Have your say on the future of Bedford town centre

Bedford Borough Council are asking people to have their say on the next steps for Bedford town centre, and over a thousand people have already responded!

Bedford is unique with the beautiful Embankment and river running through the town, a strong business presence with 62% independent shops in the town centre and 77 new businesses opening in the town centre last year, a busy events calendar, cultural attractions, local markets and much more.

However, Bedford faces many of the same challenges as town centres are facing right across the country, with the internet and online shopping in particular changing how we shop and how we use our local town centre.

Bedford Borough Council is writing its new Town Centre Plan and wants to hear your ideas. There is two drop-in session today with Councillor Henry Vann, Portfolio Holder for Town Centre and the Council's Economic Growth and Development Team at Bedford Central Library between 11am-2pm.

The drop-in session is a great chance to speak directly to the Portfolio Holder and Council officers, and give them your thoughts, ideas and views on our town. All of these will feed directly into the Town Centre Plan, which will be published and further feedback invited early next year.

Councillor Henry Vann, Portfolio Holder for Town Centres said "People in Bedford Borough care deeply about their town centre, and it has been genuinely great to see the level of responses and engagement that this consultation has sparked in its first days. The team has already held the two drop-in sessions which saw good turnout and people telling the team what they love about the town centre and what would encourage them to visit even more. I'm am looking forward to today's session at the Central Library to listen to the views and ideas of local residents. Bedford town centre belongs to all of us and it really is what we make it. Please respond to the consultation, come along and meet me and team at one of our drop-in sessions, and give us your thoughts and ideas."

The survey is open until Friday 27 September 2019. It is available online on the Borough website at https://forms.bedford.gov.uk/TCS/

There are also paper copies available at Borough Hall, the Customer Service Centre and local libraries which can be sent to Consulting Bedford, Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP.