We paint shopfronts and commercial frontages in Cogenhoe, about 4.6 miles east of Northampton town centre. The village has a small number of premises, so Dean plans each one individually, around how the business trades and where it sits in the village.
A short list of frontages, each one different
Cogenhoe is a commuter village rather than a shopping centre, and its commercial premises are few. In the historic core, the two businesses picked out by the conservation appraisal both stand on Church Street: the Royal Oak and Hollowell Joinery. Add the Londis shop and the shared buildings, from the church rooms and the social club to Cogenhoe and Whiston Village Hall and Cogenhoe Primary School, and that is close to the full list. Down where Mill Lane becomes a private road, a caravan park sits beside the mill.
That variety matters more than the numbers. A pub frontage, a joinery workshop and a convenience shop need different things from a repaint: a pub wants a welcoming, well-kept face, a working joinery may only need its doors and signboard refreshed, and a shop has to stay open and keep its entrance clear.
Colour and signage on Church Street
Church Street runs through the middle of the Cogenhoe Conservation Area, so a business frontage there is seen against coursed limestone, ironstone dressings and red brick, and a colour that works in a retail park can look out of place. Deep, muted shades usually suit the stone better than bright primaries, and lettering and signboards look right when they are kept simple. If a building is listed, or if you plan new signage rather than repainting what exists, it is worth checking with West Northamptonshire Council before work starts; Dean can talk through colour options before you do.
The appraisal also flags the loss of traditional timber windows and doors as a threat. On older commercial buildings we would rather repair a decayed sill, rail or fascia board and repaint it than see it replaced with something that jars with the street.
Staying open while the front is painted
A village shop or pub cannot easily close for a few days. We work in sections, finishing the entrance and door frame first or last so customers can always get in, and we put up wet-paint signs wherever someone might touch fresh paint. Stages are agreed with you before we start, during our normal working day.
Weather is part of that planning. Cogenhoe sits high on the slope above the Nene, and frontages facing north or west take wind-driven rain, so we keep a close eye on forecasts and schedule exposed elevations for settled, dry days.
Many of these premises also carry painted signboards or lettering. Where existing lettering is sound and you want to keep it, we mask round it and paint the surrounding board; where it is faded beyond saving, we can prepare and paint the board ready for a signwriter, so the new lettering goes onto a clean, stable base that suits the building.
Access and parking in the village
- Older buildings on Church Street often front straight onto the pavement, so ladders and sheets sit on the footway and are guarded at all times.
- Telegraph poles and overhead wires run along Church Street and affect where ladders go on taller frontages.
- Off-road parking is scarce and Station Road and Whiston Road can be busy, so the van position and any deliveries are agreed in advance.
Shopfronts are part of our wider commercial work, and the main shopfront painting page explains our preparation and products. For other commercial interiors and premises, see commercial painting, and for the full range of services we offer in the village, visit our Cogenhoe page.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
