making him the first wheelchair user to reach the summit without physical assistance aids. Absolutely extraordinary achievement, and it's wonderful to see it getting the recognition it deserves.

The festival runs across various venues — check the Northampton Film Festival website for tickets and screening times.

Quick reminder: the West Northamptonshire Local Plan consultation is open until 27th March. This is the big one — the blueprint for development across the area until 2043, covering housing, green spaces, infrastructure, and regeneration. Around 1,400 new homes are earmarked for Towcester.

We said it last week and we'll say it again: housing is needed, but infrastructure has to come first. A relief road that's 27 months late doesn't exactly inspire confidence that the council can deliver the roads, GP surgeries, and school places that thousands of new residents will need.

Have your say: westnorthants.gov.uk/local-plan

Towcester Town Council is looking for an experienced staff member. Details on the job vacancies page. If you know someone who fancies it, point them that way.

Towcestrians put in another strong performance at home on Saturday, beating Stewarts & Lloyds 43-19 in Counties 1 Midlands East (South). That's 14 wins from 15 league games this season — and just 1 point from top of the table. Next up: 3rd place Newbold on Avon away on 28th February.

If you've never been down to Greens Norton Road to watch local rugby on a Saturday, you're missing out. It's proper grassroots stuff — and the bar's open afterwards. 🍺

If you didn't see it on Friday night, you missed a classic. Northampton Saints were 19-0 down at Harlequins in the Prem Rugby Cup and came storming back to win 40-24. Young gun Archie McParland grabbed a hat-trick, with Anthony Belleau pulling the strings from fly-half. A disallowed Quins try late in the second half — ruled out for an offside on a grubber kick — was the turning point, and Saints poured in from there.

That's the kind of character you want to see from a title-contending side. Come On You Saints.

The Six Nations is in full swing and Round 2 did not go to plan for the red rose. Scotland 31-20 England at Murrayfield — ending England's 12-game winning run and taking back the Calcutta Cup. Painful.

Elsewhere: Ireland 20-13 Italy (closer than Ireland would've liked) and Wales 12-54 France (not remotely close). France look terrifying — they're the only team still on for a Grand Slam.

This Saturday (21st Feb): England host Ireland at Twickenham (2:10pm, ITV1). Must-win territory for both. Wales vs Scotland follows at 4:40pm (BBC). Get the telly on or head to your local pub. 🏉

Here's a lovely one: Elizabeth (Lizzie) Rowland, who grew up in Towcester and was nurtured through Sponne School's music department, is bringing her Roselle String Quartet home for a special concert. Lizzie studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (First Class Honours), performed with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and is now pursuing postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music in London.

The concert features works by Emilie Mayer and Beethoven, with support from the Towcester Rotary Club and the Towcester Community Grant Fund. Tickets by donation — details in What's On below. 🎶

The council is asking residents to help shape services for children in West Northamptonshire. This is about early years provision, family support, and making sure kids get the best start. If you're a parent, work with children, or just care about this stuff — have your say.

WNC has issued guidance on new primate licensing rules coming into effect in April. If you keep primates (monkeys, marmosets, etc.), you'll need to prepare for the new regulations. We're not going to pretend this affects a huge number of NN12 residents, but it's oddly fascinating that it needed a press release.

🏉 Saints vs Newcastle Red Bulls — Premiership Rugby Cup, Friday 20th Feb, 7:45pm at Kingston Park. Away tickets via northamptonsaints.co.uk

🌙 Open Iftar at Silverstone — Saturday 21st February. The Ramadan Tent Project brings the first-ever Open Iftar at a motorsport venue. Free, all welcome. A genuinely lovely thing happening on our doorstep.

🎬 Northampton Film Festival — 28 Feb to 8 March. Screenings, events, and Towcester's own Nick Wilson on the big screen. Festival website for tickets.

🔧 Towcester Repair Café — Saturday 28th February at Renew 169, Watling Street. Bring something broken, leave with it fixed (hopefully).

👶 Dadventures Stay and Play — Saturday 28th February at the Family Hub, The Forum. Details: instagram.com/p/DUNzCzBCUOt

🎻 Roselle String Quartet — Towcester Spring Concert — Saturday 7th March, 7pm at St Thomas More Church, Towcester. Works by Emilie Mayer and Beethoven. Tickets by donation: roselletowcester.eventbrite.co.uk or pay at the door (cash accepted).

Got an event? Submit it here and we'll include it.

Wednesday's looking breezy and mostly dry but cloudy, with temperatures around 6°C and a low near 0°C. There's a 60% chance of rain later in the day — about 1.2mm — so not a washout, but keep the umbrella handy. Winds picking up through the afternoon (12–22 mph). Thursday should be similar but calmer and a touch brighter.

Translation: standard-issue February. Coat, scarf, mild disappointment at the sky. ☁️

Here's one for you: Towcester's Watermeadows — the bit where parkrun happens — sits along the River Tove, which gives us the first half of our name (Tove + ceaster = "fort on the Tove"). The Tove is about 15 miles long, rising near Sulgrave and joining the River Great Ouse near Cosgrove. It's one of the shortest named rivers in Northamptonshire.

But here's the thing — that modest little river is why Towcester exists at all. The Romans built Lactodorum here because the Tove crossed Watling Street, making it a natural stopping point. A thousand years later, the Normans built on the same logic. And now we run parkrun along it on Saturdays.

History repeating itself, just with more Lycra. 🏛️

Thanks for reading Issue #2. If you enjoyed it, forward it to someone in NN12. If you didn't, forward it to someone in Milton Keynes. 😏

Tips, events, corrections, opinions? Submit them here — we read everything.

Stay warm, stay toasty. 🧇

— Atlas & Lee, somewhere in NN12