TheBedfordClanger_June2011

8/6/2019 TheBedfordClanger_June2011

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THEBEDFORDCLANGER

ISSUE 1: JUNE 2011

For: music-loversculture-vultures

crafters

artists

makers

gardeners

traders

foodiesfashionistas

email: [email protected] blog:thebedfordclanger.wordpress.comtwitter:@bedfordclanger

FREE

Photoby:ShaunArmstrong

Your finger-on-the-pulse, indispensable guide to

whats going down in this town.


2/8

JUNE 2011THEBEDFORDCLANGER

2Which pub makes the best chips in Bedford?

GET ON YOUR BIKE

HOMETOWN TOURIST:

Off the beatentrack - but well worth

checking out - is

The Blue Glass,

Bedfords onlyindependent wine

merchant. We meet

owner John Barnesto raise a glass to

this wonderful shop.

BC: What inspired you toopen a wine merchants?JB: I have a great interest in wine

and after working in the wine

trade in Cambridge for many

years, decided after moving to

Bedford that an independent wine

shop was missing from the town

so I thought Id give it a go.

BC: How has the recessionaffected your business?

Are people more likely todrink at home rather thango to the pub?JB: Well I opened my doors at the

very start of the recession so its

tricky to tell as I had no previous

years to go on but so far we seem

to be holding our own.

BC: What is the price rangethat you offer? Is it re-ally worth spending lots ofmoney on a bottle of wine?JB: We sell bottles of wine from

about 5.00 upwards. Price does

make a difference as duty and

VAT is approximately 2.50 a

bottle so on a very cheap wine

youre not really getting very

much actual wine for your

money. Having said that, you

dont need to spend a fortune to

get a really good quality bottle.

We sell some stunning wines at

around the 7 - 10 mark that put

a lot of the supermarket wines to

shame (in our humble opinion!).

BC:What makes a reallygreat wine?JB: A really great wine is one that

has been made with passion and

pride by the wine-maker. From

the soil to the nished wine in

the bottle, its all about getting

all these things to come together

and at the same time adding some

individuality.

BC: What are your best sell-ing white, red and

sparkling wines?JB: In the reds we sell a fair

amount of South American wine

(Chile and Argentina), as its an

area that I think still has lots more

potential, so we tend to recom-

mend some really stunning wines

from there that give you plenty of

wine for your money.

In the whites it tends to be the

classics from France (Chablis,

Sancerre etc), but also a fair

amount of New World Sauvignon

Blancs.

Sparkling it has to be Prosecco!

Sales of Prosecco in the UK have

sky-rocketed in the last few years

as its an easy and approachable

zz at an inexpensive price.

BC: If you could make oneimprovement to Bedford,what would it be?JB: Id like to see the river side of

Bedford promoted more. Its the

jewel in the crown of the town

and a good wine bar looking

over the river would be fantastic,

obviously with wines supplied by

myself of course!

BC: And finally, sum upBedford in three words...JB: Full of potential.

UNIQUE BEDFORDTHE BLUE GLASS, ST. CUTHBERTS STREET

ROLL UP! ROLL UP!

Sideshow Design is a Bedford-based company pro-ducing beautiful hand-pulled screen prints inspired bythe heritage of music hall, vaudeville and circus imag-ery.

Using paper from the UKs last remaining waterwheel-powered

paper mill in Taunton and hand mixing all their inks in their Bedford

studio, Matt Cullen and Richard Bainbridge are dedicated to sourcing

a product that is completely made in Britain. From vintage sayings

to daredevil circus performers, you can even commission your own

personalised creation.

For your chance to WIN a framed Gorgeous print from Side-

show Design, please email [email protected] by 30th

June with Gorgeous as the subject and a winner will be selected at

random. Good luck!

Check out the website at sideshowdesign.co.uk for more cool

designs and how to get in touch with Matt and Rich.

SIDE SHOW ART

When you live in

a town you often overlookmany of the extraordinarythings it has to offer. Its soeasy to become blas aboutBedford, thinking thatthere is nothing beneath itsmarket-town faade. How-ever, look a bit harder andyoull discover theres moreto Bedford than meets theeye. Why not be a tourist inour town for a day and seewhat you can find

With a distinct lack of undu-

lating countryside and rolling

hillsides, Bedford is very forgiv-ing for the novice cyclist. With

possibly the attest terrain outside

the Netherlands, there really is no

excuse not to hop on your bike,

leave your carbon footprint at

home and explore what the locale

has to offer.

An added benet is that the Na-

tional Cycle Route 51 (connect-

ing Cambridge in the west with

Colchester in the East) runs slap

bang through the town centre, and

if you dont have your own bike,

there are two cycle hire outlets

nearby at Priory Marina

(priorymarinacycling.co.uk)

and Danish Camp (danishcamp.co.uk).

With broad, smooth cycle

paths, the stretch of Route 51

between Aspects and the Danish

Camp is particularly family-

friendly. There is plenty to look

at (although the sewage plant

is probably an acquired taste)

and the route takes you through

farmers elds and alongside the

Great Ouse, so theres ample op-

portunity for nature spotting we

saw a heron on the weir alongside

the cinema, and a pair of nesting

grebes at Priory Marina.

The only hill on this part of

the route is the bridge over thebypass, but this is rewarded with

great views across the green and

pleasant landscape of Bedford-

shire (as long as you can ignore

the drone of speeding vehicles

beneath you). Of course, the best

bit is free-wheeling down the

other side with the wind in your

hair and the promise of an ice-

cream at the Danish Camp.

The Danish Camp is so named

as it is adjacent to one of the few

water-lled moats still remaining

from the Viking age. In addition,

history tells that the Danes sailed

from The Wash to Willington

where they made a homestead

and repair harbour. Tours of

the moat (an English Heritage

Scheduled Ancient monument)

can be taken something for our

next sojourn.

Aside from its historical pedi-

gree, the log cabin at the Danish

Camp is a great place to re-fuel

with hearty scran or even a well-

deserved alcoholic beverage. Be

prepared to queue for some time

to order your food though its a

popular riverside spot enhanced

by its free bouncy castle and array

of caged ferrets, chickens, rabbits

and the biggest owl in the world

(or so it appeared) which seemed

to keep children of all ages en-

thralled. Boat trips and boat hire

are also available.

Leaving one feeling virtuously

carbon-friendly, a days bike-rid-

ing around Bedfordshire is a great

way to explore the countryside,

see the town and villages from

a different angle and burn some

calories.

To paraphrase Norman Tebbitt,

Get on your bike, Bedfordians!


John Barnes: A Good Vintage

WIN SOME ART


3/8

THEBEDFORDCLANGER

3What is your favourite beer garden in Bedford? Summer is here!

BIGGING UPBEDFRINGE

Now in its 5th year,Bedfringe is prob-

ably the only fringe

festival without a fes-

tival. Not that thats

stopped it becom-

ing an established

fixture in the cultural

calendar and attract-

ing top-name acts

to Bedford time and

time again.

This year is no exception.

With events taking place in

numerous venues throughout the

town, Bedfringe will take place

from 15th to 30th July and thereis something for everyone on this

years itinerary. Working in con-

junction with the Bedford Players

Trust and our most famous bever-

age export, Eagle Beer, over 50

acts will thrill and entertain us

from magicians to music, poetry

to performance art.

If youve always wanted to

check out the Edinburgh Fringe,

you might as well save yourself

the Easyjet ight, as Bedford will

be hosting many performers pre-

viewing their Edinburgh shows, as

well as unique opportunities to see

top-name performers in intimate

venues such as The Place Theatre,The Ent Shed and the South Bank

Arts Centre at Bedford College.

We Are Bedford (organisers of

the Castle Quay Weekender) are

also involved. They are putting

on a Busking Festival in various

town centre locations over 23rd

and 24th July, turning spaces into

places with exceptional music and

performance.

Among those taking part in

Bedfringe are (Bromhams own)

Simon Munnery, former Bedford-

ian John Hegley, BBC1s award-

winning comedy illusionists Barry

& Stuart, our very own Ouse Val-

ley Singles Club, Phil Nichol &

Stephen Carlin, Patrick Monahan

and a host of other marvellous and

intriguing performances too nu-

merous to mention here. The next

issue of The Clanger will be a

Bedfringe special, but if you cant

wait til then, check out bedfringe.

com or call the box ofce on

01234 269519 for full listings info

or bedfringe.com

For over 100 years,the Riverside

Tennis Club has

stood on Goldington

Road, with the aim of

bringing tennis to a

wider audience. As

Wimbledon fortnight

approaches, whatbetter way to get the

low-down on tennis

in our town than to

chat to Neil Frankel,Director of Tennis at

the club.Most peoples perception of

club tennis is based on Wimble-

don grass courts, pristine white

outts and a hushed atmosphere,

explains Neil. In reality, the

other grand slams and most tennis

clubs have a much more modern

outlook. Of course, the game is

important, but there is as much

emphasis on fun and socialising

too.

We welome players of any

age and ability and have coaches

and courses to help you improve

your game. Our childrens class-

es start from as young as three

with the aim of building skills

and agility through fun activities.

Each activity is based around a

game, so the kids learn the tools

of tennis almost by accident.

Isnt it about time Bedford

produced a tennis champion?

After all, weve pretty much

got athletics, badminton, rugby,

rowing, cycling and boxing

covered

Weve got some phenom-

enal 10 and 11 year olds who

have the potential to go on to

great things, says Neil. Britain

has enjoyed great success in the

Junior Grand Slam events, but

so far, very few players have

achieved the top rankings on the

senior circuit. So can Andy

Murray win Wimbledon this

year? Murray is too good not

to win a Grand Slam, although I

think hes more likely to crack the

US Open as it suits his game bet-

ter. You have to remember that

Wimbledon is the only tourna-

ment played on grass it really is

a different ball game!

So, if Murrays not a contend-

er, who do you think will be lift -

ing the mens and ladies trophies

on Centre Court this year?

Novak Djokovic is looking

really strong and has had a great

start to this season. As far as the

women go, you can never

underestimate the Williams sis-

ters. However, it would be great

if Murray could do it.

riversidetennisbedford.co.uk

tel: 01234 352726

WHAT TO WEAR:

TALKING TENNIS

FIZZ &FRAISES atTHEBEDFORDSWAN

Why not get intothe Wimbledon spirit

with the Champagne

& strawberries

events at The

Bedford Swan Hotel?

From 20th June, Wimbledon

will be shown in the grassed

courtyard of the hotel. Relax at

one of the seven tables and chairs

and enjoy televised court-sideaction. Enjoy a tradional jug

of Pimms, or choose from the

Champagne and strawberries

promotional menu. You will get a

free punnet of strawberries with

every bottle of sparkling wine or

Champagne purchased, a straw-

berry themed dessert and glass of

zz for just 7.95 or enjoy a bowl

of strawberries and cream free

with every bar meal purchased

while you enjoy Murray et (Nad)

al in action, all in association with

Mot & Chandon. Cheers!

bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

Rubyrocksdress45

Blowfshsandles55

Nouvellevintage

heartneckl

ace50

Braceletsfrom18

Stefania is wearing

Vagabondw

ellies45

Superdryshorts45

Superdryvest25

Superdryshirt50

The end of June sees two highlights of the year: the start of Wimbledon and the Glastonbury festival. Cueunseasonably torrential rain from 20th June onwards

We asked the boys and girls at Planet (01234 217171) and Boutique Planet (01234 215336) in The Arcade to

put together outts inspired by these two events. As youd imagine wellies make an appearance!

Gstarshorts89

ipopsarefromhavaianasat22

Sergiotacchinipolo30

Gstararcpants109

Adidasbeckenbaue

rtrainer60

Superdryhoody60

Danny is wearing

Photos by: Shaun Armstrong


JUNE 2011

Nouvellevintagebrac

elet30

Neil Frankel: New balls please!


4/8

THEBEDFORDCLANGER

4Quite a lot going on this month.

LISTINGS THIS JUNE 2011Fri 10th JuneDe Winter album launchNew release from one of Bedfords nest -

De Winter Esquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com

A Taste Experience at TheBedford Swan Hotel withTaste Real FoodEnjoy a 5 course meal using seasonal local

produce and accompanied by speciallyselected wines. 7.30pm Taste Real Food

members: 35 non-members: 40

The Bedford Swan Hotel

www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

Ouse ValleySingles Club + supportThe Bedford rascals are promoting their

new album.

Esquires Dannys Bar

bedfordesquires.com

Hellfyre club nightMusic + dancing = great night!

Esquires - Holy Molys

bedfordesquires.com

The 1 Night WhipElectro/House Bassmusic

The Padthepadbedford.com

Sat 11th JuneTaste Forum - a sensory ed-ucation of locally sourcedfoodThe Bedford Swan Hotel in association

with Taste Real Food will be offering

cookery demonstrations using fabulous

local grub from 11am - 4pm

The Bedford Swan Hotel

Sue Miller 07753 780607 tasterealfood.

com

Life of RileyIrish Celtic rock

Kings Arms 01234 354494

Theatre of Widdershinspresents: Three Billy Goats& other furry tailsWonderful puppetry in this chidrens show

based around the Magic Land of Three

Tickets: 7 Family ticket: 20 (2 adults/2

children) Age 3+

Bedford School Theatre

01234 269519 bedfordschool.org.uk/

theatre

Shannon Express- MaleClose Harmony Chorusfrom PottonGreat songs, great voices, great harmonies

8pm The Parish Church of St Andrew,

Kimbolton Road. Tickets 7

shannonexpress.org.uk box ofce: 01234

269519

LoadedClassic indie night. Doors 10.30pm 3before midnight

The Pad

thepadbedford.com

Bromham Millers:Furniture Revamping MadeEasyCome & learn a new skill and revitalise

an old piece of furniture at the same time.

25 per person (20 each if you bring a

friend)

Bromham Mill

Jane McGill 01234 311544

Fri 3rd JuneHigh School RocksHigh School Rocks 6pmBedford Corn Exchange

01234 344813

Sat 4th JuneBootleg ZooClassic rock with female lead

Kings Arms 01234 354494

Artist of the Month: ErnestSargiesonBedfordshire based artist, scholar of the

Royal Academy. Watercolour landscapes

& old buildings

The Art Centre & Gallery 01234 344784

Design & make your ownjewelleryAmanda Curtin will provide ideas and

techniques to create jewellery from a

range of fab products

The Art Centre & Gallery 01234 344784

Philharmonia7:30pm Bedford Corn Exchange

01234 344813

LoadedClassic indie night. Doors 10.30pm 3

before midnight

The Pad thepadbedford.com

Sun 5th JuneThe Life & Times of JohnBunyan*Follow in the footsteps of John Bunyan

11am Tourist I nformation Centre 01234

221712 visitbedford.co.uk

Music QuizJohn Cutlers music quiz. Now in its 21st

year!

Kings Arms 01234 354494

Tues 7th JuneThat Time of the MonthComedy ClubEsquires - Holy Molys

bedfordesquires.com

Kathy Browns GardenThese beatiful gardens are open to the

public from 1-5pm. Bring a picnic, enjoy

a tour with Kathy or feel free to wander on

your own. Tea & cake from 3.15 - 4.15pm

2.50. Entrance: 4.50

The Manor House, Church Road, Stev-

ington, MK43 7QB

01234 822064 kathybrownsgarden.com

Wed 8th JuneTea Dance2.00pm

Bedford Corn Exchange

01234 344813

Open Mic NightJam with Steve JonesKings Arms 01234 354494

Wind Down WednesdayFeat. Del Bromham (Stray)


bedfordesquires.com

Who Lived In A House LikeThis*Ever walked past an interesting house

in the town centre & wondered about its

past? Nows your chance to nd out!

11am Tourist I nformation Centre

01234 221712 visitbedford.co.uk

Disciples of GonzoEsquires Dannys Bar

bedfordesquires.com

Handcrafted inBedfordLots of lovely handcrafted goodies for sale

at this gorgeous market. 15 stalls of loveli-

ness! Midland Road [email protected]

Sun 12th JuneMusic QuizJohn Cutlers music quiz. Now in its 21st

year!

Kings Arms 01234 354494

Denny McCaffery BandEsquires Dannys Bar

bedfordesquires.com

The Rise & Fall of BedfordCastle*Bedford Castle was removed stone by

stone. Find out more on this guided

walk..11am

Tourist Information Centre


Bedford Italian

Festival 2011A free festival taking place in the towncentre to celebrate Bedfords Italian com-

munity. Expect food, music, cars, dance

and exhibitions.

Bedford Town Centre


theatre

Tues 14th JuneBeer Appreciation ClubBeer chat with brewers. Cheers!

Esquires - Holy Molysbedfordesquires.com


public (See 7th June)


ington, MK43 7QB


Wed 15th JuneOpen Mic NightJam with Steve Jones

Kings Arms 01234 354494

B.U.S.T.T -William ShakespearesTwelfth Night(a cacophony of love)A 90 minute adaptation which maintains

the authentic language of the Shakespear-

ian era set in a hotel inspired by the 50s.

Tickets 10.00, concessions 8.00

The Place Theatre

www.theplacebedford.org.uk./tickets.

Wind Down WednesdayAcoustic showcase


bedfordesquires.com

The Jewel inBedfords Crown*A circular walk along Bedfords beautiful

Victorian Embankment

7pm Tourist Information Centre 01234


Thurs 16th JuneKathy Browns GardenAn evening opening of Kathys stunning

garden in aid of the National Garden

Scheme Charities. 6pm - 9pm 4.50

children free


ington, MK43 7QB


Featuring clothes from White StuffTo Superdryfootwear from UGG,Fly London,Birkenstock and

Havianas Flip Flops18 The Arcade, Bedford

We are open for breakfast, for coffee & cakes through the morning,serve lunch from noon, & have hot fresh food available all day &

through the evening.

Tel: 01234 261332 www.embankmentbedford.co.uk

Bedfords premier music venue - bringing the best in live music to

Bedfordshire. www.bedfordesquires.co.uk

Your local just off the High Street.

Great beers, great food,

great live music, great atmosphere.

Tel: 01234 354494

St. Marys Street, Bedford

Run by and for music lovers

bringing you the best in indie

and underground music

The Pad, Lurke Streetwww.thepadbedford.com

The countys largest art store specialising in picture framing, original paintings &

ne art prints, art & craft materials, cards & gifts.

Our friendly team of experts are there to advise and assist you with your creative needs.

Howard Street, Bedford MK40 3HS

01234 344784

Want to look like youve

just stepped out of the

salon?

45 minute Blow Dry Boot

Camp Special

Cost 25 Redeemable

against Redken Products

JUNE 2011


5/8

5I like what youve done with your hair.

Thurs 16th - Fri 17thARABICAFollowing the theme of environmental

awareness, ARABICA is a musical &

dramatic performance highlighting the

problem of unfair trading



theatre

Fri 17th June

Evarose + Atlas & I + EnvyFourThree great bands in one great place

Esquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com

Lost for Words + guestsEsquires Dannys Bar

bedfordesquires.com

Mutiny club nightEsquires - Holy Molys

bedfordesquires.com

Fri 17th- 24th JuneBedford College School of

ArtDesign & Media:Summer Exhibition

Free exhibition of students workBedford College South Bank Arts Cen-

tre bedford.ac.uk

Sat 18th JuneSingle FileBlues, soul & rock

Kings Arms 01234 354494

Imperial PromotionsHatefestCome along from 6pm to see Aghast + Le-

gion + Radiating Eyes +Shadow Factory +

tbcEsquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com

Geoff & Hammys NorthernSoul NightFloor llers from the Northern Soul vaults

Esquires - Holy Molys bedfordesquires.

com

The Pad Presents: WholeLotta LedTake the stairway to heaven with this

Led Zepplin tribute band. Doors 7.30pm

14 advance tickets Civic Theatre

[email protected]

01234 269519

Loaded at The PadClassic indie night. Doors 10.30pm 3

before midnightthepadbedford.com

Textural Collage WorkshopSarah Janavicius will run her inspirational

collage workshop from 10am - 4pm. All

materials provided. 35 per person (30

each if you bring a friend)

The Craft Centre, Colnworth

Sarah Janavicius 01234 363112


year! Kings Arms 01234 354494

Bernie Marsden (exWhitesnake)Ex-Whitesnake rocker plays Rory Gal-

lagher Esquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com

The Silent Faces of Bedford*A look at the statues and monuments in

our town

11am Tourist Information Centre


Mon 20th JuneOuse Valley Singles Club ontourIts not in Bedford, but why not catch

them outside of the shire?

Funhouse Comedy Club, Derby

funhousecomedy.co.uk

Tues 21st June- 25thWhose Life Is It Anyway?

By Brian ClarkHarrison is a sculptor who is left tetraple-gic following a road crash. She uses her

wit and intelligence to deal with her situa-

tion.(16+) audience.

Tickets 7.50, concessions 6.00.

The Place Theatre

theplacebedford.org.uk

Tues 21st JuneKathy Browns GardenThese beatiful gardens are open to the



ington, MK43 7QB


Wed 22nd JuneOpen Mic NightJam with Steve Jones

Kings Arms 01234 354494

Tea Dance2.00pmBedford Corn Exchange01234 344813

Wed 22nd - Fri 24thAbsurd Persons PluralBedford School Year 9 & 10 students

present excerpts from works by Beckett,

Lonesco, Pinter & Stoppard.



theatre

Fri 24th JuneBedford Alternative MusicPresents Escaping Juliet +supportHardcore/screamo 5 piece!

Esquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com

Soul FoodSoul night with Sam Seed & guests.

Doors 10.30pm 4 before midnight

The Pad thepadbedford.com

Sat 25th JuneOctober RoseFeel-good rock n roll

Kings Arms

01234 354494

Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party2.30 - 4.30pm

St Marys Church, Church Lane, Bed-

ford, MK41 0AP

Entrance 1 Adults, 50p Children

Cream Teas, Childrens Arts & Crafts

Table, Outdoor Play Area, Stalls (cards,

childrens clothes)

Fun for all the family helping to raise

funds for the NCT

Bedfords Got Talent7:30pm

Bedford Corn Exchange

01234 344813

Loaded at The PadClassic indie night. Doors 10.30pm 3

before midnightthepadbedford.com

This Years Winner Is + sup-portEsquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com


year! Kings Arms 01234 354494

Are You Being Served?*A guided walk looking at the history of

the High Street and how shopping has

changed over the last 200 years.

11am Tourist Information Centre


Craft Fair12pm - 4pm

Woodlands Manor, Clapham

01234 363281

Mon 27th JuneOuse Valley Singles Club ontourTheyre in London town!

Lion & the Unicorn, Kentish Town,

Londinium

020 7419 6043




ington, MK43 7QB


Wed 29th JuneTraditional Irish MusicCome along and enjoy the relaxed craic

of traditional Irish music in the bar. Kings

Arms 01234 354494

I Never Knew ThatDiscover Bedfords hidden history on this

wonderful guided walk

7pm Tourist Information Centre 01234


Lady Ks Presents: CoconiBurlesque ball with a variety of perform-

ers. Dress burlesque and enter a prize

draw

The Russell Park Private Club

60 Goldington Rd

Tickets 12.50 at www.ladyks.co.uk

Thurs 30th JuneMinotaur Explodes +

AsbestosEsquires Main Stage

bedfordesquires.com

BOOK NOW

9th JulyPaul Liddell & Thea FordUnique double bill. Thea Ford - pop with

an acoustic edge, this is a rare full band

gig. Paul Liddell - multi-award winning

one-man-band; acoustic music at its very

best. Tickets 10

The Ent Shed entshed.co.uk

email: [email protected]

3rd DecAmy Wadge & Pete Riley +De Winter supportTickets 12The Ent Shed entshed.co.uk

email: [email protected]

*Please note: All guided tours are pre-

booking only. Please call the Tourist

Information Centre to make a booking.

Adults: 3 Children over 8 years 1.50

Take a fresh look at Bedford.

01234 359599

Bedfords Premier 4* hotel set on the banks of the River Ouse

Stay, Meet, Dine, Relax, to keep up to date with offers go to

www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

We supply

corporate clothing,

work clothes, business gifts

promotional products to

large corporations, small

businesses, sports teams,schools and individuals

Tel: 01234 376900

www.pelicanprintwear.co.uk

Opening Mid June 2011

Stay Play Escape

Comfy beds, yummy breakfasts,

gorgeous views

The Old Piggery

Guest Accommodation

West Park Farm

Haynes, Bedford MK45 3RD

Call Rachel on 01234 741983

or 07713 479398

Learn to Sew. Adults and Teen classes. Modern and Stylish projects.

Evening courses. Saturday Workshops. Crafternoons.

www.schoolofcraft.co.uk or call Jo on 07900 905186

Whether youre looking for that special

gift or just fancy a coffee and indulge in

one of our delicious cakes. Do come and

pay us a visit!

34 Castle Lane , Castle Quay

Bedford MK40 3US

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?We really want to hear about your events so we can spread the word to

our fellow Bedfordians.

Cost is 1 per listing

Please email your details to [email protected] with

Listing as the subject by 17th June.

Want to advertise? Then wed love to hear from you too.

THEBEDFORDCLANGER JUNE 2011


6/8

6Where is the best place for a picnic in this town?

THEBEDFORDCLANGER

Sean ODonnell: The host with the most

Bedford boasts some seriouslygood gardens, and some very tal-

ented gardeners. Hot Plot Or Not is

the Bedford Clangers way of track-ing down and putting up some of

these green spaces for the public

vote a green-fingered X Factor, if

you will.Heres how it works: I show you a picture of a garden,

and tell you what I think yes, you guessed it, whether

its hot or not. Then you can visit the Bedford Clanger

blog at http:// thebedfordclanger.wordpress.com to have

your say. Well tot up the votes and tell you whether the

garden got the thumbs up or down.

First up is the front garden of Castle Road resident

Shirley Seaths Victorian terrace. Now, front gardens

are tricky theyre usually small, often without a water

supply and all too frequently neglected in favour of the

back garden. Shirley has packed a lot into a t iny space

here its the plants, not the pots that are centre stage, and

so it should be. An automatic watering system is a must-

have here, making sure the plants stay in tip top condition

despite the south-facing aspect. The cottage garden style

works here because despite the mix of plants, the overall

effect is a well-stocked space with blooms in complemen-

tary shades of pink, blue and purple, and the occasional

shot of yellow iris, not a few higgledy piggledy pots of

lank leaves. The metal fence often a neglected space is

smothered in clematis and pink valerian, and a crab apple

tree adds much-needed height as well. And Shirley gets

extra kudos for the stunning blue anchusa owers, which

stops me in my tracks every time I walk past. So thats

denitely a hot from me, but what do you think? Visit

http:// thebedfordclanger.wordpress.com to vote.

Whether your

gardens a gnome

sanctuary or a

minimalist square

of fake turf, you

can put it forwardfor the Hot Plot Or

Not? Challenge.

Email thebed-

fordclanger@gmail.

com with a picture

and your contact

details with HPON

as the subject and

well pick the most

interesting plot to

pick apart in the

July issue.

For more from

Jane Perrone on gardening, visit her blog at

http://perrone.blogs.com

HOT PLOT or NOTYOU DECIDE

BIGGER &BETTER: THE

BEDFORDI A L A NFESTIVAL 2011

It is a recognised fact that Bedfordhas the largest concentrated Italian

community outside of Italy.

Not only do we benet from great Italian coffee shops,

restaurants, gelato, bars and businesses, but we also have

an established festival to celebrate all things Italiano. The

rst Bedford Italian Festival took place in 2009 and now

two years on, the organisers have put together something

even bigger and better.

On Sunday 12 June, Bedford will recreate a traditional

Italian village festival for a day, showcasing the spirit of

Bedford/Italian culture and saying grazie to the commu-

nity for embracing the diversity of our townsfolk.

Following a morning mass at St Francesca Cabrini

Church on Woburn Road, a procession will bring the Saint

through the streets of Bedford to rest on the stage in Har-

pur Square with an open-air blessing. The town centre

will then celebrate all things Italian, from beautiful classic

cars to sumptuous food and an exhibition of the history

of Bedfords Italian community at The Swan Hotel. As if

thats not enough, celebrity chefGino DAcampo will be

meeting and greeting visitors before a book signing at The

Swan at 3.30pm. Fireworks in Harpur Square at 10pm

will almost certainly be a tting nale to a fabulous day.

Bellissimo! bedforditalianfestival.co.uk

Your Local: THE KINGS ARMS

Want to stopthe local pub

trade dying on its

feet? Then get

yourself down to

one of the many

brilliant Bedford

boozers to find

out what theyre

doing to buck the

trend of a dying

breed. This month

we talk to Sean

ODonnell, land-

lord of The Kings

Arms on St MarysStreet to find outwhat makes his

local such a great

place to hang

outToo old to contemplate

a drink on the High Street

but still want to hear great

music, then get yourself toThe Kings Arms. Estab-

lished in 1682, this pub has

a fascinating history yet

offers everything from live

music to the longest run-

ning music quiz in the land.

Great priced beer (Fosters

at under 3, Guinness at

3.45) plus numerous guest

ales are just a taster of what

Sean has to offer.

We really want to

remind people about what

pub culture is. There is

a whole generation of kids

who drink at home and then

head into town at midnight.

Theyre missing out on the

whole pub experience its

about being sociable and

relaxing with friends; thats

what The Kings Arms is all

about.

With six pubs clos-

ing nationwide every day,its vital that Bedfordians

support their locals, says

Sean. BedSafe has im-

proved the town centre with

penalties for troublemak-

ers. Going to a pub is an

experience and its part of

our heritage that we should

celebrate. Its not simply

about pushing out drinks,

but about enjoying the

whole pub culture.

We cater for everyone

from 18 to 80 year olds,says Sean. We love our

jobs and I call us a local

just off the High Street.

Were not stand-ofsh we

love a laugh and taking the

mickey - and people like

that. Add to that our live

music events and amazing

quizzes and theres some-

thing for everyone you

just have to step off theHigh Street and over the

bridge to nd us!

thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Pub to ClubLast orders is called, but

not ready to go home?

Chat to the bar staff at any

of these pubs and ask for

a ticket granting you free

entry to Esquires:

The Kings Arms

The Wellington ArmsThe Bedford Arms

The Bear


JUNE 2011

Blooming Great


7/8

THEBEDFORDCLANGER

7Put your feet up with a cuppa.

Konvertible is acollaborative art proj-

ect conceived by visualartist Lisa Cheung and

industrial designer

Sammy Delgado Esco-

bar.

Its aim is to bring together

various talented and skilled art-

ists to work collaboratively with

volunteers to produce innovative

designs and to share skills and

knowledge for mutual benet.

Since launching in our town

in October 2010, all the products

from Konvertible Bedford have

been on display and for sale in

local markets in a specially de-

signed Mobile Kiosk (pictured),last seen rocking the Craft Space

at the Castle Quay Weekender.

As a not-for-prot venture, all

earnings are put back into the

project to continue workshops

and encourage communal mak-

ing in the local community.

Currently run in Bedford by

local bag designer extraordinaire

Lisa Tilley, Konvertible was

commissioned by Bedford Cre-

ative Arts as part of their 2010

programme.

The project was ofcially

supposed to end in April, but the

group want to keep it running,

said Lisa. It was always the

dream that the project could

become an independently-run

co-operative of some kind, but

we need money to do so. We are

applying for additional funding,

but the application process takes

time.

We have been thrilled at

the success of the Konvertible

project, and are delighted that themembers want it to continue,

said Dawn Giles of Bedford

Creative Arts . The intention

was for it to be a platform for

creativity, skill sharing, mutual

enabling and sociability and that

has proved to be the case. Al-

though we can no longer support

this project due to commitments

to our 2011 programme, we

would be more than happy to see

it continue and go from strength

to strength.

If you are interested in get-

ting involved in Konvertible or

are able to support the project

nancially, please contact them

through the website.

www.konvertible.com

CAF SOCIETYThe Clangers coffee and cakecorrespondent reflects on thechanging face of Bedfords coffee

houses, and welcomes the rise and

rise of independent coffee shops:

By my reckoning, you are never more than a minuteswalk away from a great cup of coffee in Bedford a town

where the mighty Starbucks and other global corporations

are conspicuous by their absence. I like to think that this

is due to the abundance of independent coffee shops that

each offers a personal touch and unique experience for a

clientele as diverse as our towns people.

My own love of coffee and caf culture began in the

1980s at the Cadena Caf, which stood alone as Bedfords

premier specialist coffee house, lling the Arcade with

the enticing aroma of freshly-ground coffee beans. I sti ll

remember my rst visit as a 17-year old, selecting a Kenya

Peaberry from the menu of exotic-sounding concoctions

from far-ung countries - not to mention the sumptuous

gateaux on traditional, tiered cake stands. Add to that

booth seating and waitress service and it really was the

height of sophistication!

It stood in stark contrast to the canteen-style cafs in

tucked-away corners of department stores like the Little-

woods caf with its coffee poured from pyrex jugs left

on hot plates for indeterminate periods of time, or the tiny

HoneyPot caf in the Beehive, with s ixth-formers (ties

and blazers removed to avoid identication and reprimand)

congregated around cheap coffee and a pack of twenty

Rothmans.

Thank goodness for the legacy of the Cadena and Bed-

fords current caf culture!

Had a great cup of coffee in Bedford? Let us know so

we can share the joy with the rest of the town. Oh, and if

you spot one that sells a Bedfordshire Clanger (of the ed-

ible variety), please take a picture and email it to

[email protected]

Even the mostreluctant gardener

cannot fail to be

lured outside by lin-

gering evening light

and clement weather

this month.

With frosts fading to a memory

(we hope), now is the time to

plant out seedlings of tender veg

such as tomatoes, pumpkins,

squash, climbing beans and chil-

lies: dont worry if you havent

got around to sowing yet - theres

no shame in buying a few tomato

or chilli seedlings from the garden

centre, or ask around - most keen

gardeners have a few spare plants

going begging.And if its prize pumpkins,

courgettes or winter squash

youre after, its just the right

time to sow them outside. For a

classic Halloween pumpkin try

the varieties Connecticut Field or

Ghostrider, but for culinary uses,

winter squash are tastier - I love

Waltham Butternut and Golden

Hubbard. And courgettes? Well,

any old variety will do, youll still

end up with a glut. Just follow the

sowing instructions on the packet,

and make sure you feed the

young plants well with an organic

fertiliser say, a liquid seaweed

feed. But if youre a cheapskate

like me, you can make your own

free fertiliser by steeping bunches

of nettles or comfrey in a lid-

ded bucket for a few weeks. The

resulting black goo diluted

1:10 with water stinks,

but it works wonders, and

gives you the warm glow

of having cost you nothing.

What else to sow now

on the veg patch: peas,

beetroot, Florence fennel,

spring onions, carrots, let-

tuce, radishes, sweetcorn,

spinach, swede, turnips,

and oriental vegetables

such as pak choi and

mizuna.

Other jobs: earth up potatoes,

plant out winter brassicas, mulch

veg beds with grass cuttings to

conserve water and stop weeds,

build supports for French and run-

ner beans and plant them out.

Can I make a plea regarding

bedding plants? Its tempting to

go to the garden centre and buy a

tray of sugar-pink double petu-

nias, another of orange marigolds

and another of something white

and fuzzy that youre not quite

sure what it is: then you get to

the till and youve spent 50 and

youre not quite sure what to do

with it all. I know, Ive done it

myself. But a bit of planning can

pay off in the long run. Firs t, de-

cide on a simple colour scheme,

and stick to it rigidly: pinks and

purples, say or red, white and

blue. Then, read the labels on the

plants youre drawn to. Sounds

obvious, yes, but people just dont

do it! Note what plants will work

for you no good planting shade-

loving busy lizzies in a sizzling

hot south-facing windowbox, for

example. And if you want to at-

tract wildlife, avoid double ow-

ers as theyre useless to bees and

other pollinating insects. Plant

your purchases as soon as pos-

sible after you get home every

hour spent in those weeny pots

and theyre less likely to thrive

once in situ.

Other jobs for this month:

Keep climbers under control

by tying them into supports or

fences; overcrowded spring bulbs

can be lifted, divided and re-

planted; grab yourself some free

soil improver from the Barkers

Lane Household Waste Recycling

Centre and use it to mulch ower

beds; mow the lawn, but dont

leave the clippings in a heap to

turn into green goo mix with

layers of crumpled newspaper and

add to the compost heap.

JUNE IN THE GARDEN FUNDING IS CUT,BUTKONVERTIBLEAIM TO CARRY ON

From Local to Globalby Dawn Giles

You will need a signicant yen for travel if you wantto see Bedford artist Edgar Martins work this year with

exhibitions in China, India, Japan, Portugal and France.

But the big one for me is Venice, Italy. Edgar will be

representing Macau in China at the 54th International

Venice Biennale Exhibition. In a world of festivals and

art fairs Venice is still the most important event in the in-

ternational arts calendar. Portuguese by birth, Edgar grew

up in Macau, moving to the UK in 1996. He now lives in

Bedford.

Opening in June this exhibition is titled, A Metaphysi-

cal Survey of British Industrial Tools & Dwarf Exoplan-

ets.

I have been an admirer of this thoughtful and deeply

aesthetic work since I rst saw it at his 2007 exhibition at

Bedford Creative Arts. Edgar produces photographic es-

says which question the descriptive power of photography

and the nature of visual reality.

If travel really isnt your thing, he has another exhibi-

tion opening at The New Art Gallery Walsall on Septem-

ber 30th. This is not a House is a series of work relating

to the collapse of the US housing market and with a new

book of this work also being published this year by Dewi

Lewis, we really can support Bedfords creative talent

from our armchairs.

The Venice Biennale runs from 4th June to 27th No-

vember 2011.Twitter: @BCADirector

EDGAR MARTINS

JUNE 2011

By Jane Perrone

Get sowing this month

Dwarf Exoplanets Other Sophisms I


8/8

THEBEDFORDCLANGER

8Why not challenge David?

Having moved toLuton at the age of

two, we Bedfordians

are perfectly within

our rights to claimJohn Hegley as one

of our own.

Alongside Ronnie Barker,

Al Murray and Simon Munnery,

John Hegley is one of the shires

most successful performers, and

he will be bringing his unique

brand of poetry-fuelled comedy/

comedy-fuelled poetry to this

years Bedfringe festival.

John is no stranger to perform-

ing at Bedfringe, as he took part

in 2007 and 2008. I nd Bed-

fringe very enjoyable. However,

when I last played here, I receivedsome constructive criticism from

a member of the audience who

felt my performance had been

slip-shod. I had to agree with

him and have vowed that as a

mark of respect to the audience,

this years show will be non-slip-

shod in every way.

So what can ticket-holders

expect from John at this years

event? Im not really sure yet.

Its a bit of a metamorphosis of a

show. I was planning on perform-

ing The Adventures of Monsieur

Robinet, which revolves around

my French grandmother and my

father being born in France, but

I might change my mind. I will

denitely be previewing some of

the material that I will be using in

my Edinburgh show though.

John recently came to Bedford

to perform his kids show, Animal

Alphaboat at the Castle Quay

Weekender. The show appealed

to children and adults alike: I re-

ally enjoy the combination of the

honesty of childrens responses

and the clever adults responses.

While an adult doesnt want to

look stupid when theyre asked to

say something in public, a child

will just say whatever they think.

If I were to say: Dont try eating

a Clanger with a coat hanger,

a child would immediately say

that was ridiculous, whereas an

adult would appreciate the surreal

nature of the suggestion.

As a former Bedfordshire

resident, John has recently been

documenting all the rsts that

he achieved while living in Lu-

ton. His rst bike ride, rst goal

scored and rst cigarette were all

achieved, while he had to wait for

his rst kiss til after hed left the

shire. Ahhhh!

So, the burning question is

of course, have you ever eaten aBedford Clanger? Im not re-

ally sure what one is (we explain

the unusual nature of our local

delicacy)Hmmm, well, Im not

really into creature eating, so Id

have to restrict myself to the jam

side. Dont blame you, John!

COMPETITION

Do you fancy winning a pairof tickets to see John Hegley

perform at this years Bedfringe

Festival on Saturday 30 July?

John has very kindly partially-

written a poem especially forthe Clanger. Entitled Luton

Revisited, it evokes the beauty

of Luton. However, the muse

ed John when he got to the letter

O. Can you help complete this

ode to Luton? The best sugges-

tion sent to thebedfordclanger@

gmail.com by Friday 17 June will

be crowned the winner. Please put

Hegley as the subject.

Bon chance!

LUTON REVISITED by John

Hegley (and it could be you!)

Largely underrated

Under Chiltern Hills

Top hatting town

O

Near Dunstable

If you prefer your poems to be

completed by the actual author,

here is Runfold Runaway byJohn Hegley, a previously unpub-

lished work exclusively for The

Bedford Clanger:

RUNFOLD RUNAWAYOur rst burst of petness

was Tabby cat, called Tibby,

in the Runfold region of Luton.

A tough cookie cat.

A wild thing.

The scrawny riverbank nearby

was just his ticket, thicket-wise.

The day we were deserting that

house to go

and take up residence in the

bungalow,that cat just didnt want to know

My dad approaching with a sack

removals already tightly packed

into the van-back

but still with room for one more

item.

And Tibby ran in Runfold.

Its no go the bungalow.

Wed not see one more paw-print

pressed in Luton snow.

JOHN HEGLEY

Nothing slip-shod here

DRAWING A DAYDAVID LITCHFIELD

A BIG BEDFORD

THANK YOU

We know this rst issue isnt

perfect, but we hope you like

it.The Bedford Clanger would

not have been possible without

the quite exceptional talents of

the following people:

Designer: Marisa Straccia

Photographer: Shaun Armstrong

www.mubsta.com

Contributors: Caryl Jones,

Jane Perrone, Dawn Giles,

David Litcheld, the guys at Planet and

Boutique Planet, all our lovely advertis-

ers and listers and of course, you, dear

reader. Cheers!

Cant wait til next month for your

Clanger x? Then check out the blog:

http:// thebedfordclanger.word-press.comWed love to hear from you, so why not

get in touch?

You can email

[email protected]

Erica Roffe (editor)

NEXT ISSUE:

A JULY

BEDFRINGE

SPECIAL

Illustrator David set himself a challenge last June to complete adrawing a day. By his own admission some have been good and some

have been not so good. See them out for yourself at

davidlitcheldillustration.com We love them!

Why not set David your own challenge? Send a topic suggestion to

[email protected] by 17th June with the subject heading

David! and see what he comes up with next month.

JUNE 2011

TheBedfordClanger_June2011

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