Council Office Blocks Making Way for Public Space, Return of Town Centre Cinema and Much More

This photo taken this week from River Street car park shows what little is left of the Council office buildings which stand, or rather stood, beside the Town Hall Office Block alongside the River Great Ouse. The Town Hall Office Block and neighbouring council blocks are being demolished to make way for a large, public riverside square and for new restaurants and retail outlets as part of the development which is bringing town centre cinema back to Bedford. This week the developers Coplan announced the operators that have been signed up to date, which include Vue Cinema and restaurants Zizzi, Chimichanga and Bella Italia.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "The ongoing work will open up the riverside from the town centre, and enable a visit to Bedford Town Centre and a visit to enjoy the riverside to be one and the same thing. It's great to see the progress being made on the demolition project, which involves maximum recycling of all materials, including use of the aggregate on site for the construction of the nearby buildings in the exciting new development to come.

"The range of tenants confirmed this week highlight just some of the array of benefits that this scheme will bring for Bedford town centre, including the return of town centre cinema and new opportunities for riverside dining or relaxing, alongside the new jobs created and major boost for visitor numbers."

Once the demolition project is complete, the first element of construction for the new development will be a new footbridge loinking the public square with St Mary's Gardens on the South Bank of the River, just one of several features of the development which will bring considerable public benefits, not to mention increased footfall to the town centre.