Bedford Business Guide & Directory

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Shopping - Bedford has a vibrant
Town Centre offering shoppers a
range of high quality shops, from
large department stores and
major chains like Debenhams
and Marks & Spencer to niche
retailers and designer boutiques.
The pedestrianised shopping
centre with over 300 shops, an
historic open-air market and a
shopping mall with all the well-
known names, makes it an
excellent choice for shopping.
Sports - When it comes to sport
there is something for everyone
from tennis, cricket, horse-riding,
clay pigeon shooting, golf,
windsurfing, jet-skiing, rowing,
football and swimming. With a
truly international reputation for
many sports, the area boasts an
array of facilities to suit all tastes
and abilities.
Renowned as having one of the
finest riverside settings in the
country, Bedford is an attractive,
bustling market town and
regional centre for shopping,
leisure and tourism, The area
is rich in heritage, celebrated in
a programme of events and
festivals throughout the year and,
with plenty of opportunities to
suit all tastes, we are confident
that you will have an enjoyable
time here. And if that’s not
enough for you, the endless
attractions of London, Milton
Keynes and Cambridge are
within close reach.
Adrenaline Junkie - For those
who crave a sense of adventure
when it comes to their days out,
Bedford is the place to be. From
paintball to freefall, off-road to
on-target, the area has got just
what you need to give you your
adrenalin fix.
Eat, Drink & Party -
Bedford has a great range of
entertainment on offer and is not
short of places to eat, drink and
party. Whether it’s gourmet food
or a quick bite to eat you are
after, there is a world of variety
in our fantastic restaurants, from
Mexican to Greek, Indian to
American or Italian to Chinese;
there really is something for
everyone. The town’s nightlife
provides entertainment with
many bars and pubs and the
Corn Exchange complex
which offers a range of great
entertainment from performers
from the worlds of comedy,
theatre and music.
Events - Bedford’s calendar of
events celebrates its unique
cultural heritage with traditional
and innovative festivals for locals
and visitors alike to participate
in and enjoy. The biennial
River Festival sees Bedford’s
riverbanks packed as over
300,000 people come to enjoy
one of the biggest free events
in the country.
Environment - The Bedford area,
with its Victorian parks, open
green spaces and stunning
countryside, lies on the iconic
River Great Ouse and is blessed
with some beautiful parks and
open spaces. Bedford Park is
part of the town’s Victorian
legacy, with its formal gardens,
carriage circuit and lake
providing the perfect environment
in which to take in some air. The
Embankment is renowned as
one of the country’s finest river
settings with its gardens and
water meadows.
Culture and Heritage -
‘The Higgins Bedford’ is top
of the list for culture vultures
exhibiting some of the world’s
finest art and fantastic pieces
from local talent. Discover for
yourself Bedford’s history,
spanning more than a thousand
years, with a wealth of historic
buildings and areas to view.
Enjoy panoramic views of the
River Great Ouse from the
restored Castle Mound, all that
remains of Bedford castle,
which was destroyed in the
siege of 1224.