The Bedford Independent has hit an enormous milestone this week, publishing its 10,000th story since launching its website in November 2018.
In just over six years, the online news site has become a vital part of Bedford life, delivering breaking news, celebrating community achievements, and holding power to account.
Read: Bedford Independent is live and we’ve hit the ground running
In an era of shrinking local news coverage, the Bedford Independent has grown into a bold and trusted voice.
Published by local media company Progress Publishing, the site now attracts around 130,000 unique readers every month, a clear sign that readers value quality, independent journalism committed to the highest modern ethical standards.
Read: We’re ranked number two in the UK, but what does that mean?
The Bedford Independent, or B.I. as it is commonly known, is published alongside its cooler, more established sister, The Bedford Clanger, which has championed local arts and culture since 2011.
Together, they shed light on everything from grassroots sports and theatre to council decisions and community action. In 2024, a dedicated ‘good news’ filter was introduced to make it even easier to celebrate the Borough’s positives.
This supports the publisher’s mission to balance its stories that hold those in power to account, with those that highlight the people who make Bedford Borough a brilliant place to live, work and play.
Underpinning this is the Bedford Independent Everyday Heroes Awards, which has recognised Bedfordians who do extraordinary things in the newspaper’s patch over the last five years.
Read: All our stories about Bedford’s Everyday Heroes
For Bedford people by Bedford people
Progress Publishing is led by Bedford people for Bedford People.
- Paul Hutchinson: an experienced local journalist committed to informing people through ethical public interest reporting.
- Erica Roffe: creator of the Bedford Clanger, the publication that started it all and has helped shape Bedford’s cultural conversation for over a decade.
- Julia Course: two decades of media sales expertise and strong relationships with local businesses and organisations.
With two-thirds of the business being female-owned, Progress Publishing is proud to offer diverse leadership in a male-dominated industry.
Read: All our sports coverage
Supporting the team are volunteers like Sports Editor Tom Carr, who, with support from Ruben Garraway, brings sports coverage to life. And Paula Walker and Lloyd Lugsden, who champion local music, theatre and arts.
Read: Everything from the Bedford Clanger
Also part of the creative force behind the brand is Ben Graham, a talented freelance designer and the latest local student to be supported by Progress Publishing during his studies.
As part of the team, Ben has gained valuable paid experience, reflecting the publisher’s broader commitment to inspiring and developing young creatives in Bedford.
His role builds on the team’s work with aspiring journalists aged 16–21, with around 10 students completing structured placements to learn about journalism and gain experience working in a professional newsroom.
Editorial ethics
And when it comes to standards, Progress Publishing walks the talk.
Impress regulates the Bedford Independent, the UK’s only officially recognised press regulator, and is a member of both the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) and the Independent Community News Network (ICNN).
These memberships reflect the team’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and serving the public interest.
Read: Our ethics and editorial policy
The newspaper is also believed to be the first to ‘quit’ Twitter/X (September 2023) after becoming increasingly concerned with the way the platform is being used to spread misinformation, fake news and extremist propaganda.
Speaking about reaching the 10,000 story milestone, the founders of Progress Publishing said: “When we launched the Bedford Independent, it was because we believed Bedford deserved better.
“We wanted to bring proper, public interest journalism back to the borough – and we did. Ten thousand stories later, we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built.
“This isn’t just a celebration for our team. It’s a celebration for our readers, our supporters, and for everyone in Bedford who believes that ethical, responsible and professional independent local journalism still matters. Thank you for reading, sharing and standing with us.”
Notable stories
- The worldwide exclusive that Comcast had purchased land in Bedford Borough with plans to build Europe’s first Universal Studios on the site
- The cancellation of the town’s much-loved and historic river festival, which caused so much public backlash, forced the mayor to U-turn on the decision
- The ongoing coverage and scrutiny of Bedford’s Business Improvement District, which highlighted severe failings in their governance arrangements and ability to act in the levy payers’ best interests
- The £millions being invested in local football side Real Bedford by billionaire twins, the Winklevoss Twins, culminating in an exclusive interview with Tom Carr
- Our unrivalled coverage of various local and general elections, bringing the results to our readers the moment they come in, alongside frank and honest commentary
The independent status of the business, coupled with a digital-first approach to daily news, has enabled it to be agile, responsive, and deeply rooted in the area it serves.
As misinformation and unethical editorial practices attack trust in journalism at all angles, Progress Publishing is proud to reject copy and paste churnalism of biased media releases and the “first to publish” approach targets of some publishers, which leaves them without the time to find and include important information in their content.
From uncovering stories that matter to championing the people who make Bedford great, Progress Publishing, through the Bedford Independent and Bedford Clanger, continues to raise the bar for what a local news publication can be in the digital age.
