31 January 2025
Bedford Ian has been looking at recent goings on across Bedford Borough and has told us what he thinks of it all…
Burn baby burn
Bedford Borough Council’s social media team were ‘dragged over hot coals’ this week after issuing guidance on what Bedfordians can and cannot burn on their open fireplaces.
While the message was no doubt meant to help protect Bedford and Kempston from being covered in the pea-soupers of yesteryear, the guidance wasn’t well received – what with rising energy bills and winter fuel payments being cut.
Although we suspect many of the almost 350 comments were from those in certain areas of the town who have spent thousands reinstalling the open fireplaces ripped out of their period homes in the 80s so their homes can look better on Instagram.
Of course, the debate on net zero, open fireplaces, and rising energy bills will rumble on for a while and big businesses will naturally carry on doing what they want as individuals struggle to keep up with new legislation.
So cheer yourself up by grabbing some popcorn and reading the comments on the council’s Facebook page, just don’t pop that corn over an open fire.
Table for ‘two’ many
It seems one of Bedford’s best-known hotels is doing OK after I was told about a booking being turned away recently.
All the eager wannabe customer was trying to do was give them money by booking a table for 16, months in advance, for a celebration.
“We can’t do a table of 16,” they were told.
Surprised the hopeful booker suggested two tables of eight would satisfy their needs.
“Yes we can do that,” came the reply.
Hoorah the customer thought. But, their celebration was a bit premature with the person on the end of the phone continuing, “…but they’ll have to be at different times.”
Fish and Chips for everyone on Denmark Street it is then.
No queue jumping
Like standing in a queue for a roller coaster ride, the wait for Universal’s ‘green light’ is taking far too long.
It felt like everyone in Bedford was on the edge of their seats on Wednesday as we waited for the chancellor to reveal some news about Universal Studios during her ‘growth speech’.
Instead, in true political fashion, she talked about expanding this and expanding that, when all the people wanted to hear was if a theme park would be open in time for our retirement.
Sadly none was forthcoming and we’re once again left waiting and wondering. Still, at least there is the prospect of trains between Oxford and Cambridge to look forward to.
Damned if you do…
I started with having a pop at Bedford Borough Council so let’s finish by bigging them up.
Some of the more eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the improvements due to take place in St Paul’s Square in Bedford town centre this summer, which will bring with it some closed roads.
Naturally, some publications went for the easy headlines and talked of traffic chaos and a summer of misery. And the usual suspects on social media fell for it and jumped on the bandwagon, lambasting the council for daring to do any work that might make the town look nice.
Working for the council can often be a thankless task, people are constantly moaning you’re not doing enough to improve the area and when you do, those same people moan at the disruption it causes, failing to realise you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.
Maybe it’s not always the council that’s the problem.
See you soon, Bedford Ian.
PS: If you see anything Bedford Ian might find amusing, let us know at news@BedfordIndependent.co.uk.
