Robots delivery service proving popular in Wellingborough, Rushden and Higham Ferrers

Robots have been delivering groceries across Wellingborough, Rushden and Higham Ferrers for two weeks now and they’ve been met with a mostly positive response.

The service, which was rolled out on July 14, has given up to 45,000 residents across 33,000 households the opportunity to access on demand deliveries from four Co-op stores in Wellingborough’s Olympic Way, Farm Road off Northern Way, Grangeway in Rushden and High Street in Higham Ferrers.

We asked our readers what they thought of the robots and it appears that so far the public have taken to them, being impressed by the music feature and even the manners of the robots. A number of our readers also agree that the robots should have names.

One reader said: “Me and my nine-year-old daughter love them we think they should have names on the side/back to add extra character.”

Another reader, from Wellingborough, said: “I've had a few now and love them!....even got the last one to play music. My grandson and I had to push one up a hill that got stuck, and the robot said, 'thank you, have a nice day'. It made our day.”

Many readers have been enjoying the music feature of the robots. One said: “One of my children at preschool had cupcakes delivered for her birthday and the song it played was happy birthday, was a lovely thing to do, she loved it.”

Some of our readers have not yet been able to try the service due to its popularity. A reader said: “Kids love them, very entertaining - just not been able to get a delivery slot to try them out for the children! Impossible to book a slot but lovely to watch them trying to navigate the roads, footpaths, crossings etc.”

The service is run by Starship Technologies in partnership with North Northants Council and the Co-op.

A spokesman for Starship said: “Since launching in Rushden, Higham Ferrers and Wellingborough, Starship robots have completed thousands of deliveries. The most popular items have been semi-skimmed milk, eggs and bananas - with many customers ordering soft drinks and cold beers during the past heatwave.”