About Bedford

Once home to the Rolls Royce plant, these days Bedford is better known as a commuter town and is thriving as such. Alongside the town's leafy suburbs new developments are springing up, offering housing that is just a short hop away from London, but there is still much of Bedford's history on show too.

In the centre of town the modern sits side by side with the classic, the Gothic church of St. Mary's being a prime example of this, and the well-tended Embankment Gardens that follow the river through Bedford lend it an idyllic feel on a summer's day.

Being one of Europe's most diverse communities in terms of the number of nations represented - a quality it wears with pride - Bedford is obviously somewhere you can sample food from around the world, whether it be Greek, Middle Eastern or Asian to name but a few. The town is home to a very large Italian community and, as such, plays host to many Italian restaurants, delicatessens and grocers for all those in search of that authentic Mediterranean flavour.

Once every two years the River Festival comes to town, attracting nearly a quarter of a million visitors, making it one of the largest outdoor summer events in the country. The Festival comprises fun-fair rides, sporting events and a number of live music stages showcasing both local and more established talent. As well as the River Festival, there is also an annual rowing regatta that brings in many of the country's elite crews for what has become one of the rowing calendar's blue riband events.

Bedford has been home to several famous names over the years, but perhaps two really stand out: comedian, comedy writer and national treasure the late Ronnie Barker came from Bedford, as does one of Britain's most successful and well known athletes, Paula Radcliffe.