Plans unveiled to open popular pizza chain next to busy Northampton shopping centre

Proposals have been submitted to convert a vacant unit in Octagon Way, opposite Weston Favell Shopping Centre, into a Fireaway pizza restaurant and takeaway.

Planning papers say: “The proposal would provide internal seating area for patrons to enjoy hot cooked food, especially for shoppers, whilst also providing a new food outlet service for the local community.

“The proposal intends to also provide a much-needed economic boost to the existing area by providing a new restaurant within the parade with seating thereby attracting patrons from the local community and businesses.

"The vacant unit will be converted to provide new flavours of food for the community with freshly made pizza. The new restaurant would in turn also provide the employment of extra staff from the community.”

Fireaway opened its first chain in Northampton in March last year, in Bridge Street.

The firm initially submitted plans to open a branch in St Giles Street, however the application was refused, so the company looked elsewhere in the town.

The Bridge Street site is open from midday to 11pm seven days a week and are partnered with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.

Fireaway began in London in 2016 and now has more than 140 outlets across the UK, as well as in Northern Ireland and Amsterdam. In 2021, Fireaway won Rising Star Pizza Chain of the Year at the PAPA Awards.

Founder Mario Aleppo set out to create an “unrivalled pizza experience” by going to Italy and meeting farmers who now send him their choicest peeled tomatoes directly from Naples. He then negotiated with mills in northern Italy who prepare the flour to his own specifications.

These are brought together on a daily basis to ensure freshness and baked for no more than three minutes in 400 degrees oven.

A company spokesman said: “Fireaway’s mouth-watering menu provides pizza lovers with a choice of four bases, four cheeses, four meats and 20 toppings, all available for the same price. Among them is the Nutella Pizza, which is unique to Fireaway.”