Bedford News

Business news Business G's Takeaway in Kempston Applies to Sell Alcohol Until 1am at Weekends G's Takeaway on St John's Street, Kempston, wants to sell alcohol, including on deliveries, and serve hot food to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Comments close 1 December. 13 November 2026 · 2 min read Pubs The Tudor pub near Bedford named 49th best in Britain The Plough at Bolnhurst, six miles north of Bedford, has been named the 49th best pub in Britain for 2026, the only Bedfordshire pub in the top 50. 13 November 2026 · 6 min read Parking Bedford Council Plans 63% Rise in Resident Parking Permits A first resident parking permit in Bedford would go from £35.90 to £58.50 in January. Most other council charges would rise 8%, with a decision on 18 November. 12 November 2026 · 6 min read Health Bereavement Care Must Adapt to Diverse Families, Study Says A national study involving the University of Bedfordshire found service design, not reluctance, keeps ethnically diverse bereaved people from help. 11 November 2026 · 3 min read Sport Bedford Sports Awards Nominations Close on 17 November Nominations for the Bedford Sports and Physical Activity Awards close at 5pm on Tuesday 17 November. Here are the 14 categories and how to nominate someone. 10 November 2026 · 3 min read Planning Renhold 330 Homes Approved With £200,000 for Traffic Calming Councillors approved up to 330 homes off Hookhams Lane, Renhold, despite 110 objections, and raised traffic calming money to £200,000. What was agreed. 7 November 2026 · 5 min read1 comment1 Health Great Barford GP Surgery Approved on Old Lower School Site A new doctors' surgery with 40 parking spaces will replace the empty Great Barford Lower School buildings on Silver Street, after councillors approved it. 7 November 2026 · 3 min read Police Queens Drive Bedford Crash: Police Want Dashcam Footage A man in his 80s is critical after a crash on Queens Drive, Bedford, on Thursday 5 November. Police want witnesses and footage; quote reference 125 of 5 November. 7 November 2026 · 1 min read Fire service Bedfordshire Fire's VR Driver Film Up for National Award Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's '5 in 5' virtual reality film for young drivers is a finalist in the NFCC Prevention Awards, decided on 26 November. 7 November 2026 · 2 min read Health Bedford Hospital Maternity Notes Go Digital on BadgerNet Bedford Hospital moved maternity care from paper notes to the BadgerNet digital record on 3 November. Mothers can now see their notes in Badger Notes. 7 November 2026 · 3 min read Fire service Diwali in Bedford: Fire Service's Cooking and Candle Advice Bedfordshire's fire service has Diwali advice for 6 to 10 November on cooking, candles and smoke alarms. Its team also visited Bedford's Festival of Lights. 4 November 2026 · 2 min read Schools Bedford Primary Results Third Most Improved in England Year 6 results in Bedford Borough are up 9 points since 2022, against 4 nationally, the third biggest rise in England. GCSE grades slipped this summer. 3 November 2026 · 4 min read Children's services Bedford Children's Services Restructure: 3 Family Help Teams Bedford's children's services will be rebuilt around three family help teams by 31 March 2027. Staff consultation runs to 3 December. What changes for families. 3 November 2026 · 3 min read Fire service Be Ready: Bedfordshire Homes Urged to Plan for 3 Days Bedfordshire's fire chief backs the Be Ready campaign: 3 litres of water a person a day, food, a torch and power bank for 3 days, and monthly smoke alarm tests. 2 November 2026 · 3 min read Heritage St Paul's Bedford Bells On View 8 to 26 November The 12 bells of St Paul's Church, Bedford, are down from the tower and on view inside the church from 8 to 26 November, before they go away for refurbishment. 31 October 2026 · 4 min read Fire service Bedfordshire Fire Control: 3 Kempston 999 Call Handlers Three Bedfordshire Fire Control staff at the Kempston HQ describe 999 calls, floods, a train crash and a decontamination incident in their second week. 29 October 2026 · 5 min read Planning Bedford Councillors Lose Planning Call-In Power on 31 Oct From 31 October, councillors can no longer call Bedford planning applications to committee, and three objections stop triggering a hearing. What replaces it. 27 October 2026 · 6 min read Planning Clapham 570 Homes: Petition Passes 700 Before Plans Lodged Hallam Land is preparing plans for up to 570 homes north of Clapham, and the council has ruled a full environmental study is needed. A petition has 707 names. 27 October 2026 · 3 min read Jobs Bedford Claimant Count Hits 5,465, Highest Since March 2025 5,465 people in Bedford borough claimed jobless benefits in September, up 205 in a year. Over-50s and 18 to 24s drove the rise; 25 to 49s fell slightly. 24 October 2026 · 4 min read Fire service Bedfordshire Fire Plan: Harrold Area Waits 16m 50s for Help House fires near Harrold wait 16 minutes 50 seconds on average for a fire engine, the slowest in Bedfordshire. Comment on the fire service plan by 15 January. 24 October 2026 · 5 min read Planning Tempsford New Town Still Unconfirmed, Lords Warn Ministers Ministers said they would confirm Tempsford's 40,000 homes by summer. Peers say no site is chosen yet, and a Bedford college warned them of a builder shortage. 20 October 2026 · 4 min read Bedford train crash Bedford Train Crash GP Wins Pride of Britain Award Dr Eli Prior, a Bedford GP injured in the Elstow train crash, stayed three hours treating passengers. Her Pride of Britain award was broadcast on ITV1 on 22 October. 19 October 2026 · 2 min read Music Grace Cope's First Single Kept It All Inside Out 23 October Bedford singer Grace Cope releases Kept It All Inside on Friday 23 October, her first single on Cyber Nomad Records, with two London gigs planned for January. 18 October 2026 · 3 min read Crime Bedford Shoplifting: 21 Charged With 330 Offences Since July Police have charged 21 people with more than 330 shop theft and related offences since July. Reports near central Bedford fell to 158 in September, from 202. 17 October 2026 · 5 min read Bedford Borough Council Bedford Council Failing Its Duty: Commissioners Proposed Inspectors found bullying, misogyny and a council reliant on £25m of emergency support. Ministers propose three years of commissioners; the council has replied. 15 October 2026 · 7 min read Planning Bedford Local Plan 2050: 1,251 Homes a Year, Have Your Say The new plan must find room for 1,251 homes a year to 2050; the borough built 665 last year. Comments close 23 November. What it asks, and how to reply. 13 October 2026 · 7 min read Planning Silver Street Gaming Centre Refused, Months After Licence Planners refused a 24-hour gaming centre in the old Clinton Cards on Silver Street on 7 October, though a council panel licensed it in May. Here is why. 13 October 2026 · 5 min read Schools Bedford SEMH School Approved: Queens Park, 80 Places Approved: Meridian Trust gets the old St Joseph's building in Queens Park on a 125-year lease, plus £2.5m, to open Bedford's first SEMH special school. 10 October 2026 · 6 min read News update Podington Podington Padel Approved Against Officers' Advice Councillors approved Podington Padel's barn courts on 12 October, overruling officers who said refuse. Sharnbrook's last 76 Hill Farm homes were approved too. 6 October 2026 · 7 min read Kempston Kempston Boundary Change Approved; Residents Opposed 22 to 8 Full Council approved moving part of Kempston Rural into Kempston Town on 7 October. Residents opposed it 22 to 8; a Band D bill rises about £25 from April 2027. 3 October 2026 · 6 min read Bedford Borough Council Queens Park HMO Petitions: Council Says It Cannot Revoke The council told Queens Park petitioners it cannot revoke HMO licences over tenants' backgrounds. Wilden and Arundel Drive speeding motions were carried. 3 October 2026 · 6 min read Bedford train crash Bedford Train Crash: Red Signal Had No TPWS, RAIB Finds RAIB's interim report on the Elstow crash: the Corby train passed signal WH154 at red, which had no TPWS. A faulty AWS warning had stopped the train ahead. 2 October 2026 · 9 min read East West Rail Bedford Station Car Park Cut to 900 Spaces Over Two Sites East West Rail drops the 1,200-space Ford End Road plan. Bedford station parking is now capped at 900 spaces: 627 on Ashburnham Road, 273 to the west. 1 October 2026 · 5 min read Schools Free Chellington Centre Days for Bedford Primary Schools Bedford primary schools can book free outdoor learning days at The Chellington Centre, funded by The Panacea Trust: orienteering or Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. 1 October 2026 · 2 min read Universal Manor Road Closure for Universal Extended to 27 November Manor Road at Kempston Hardwick stays shut to through traffic until Friday 27 November for Universal's earthworks, then reopens with traffic management. 29 September 2026 · 5 min read Music Wyboston Singer's Postnatal Depression Song Tops 2.2m Views Lizzie Reynolds left Tesco to sing full-time. Her EP about postnatal depression has passed 2.2 million TikTok views, and in September TikTok flew her to Madrid. 29 September 2026 · 4 min read1 comment1 Music Bedford Singer Grace Cope Signs Six-Single Record Deal Bedford singer-songwriter Grace Cope, 20, has signed a six-single deal with Cyber Nomad Records. Her first single, Kept It All Inside, is out on 23 October. 27 September 2026 · 2 min read House Prices Bedford House Prices Up £12,497, but Growth Slows to 3.9% The borough average reached £333,824 in July, up 3.9% and still ahead of every neighbour. The annual rate was 7.5% in May, and flats barely moved. 25 September 2026 · 4 min read Planning Bromham 93 Homes Approved Despite 2017 Appeal Loss Councillors approved up to 93 homes off Lower Farm Road on 28 September. The same field lost a public inquiry in 2017; layout and design come later. 22 September 2026 · 9 min read Buses Bedford Bus Service Agreed: Hourly, Both Hospitals, Mon-Sat The council has agreed funding for an hourly bus, 7.30am to 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, covering both hospitals, the station and Kempston. No route number yet. 19 September 2026 · 6 min read Council Bedford's Mayes Yard Deal Reconsidered After £1 Warning Scrutiny sent the Cityheart developer deal back over five concerns, including a fear that the £1.8m Debenhams and library buildings could fetch £1 each. 19 September 2026 · 5 min read Business Sainsbury's Bedford Distribution Centre Sold to Pension Fund West Midlands Pension Fund has bought the 462,746 sq ft Sainsbury's depot at Marsh Leys, Kempston. The lease runs to 24 March 2036 and the rent is up 22%. 18 September 2026 · 6 min read Universal Universal Bedford: 23 Firms Named, None From Bedfordshire Universal has named 23 firms to build its Kempston Hardwick resort. None is registered in Bedfordshire. Who they are, and how local firms can bid. 16 September 2026 · 5 min read Council Bedford Council Overspend: £3.6m Now, £32m Gap Next Year Bedford Borough Council forecasts a £3.6m overspend even with £25m of government support, led by children's care, and a £32.1m gap for 2027/28. 15 September 2026 · 8 min read Crime Bedford Motorbike Theft: Six Arrests as Vehicle Crime Climbs Police made six arrests and recovered two stolen motorbikes in a Bedford crackdown. Vehicle crime in central Bedford is up five months running, to 44 in July. 15 September 2026 · 4 min read Council Bedford Elected Mayor: Referendum Vote Set for 16 September An extraordinary council meeting on 16 September will debate putting Bedford's elected mayor to a referendum. Residents can force one with 6,940 signatures. 12 September 2026 · 9 min read Water Manton Lane Leak in Bedford: No Word Yet That It Is Fixed Anglian Water crews were due on Manton Lane on 6 and 12 October. Nothing it has published since says the main is fixed, and the hosepipe ban stays in place. 9 September 2026 · 11 min read Planning Great Barford 500 Homes Approved With 100 Affordable Councillors approved up to 500 homes at Millfield End on 14 September, with 20% affordable and £2.65m of the £5.98m asked for. The council owns a fifth. 8 September 2026 · 10 min read Business Bedford Minimum Wage: Two Employers Named Over £5,230 A Goldington Road nursery and a Wyboston software firm are on the government's minimum wage naming list of 3 September, for £5,230.89 owed to 21 workers. 8 September 2026 · 5 min read Bins and recycling Bedford Tip: 26,000 Vehicles Registered, Plate Now Required Barkers Lane tip now needs your number plate registered online, and 26,000 vehicles signed up in the first month. How to register and what to bring. 5 September 2026 · 8 min read Schools Bedford School Goes Co-Ed in 2027: Saturday Lessons End Too Bedford School admits girls from September 2027. Its own FAQs end Saturday morning lessons and make Burnaby the girls' house. A petition against has 526 signatures. 5 September 2026 · 8 min read Health Bedford NHS physio changes provider on 1 October Cora Health now runs Bedford's NHS physio and MSK service. Self-refer online or call 01908 229 432, 8.30am to 5pm weekdays. The 13 Bedford borough clinics listed. 1 September 2026 · 10 min read Community Bedford Youth Panel awards £87,000 to eight projects Eight Bedford organisations share just over £87,000, and college students chose them. Girls' football, a creative hub and autism youth groups are funded. 1 September 2026 · 3 min read Universal Universal Bedford: 28,000 jobs, and who polices the site Ministers met eight councils in Bedford on 20 August. Bedford has no planning power over the Universal site: breaches go to the government, not Borough Hall. 25 August 2026 · 4 min read House Prices Bedford house prices up £13,849, fastest of its neighbours The borough average is £329,830, up 4.4% against England's 1.8%. But May's £334,156 was an all-time record, and June gave £4,326 of it straight back. 25 August 2026 · 5 min read Jobs Bedford Claimant Count: Under-25s Up 27% in Two Years Bedford's claimant count has barely moved in two years. Underneath it, claims by 18 to 24 year olds are up 26.7 per cent and the 25 to 49 group is down 6.1 per cent. 22 August 2026 · 8 min read Housing Prebend Centre Bedford closes 1 October, council takes over The Prebend Centre shuts at the end of 1 October and Bedford Borough Council takes over rough sleeper services. Night beds become self-contained rooms. 18 August 2026 · 6 min read Environment Bedford recycling rate: 36.8%, below England's 42% Defra puts Bedford at 36.8% for 2024/25, behind every neighbour but Luton. The council says 11,774 tonnes were recycled before food waste collections began. 18 August 2026 · 4 min read Health Bedford Hospital care hub approved: 249 parking spaces go Permission was issued on 13 August for the six-storey elective care hub: 25 conditions, 249 hospital parking spaces lost, 20 years to submit final designs. 15 August 2026 · 6 min read Schools Bedford A level results: 20 August re-mark deadline The priority re-mark deadline is 20 August, and grades can go down as well as up. Bedford Modern published 52% at A*-A; other schools still show 2025. 15 August 2026 · 5 min read Health Bedford Hospital elective care hub: approval recommended Officers recommended approval for Bedford Hospital's phased six-storey elective care hub and East West Rail withdrew its objection before Monday's committee. 11 August 2026 · 4 min read