Mid Bedfordshire Town Centres

Shopping in Mid Bedfordshire

Mid Bedfordshire has a range of delightful market towns and villages. Each has its own character and many have excellent facilities for eating, drinking and shopping which are well worth discovering. Many of the towns and villages have their own website where you can find details of shops, markets, pubs and restaurants and community events. Click on the links below to access these sites:

Ampthill
Ampthill remains a bustling market town with a mix of specialist shops ranging from antiques and furniture restoration, upholstery and picture framing through to crafts, music shop, artists and dance studios and a range of inns and restaurants. Shoppers also benefit from butchers, local bakers, greengrocers, a supermarket and an electrical goods store.

Ampthill’s market town status has been extended in the past few years with its monthly Farmers’ Market held on the last Saturday of every month. It now has, on average, some 20 market stalls selling quality local produce. Recently, Ampthill was one of only 75 UK farmers’ markets to be officially certified by the National Association of Farmers’ Markets (NAFM) as part of its ‘gold standard’ scheme.   

To find more about Ampthill’s businesses and services, visit: www.ampthill.org.uk/shop.htm

Arlesey
Arlesey is best known for having the longest High Street in England and has four General Stores at various intervals. Two of these (one at each end of the village) also house Post Offices. Along the High Street there is an Estate Agent, a betting shop, a lawnmower repairers, a carpet warehouse, a barbers, a hairdressers and an antiques shop. There is also a farm shop selling potatoes and onions which is open on Saturday mornings. At the junction of Stotfold Road and House Lane there is a garage which does repairs and MOTs.

Arlesey is relatively well off for eating places as, in addition, to the several public houses which serve food, there are two sandwich shops, a cafe, a fish and chip shop, an excellent Indian restaurant/takeaway and a Chinese takeaway.    

To find more about Arlesey’s businesses and services, visit: www.arleseytc.co.uk

Biggleswade
Weekly market on a Saturday. Farmers Market in Market Square, Biggleswade from 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m., on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. 

E-mail: biggleswadetown@btopenworld.com

To find more about Biggleswade’s businesses and services, visit: www.biggleswade.org

Cranfield
www.geocities.com/cranfieldweb

Flitwick
There has been a settlement at Flitwick since Saxon times, but in recent years Flitwick has grown from a small village into a busy town.

For residents and visitors there are essential shopping facilities, a leisure centre, a village hall, lower and middle schools, a very busy library, parks and playgrounds for local children, including a new and very popular skatepark.

The Town Council has aspirations for environmental enhancements in the town centre, adding to its planting schemes, street lighting improvements, bus shelter provision, allotments and hedge and tree preservation.

To find more about Flitwick's businesses and services, visit: www.flitwick.gov.uk

Potton
Potton is an ancient market town and its history can be traced back to the 10th century. In medieval times Potton was one of the three most important towns in the county. From the 12th century it had a flourishing weekly market, with an important Horse Fair in January which continued until the 1930s.      

Modern Potton retains much of its heritage, with interesting shops and several public houses which are happy to provide meals. The town is also on the Mid Beds scenic route and also the route of the Kingfisher Way.

To find more about Potton's businesses and services, visit: www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/pottontowncouncil/

Sandy
Sandy is a town which in the last ten years has almost doubled its population.  Despite this it has retained its rural identity and feel and the hills of the Greensand Ridge can still clearly be seen, even from the Market Square.      

The Town Centre has a full range of retail shopping and banking facilities and the weekly Friday market brings in visitors from the neighbouring villages.      

Eating out in Sandy is no problem; there are a choice of local Public Houses serving a range of food from simple bar meals to a la carte menus. There is also a good selection of Chinese and Indian establishments, all in the Town Centre area.

To find more about Sandy's businesses, services and weekly Friday market, visit: www.sandy-bedfordshire.co.uk

Shefford
Shefford is one of the fastest growing communities in this area of Bedfordshire. The town has held a market since 1225 when a Charter was granted, and today a weekly market is held every Friday in the High Street. Each October the wide main street becomes a fairground during the annual Michaelmas Fair, which has been held in the town since 1312.  

Shefford has a history of change and expansion, but the town has retained many historic buildings, giving it a charming atmosphere. The town is well served by a wide range of shops for residents and visitors alike, and the restaurants and pubs, some serving beer brewed by the town’s own brewery, make it a good choice for an evening out.    

To find more about Shefford's businesses, services and weekly Friday market, visit: www.sheffordtown.co.uk

Link your town or village website to this page. Contact us at: econ.dev@midbeds.gov.uk