One high street store is waiting for legal issues to be resolved before moving into Gold Street.

And another is poised to sign a deal which will see it move into the former Woolworths shop.

The companies interested in moving to the town have not yet been named.

Costa Coffee is already confirmed to be moving into Kettering with the British Heart Foundation also signing up to move into the former Curry's store.

Independent shop All Sorts will be moving into Lower Street and Wren Spinney School is currently in negotiations to have a town centre base in Gold Street.

Corby Blinds will be moving from its present location to a larger unit in High Street.

Cllr Mark Dearing, who is leading the town centre regeneration, said he is delighted the town is attracting big name stores and says it is the knock-on effect from the council's redevelopment plans.

He said: "There are several companies that will be moving into the town centre in the next few months and this shows all the hard work that has gone into the Market Square is paying off.

"It is a difficult time financially for retailers and we all know that, but it is great to see new businesses wanting to come to Kettering."

Newlands shopping centre manager Neil Griffin said: "It is always good to have movement and to have people coming into the town centre.

"An offer has been made on the old Kettering Council shop in Gold Street and we are in the legal stage of bringing in a big name to another store in the town.

"Hopefully, these will all be up and running by September."

Latest figures from the Kettering Town Centre Partnership showed by the end of May there were 38 empty shops in the town centre.

But now it has been confirmed nine empty shops are under offer or are already being leased and a further six companies are in negotiations to move to the town.

Shopper Paula Barnes, of Bryant Road, Kettering, said: "There aren't many high street names here at the moment, so if we could get a Primark I would be more tempted to come here rather than Corby."