Bedford’s inclusion in The Sunday Times list of the best places to live in the East of England has been met with a fairly consistent reaction locally: it is welcome recognition, but hardly news to the people who already know the town well.
As the Bedford Independent reported this morning, Bedford was one of seven places named in the regional list, with judges pointing to the town’s schools, parks, relatively affordable Victorian housing, growing transport links and the impact of Universal Studios’ decision to build a multibillion-pound resort in the borough.
Read: Bedford named one of best places to live in East of England
For many people in Bedford, though, the bigger story lies in the things national guides often struggle to capture fully: the independent spirit, the community energy, the cultural mix and the sense that, for all its challenges, Bedford is a town that gets on with making things happen.
More than the obvious selling points
For Erica Roffe, editor of the Bedford Clanger, that has been obvious for years.
“At the Bedford Clanger, we’ve been banging the drum about Bedford’s brilliance for 15 years, so it’s good to see The Sunday Times is finally catching up,” she said.
While she acknowledged the usual strengths picked out by national judges, such as affordability, transport and schools, she argued that Bedford’s real appeal is more layered than that.
Read: Bedford Clanger – your cultural guide to the best of Bedford
She pointed to “the incredible creative community, the ‘can-do’ attitude of people willing to make good things happen here, our award-winning live music venue Esquires, the wealth of independent shops and businesses, the cultural diversity” as the things that make the town stand apart.
“It really isn’t shit here,” she added.
That pride in Bedford’s cultural life was echoed by local promoter Milky, from The Pad Presents and Esquires, who said one of the pleasures of bringing touring acts into town is seeing their expectations shift.
He said bands and crew often arrive knowing little about Bedford, but leave with a different impression after seeing not just Esquires, but the wider town, from its restaurants and pubs to its mix of independents and familiar names.
“Having such an amazing and, quite frankly, legendary grassroots music venue in the town is a major plus point,” he said. “Long live Esquires.”
Independents and identity
If The Sunday Times judges saw a town with parks, schools and improving connections, others say Bedford’s identity is shaped just as much by the businesses and people who give it character.
Helen Patterson, of Town Centre Champions, said Bedford’s national recognition was “a long time coming”, and argued that the town’s ability to do things its own way has become one of its strengths.
She said that while many towns rely heavily on major chain stores to pull people in, Bedford’s independents and small businesses now do much of the work of giving the town its distinct identity and making people want to come back.
“We’ve done our own thing, and we do it so well,” she said.
That view was shared by Wasem Sebi, of Bedford creative agency Simply Creative.
He said Bedford offers a combination that is increasingly attractive for businesses. Close enough to London to be connected, but with a stronger sense of local identity and collaboration than many larger places can offer.
“We’re proud to see Bedford recognised as one of the best places to live in the East of England,” he said.
“Bedford offers a unique balance. You have access to London, but also a strong sense of local identity and collaboration that’s harder to find in larger cities.”
He said that over recent years, there had been a noticeable shift in confidence among independent brands and local firms, with many investing in their presence and building for the long term.
“This recognition reflects what many of us already know,” he added. “Bedford isn’t just a good place to live, it’s a great place to build something meaningful.”
Community and belonging
Again and again, the responses returned to one thing above all else: Bedford’s people.
Hawaa Empower director Shapna Khanam said the town’s greatest strength is the way people support one another and work together across communities.
“Bedford is a great place to live because of its people. There’s a real sense of community here, people show up for one another, support local initiatives, and genuinely care,” she said.
“It stands out for its diversity and the willingness of people to come together to create positive change.”
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She said that through her own work, she had seen how powerful that unity can be in bringing different cultures and backgrounds together, with community-led action and collaboration making “a real difference”.
A similar point came from Paul Kellett, known as PK, director of Bedford Giving, who said Bedford’s inclusion in the list reflected a place “full of ambition and heart”.
“Through Bedford Giving’s focus on opportunities, wellbeing, youth voice and safe spaces, we’re working alongside partners to ensure every young person feels proud to grow up here,” he said.
Several of the responses focused less on infrastructure or investment and more on the simple fact that Bedford feels like home.
Peter Wells, chief executive of Wells & Co, said the town’s inclusion in the list was “fantastic news”, not least because it recognised a sense of belonging that can be hard to define but easy to feel.
“As a business, we’ve been part of this town for 150 years,” he said. “There’s a real sense of belonging here, and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”
For him personally, the recognition also carried a family dimension.
“For me personally, Bedford has always been home. It’s where I was born, it’s where my children were born, and it’s a town that has shaped so much of our family life,” he said.
“There’s a warmth and community spirit here that’s hard to put into words, but you feel it every day.”
That sense of Bedford as a place built on connection was also central to Pritti Saggi’s response, founder of Creating Memories.
She said the town had supported her first as a resident and then as someone trying to build something for others.
“This amazing local community came together to support me in starting a good cause in 2018, which led to my local charity, Creating Memories, being formed in 2020, for which I will be forever grateful and thankful,” she said.
For Saggi, Bedford’s appeal is not abstract. It is the practical, everyday quality of life: being able to walk by the river into town, having parks and amenities nearby, and living in a community where people from different backgrounds come together.
“Community and connection are the words that come to mind for me for Bedford,” she said.
Long-term confidence in the town
Others drew a direct line between Bedford’s existing strengths and the opportunities still to come.
Lucy Bardner, Community Programmes Director at The Harpur Trust, said The Sunday Times recognition reflected what many people living and working in Bedford already knew: that the town is “vibrant, diverse, and welcoming” with a strong sense of community.
She said the guide’s praise for green spaces, schools and Bedford’s cultural mix highlighted what makes the town special, while also strengthening confidence in its future.
“As an organisation deeply rooted in Bedford for 460 years, The Harpur Trust is proud to play our part by investing in the Borough’s future and creating opportunity through education and a growing community offer,” she said.
“This further strengthens our shared ambition to ensure the town continues to thrive for generations to come.”
That blend of current strengths and future optimism also came through in the political response.
Cllr Lucy Bywater (Green, Castle) said Bedford’s unique positives are not always what one may think.
“Having arrived here over 20 years ago, it looks to me as though Bedford has more than its fair share of these positives,” she said.
“Yes, we have good green spaces and the beautiful Great Ouse, all of which need cherishing and must never be taken for granted. How many other towns have otters, herons and cormorants in the river running through their town centre, for example?.”
But again, Cllr Bywater adds that the people are what make Bedford what it is, and positivity breeds positivity.
“We have a strong sense of community, and much of that comes from its welcoming nature and its cultural diversity going back so many decades. And we can’t forget the multitude of wonderful community groups, volunteers and brilliant creatives.
“Bedford has its challenges, and talking it down absolutely doesn’t help, especially as most of those challenges are not unique to this town. So I’m pleased to see this choice of best places to live,” she says.
Bedford and Kempston MP Mohammad Yasin (Labour) said he did not need The Sunday Times to tell him Bedford was one of the best places to live, but welcomed the recognition anyway.
He cited “great schools, great community, relatively affordable homes” and Bedford’s strong transport links, before adding: “We are a growing town with great facilities, and the future looks bright.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Henry Vann struck a similar note, pointing to Bedford’s riverside, parks, diverse communities, businesses and cultural life, and saying the listing gave people “another chance to celebrate our brilliant Borough”.
Bedford Borough’s elected mayor, Tom Wootton (Conservative), said the recognition reflected not only what Bedford already offers, but what it could become in the years ahead.
“It is great to see the world is finally catching up with what we’ve known for years. This is a fantastic place to live and a beautiful market town that I am proud to call home,” he said.
He pointed to the return of the River Festival this year as an example of what brings people together in Bedford, describing it as one of the region’s biggest and most popular free events.
He also cited the borough’s schools, parks, community spirit, heritage and “lovely people”, before returning to the significance of The Sunday Times recognition arriving at a moment when Bedford is increasingly talked about in terms of growth and opportunity.
“With Universal bringing major opportunities for jobs and investment, alongside improving transport links, Bedford’s future is incredibly bright,” he said.
“As I have always said, Bedford’s best days are ahead of us, and they are coming fast.”
Why Bedford is being noticed now
The timing of this recognition is significant.
The Sunday Times judges explicitly referenced Universal Studios’ decision to come to Bedford as something that has pushed the town into sharper national focus, bringing with it the prospect of jobs, investment and wider improvements.
Read: 100+ stories about Universal Studios UK
They’ve also highlighted East West Rail, too, which sits in the background as part of a longer-term story about Bedford becoming more connected to Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes.
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But the local reaction suggests the real reason Bedford resonates is not simply because of what might be coming next.
It is because, beneath the headlines about growth and infrastructure, there is already a place here with strong schools, beautiful riverside spaces, active communities, creative ambition and a determination to make the most of what it has.
