Totally Locally’s Fiver Fest is back in Bedford – once again serving up some great £5 offers and giving us all a great excuse to visit our favourite shops – and discover new ones.
The event is a national celebration of small businesses and shops that make a huge contribution to the economy of the UK and the well-being of our towns and runs from 10 – 24 June.
Businesses taking part in Bedford’s Fiver Fest have all put together special £5 offers to show the diversity and value of what they sell and to give customers an extra excuse to pop in and spend their money, and this year is no exception, despite having just 10 days to organise the event.
“This year’s Fiver Fest will be smaller than previous, but with ten days’ notice we were asking a lot of local businesses,” said this year’s organiser, Amy Hunt of Arcadia Sweet Shop in the Old Arcade.
“Many familiar faces have agreed to take part once again; New Bombay with their £5 wrap, Arcadia Sweet Shop with mystery boxes showcasing each employee’s favourite sweets and Baja with their £5 Burrito.”
You can find all of the offers on the Town Centre Champions’ social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Town Centre Champions founder, Helen Patterson, has organised six previous Fiver Fest events but has handed the reins over to Amy this year.
“I had planned on organising my seventh Bedford Fiver Fest but due to an arthritis flare up I was unable to commit to walking in and around the town centre,” said Helen.
“I enjoy canvassing, meeting business owners and gathering the £5 deals, but it takes a lot of walking. Amy runs Arcadia with her mum Lisa and they’ve been very supportive of Fiver Fest and the Town Centre Champions since their launch.
“Their £5 mystery box selections are some of the most popular Fiver Fest deals.”
When Amy heard that Helen was unable to run this year’s event, she jumped at the challenge to help out.
“Amy is a very proud Bedfordian and rightly so,” said Helen. “She’s aced her first Fiver Fest and is becoming a Town Centre Champion, which is great news for the town.”
Asked why she became involved in the planning this year, Amy said: “Simply, because I love Fiver Fest and I love what it does to Bedford.
“Working in the sweetshop, I often find myself having the same ‘isn’t Bedford awful’ conversation and having to defend Bedford. When Fiver Fest rolls around again, I know for the next little while that conversation is replaced by ‘oh I didn’t know we had X shop’ or how good the food was at Y café.”
As town centres up and down the country struggle in the post-pandemic, internet-shopping landscape, Fiver Fest attracts people into town and makes them look beyond the empty Debenhams, Next and BHS.
“Fiver Fest takes people on a tour of all the amazing indie shops we are lucky to have, that without Fiver Fest people may not naturally find,” said Amy.
“Independents put their everything into their businesses and the people behind them are the people trying to keep Bedford town centre
alive and thriving.
“We care about the town we live in and the people who make up Bedford.
“With costs skyrocketing for businesses and consumers alike, now is the time for the independents to collectively shout from the rooftops how good they are and that we are still here, but also say thank you to the MANY loyal customers who support independents
every day.
“Fiver Fest allows us all to do that.”
