21 February 2025
Bedford Ian has been looking at recent goings on across Bedford Borough and has told us what he thinks of it all.
Debenhams dilemma
Ah, the former Debenhams building – Bedford’s very own monument to wishful thinking. Bought by the council for £1.8 million back in May 2024, it was meant to be a “significant milestone in the rejuvenation of the town centre.”
Read: Borough Council signs deal to buy Debenhams building
Instead, it’s currently serving as a significant milestone in the art of doing absolutely nothing.
Plans were grand. Small retail units? Yes! Restaurants? Yes! Flats? Yes? Cool designer flats, right? Maybe. But nine months on, the only thing that might be thriving inside is the occasional pigeon.
Meanwhile, councillor Lucy Bywater (Castle, Green) has summed up what most of us are thinking, calling it an “eyesore dragging the town centre down.”
The council insists things are “progressing”. Apparently, the ground floor is now “available for rent by commercial occupiers,” which, in council-speak, translates to “we’re still looking for tenants”. The upper floors? Anyone’s guess.
So, when will we see progress? Who knows? But in the meantime, might I suggest a slight upgrade?
Perhaps a mural timeline of Bedford’s history? Something classy, like ‘from John Bunyan to just another empty building’. Or, we could embrace the situation properly, a giant mirror, so at least when people walk past they can see a reflection of the nicer buildings opposite.
Until then, we’ll continue admiring Bedford’s finest example of urban inertia – a building full of potential but, as of now, empty.
Don’t BID on it
On the subject of things that were supposed to make Bedford Town Centre brilliant again, with five weeks to go before BedfordBID officially hands back management of its zone to the council, it continues to provide a masterclass on why businesses voted to get rid of it.
For those unfamiliar, a Business Improvement District (BID) is supposed to support and promote town centre businesses, making sure their hard-earned money goes towards improving the area. Sounds good in theory, right? Shame it didn’t work out that way.
By the time BedfordBID reached its fifth renewal, patience for its ‘same old same old’ approach to promotion, usually aimed at people already shopping in the town centre, and lack of transparency had run out.
Three-quarters of voting businesses, backed by the council itself, decided they’d had enough of poor communication, questionable spending, and a general lack of impact. Result? BedfordBID was voted out.
Read: BedfordBID voted out after businesses lose faith in their plans for town centre
That was back in October, yet questions remain. What happens next? And more importantly, what’s happening to the £400,000 of levy payers’ money still sitting in its bank account?
Businesses tell me emails have gone unanswered, and the BID board appears to have all but vanished too. This is ironic, given that one of the biggest complaints against them was their “effectiveness and robustness” when it came to governance.
Read: Bedford Borough Council confirms it will vote against BedfordBID renewal
To be fair, a 33-page director’s report suddenly appeared on their website last week, apparently evidence of a virtual AGM.
But with no record of attendees, no discussion minutes, and no clear understanding of whether it’s been sent to Bedford businesses, it raises more questions than answers.
If you’re a former BID levy payer wondering what’s going on, you’re not alone. For now, all we can do is wait – and hope that, after years of frustration, the town centre will soon get the support it deserves.
Another one bites the crust
Pizza Hut at Aspects Leisure Park is shutting its doors for good this Saturday, leaving just two survivors in what was once Bedford’s go-to destination for a big night out.
Once upon a time, Aspects was the place to be. You’d catch a film at Cineworld, challenge your mates to Laser Quest, grab a meal at Fatty Arbuckles, have a few beers at the Buzz Bar, and then bust some moves at The Venue.
Fast forward to 2025, and what’s left? Club 2000 Bingo and Fitness First, so your only options are cardio or a dabber.
Some say the demise of Aspects was inevitable, thanks to the rise of streaming, takeaway culture, and the slow, painful decline of themed chain restaurants.
So, what’s next for Bedford’s very own ghost town? Maybe it’s time to lean into its post-apocalyptic vibe. A zombie experience? A dystopian film set? A large-scale hide-and-seek arena?
For now, while the good news might be there’s plenty of parking, the bad news is there’s nothing to park for.
How nice
We all know that journalists can be an antagonistic bunch, so it’s fair to expect a bit of constructive criticism when they write about divisive subjects.
And while the Bedford Independent news team are happy to debate the pressing issues our readers feel are important, it’s not often their family members are invited to join in as well.
It was quite a surprise then to receive an email this week that simply said: ‘Tom, go f**k ur mum’.
The difficulty here is that we’re not sure which Tom they’re referring to.
Of course, it could be the Bedford Independent’s excellent sports editor Tom. Still, he’s not exactly written anything controversial lately – unless you think his superb reporting on the proposed merger of two of the town’s football clubs is questionable.
Read: Real Bedford co-owner floats ideas for the future at merger fans’ forum
So, could the message be for the Mayor of Bedford Borough Tom Wotton or Captain Sir Thomas Moore (deceased), who have both been written about recently? Or might it even be for Tom Grennan, although we can’t see why anyone would want ‘beef’ with him?
The news team have replied to the email to find out. They’ve promised to let me know in time for next week if they get a response.
See you soon, Bedford Ian.
PS: If you see anything Bedford Ian might find amusing, let us know at news@BedfordIndependent.co.uk.
