I rate Barker higher than any of the other factory shoe shops I visited in Northampton primarily because I found a pair of walnut-coloured brogues I’d wanted here in my size. You’ll wade through lots of crap(Barker had the widest selection of any of the stores we visited, though very little was fantastic) to find a pair to love, of that much I am sure. It was not until I spotted the last box of 3.5’s that I had any hope I might find what I was after. My eventual purchase made me especially happy because the Minerva model was a shoe I’d had on my target list prior to coming to Northampton(and one that is currently available in Barker retail outlets at double the price.) In sum, Barker is worth a stop if you’re already up in Northampton but not worth making a special trip from London for.