Bedford is not just any old town it's a vibrant close community melting pot.
- B Town
- Nov 3, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 27
I used to live about 10 miles away from Bedford on the Northamptonshire / Buckinghamshire / Bedfordshire border, and I never ever came to visit Bedford.
At the crossroads of the A421 and A509, I would drive to Rushden Lakes, Northampton, Olney or Milton Keynes. I never turned left for Bedford. It just wasn't on my radar and I didn't know what I was missing.
Roll on to 2023 and we live in the town centre. Our love for Bedford, its people and the friends we've made has enthralled both of us and we are happily living in a close community that we are proud to call our home.
Community is so precious and important. It's what makes a place feel special even when the surroundings are less than perfect. Like all towns still recovering from Covid, the cost of living crisis, impact of Amazon shopping online, we have our fair share of empty shops and social problems, but Bedford means more than that to us.
Bedford is a wonderful place to be as it's shaped by its diverse population, which represents a variety of cultures and languages coexisting harmoniously. It's said that over 160 languages are spoken here, with people settled from Afghanistan, Turkey, Poland, Korea, Vietnam, France, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Hungary, China, Japan, Portugal, Thailand, Africa, the Caribbean and most famously Italy.
The Italian community here is the largest outside London and is steeped in history. After the end of World War 2, during the 1950's, many men came from southern Italy to work at The London Brick Company in Stewartby.
In time they brought over their families to live here too and as they settled, they imported their home comforts and set up businesses creating a Little Italy within the town centre that is still thriving today. You will here Italian spoken everywhere and you'll feel their warm embrace. If you're interested in finding out more, take time to enjoy discovering the Italian history of Bedford and read this article from the BBC.
Take a look at some of these wonderful places to visit in Bedford. Whether you want to shop for authentic Italian ingredients, sip a cappuccino or eat the best pizza you've ever had in your life, it's all here to explore. Click the images to visit the businesses' websites and experience the incredible Italian flavours yourself!
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