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9 - 11 December: Bedford's Victorian Christmas Fair

Author: Andrew Commons, Corporate Communications, BBC

Published: 22nd November 2011 15:00

Event:  Bedford's Victorian Christmas Fair
Date:  9th - 11th December

Time:  All day event
Location:  Harpur Square, Midland Road and Harpur Suite, Bedford

Victorian Christmas Fair Returns to Bedford Town Centre

Bedford Borough Council is delighted to announce the Victorian Christmas Fair will once again return to Bedford Town Centre and the High Street on December 9th, 10th and 11th.

This year's Fair will include a huge range of festive stalls and activities for the whole family and will also see a Continental Market creating a bustling and vibrant shopping environment on the High Street.

First trialled last year, the temporary pedestrianisation of the High Street for the 2010 Victorian Christmas Fair resulted in an average 56% increase in footfall over the three days of the Fair in this part of the town centre compared to 2009.

Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: "The Victorian Christmas Fair provides the perfect festive environment for Christmas shopping for everyone throughout the weekend. Bedford Town Centre will be a vibrant and attractive place to be in the run up to Christmas, and we want to encourage as many shoppers as possible into the town centre during this vital period to enjoy the festivities and support local businesses.

"In addition to the 200 metres of continental markets on the High Street, there will be a huge range of stalls and activities, including fairground rides, street entertainment and band performances throughout the town centre on Harpur Square and Midland Road."

A number of changes have been made to the layout and the traffic management systems for the 2011 Victorian Christmas Fair which should help improve surrounding roads as well as improving the experience for shoppers and businesses in the town. The layout of the market stalls will be staggered to allow better access around the stalls. To improve traffic flows, traffic will this year be prohibited from turning right from St. Peter's Street on to St. Cuthbert's Street.

For further information on all the great events happening for Christmas in Bedford, please visit http://www.bedfordevents.co.uk/

The High Street will be closed from the junction with St. Peter's Street and Broadway and continue until St. Paul's Square. Mill Street will be closed from Duke Street. St. Paul's Square will operate as normal with traffic turning right onto the High Street.

A 200 metre long Continental Market will occupy the High Street running from the Lime Street area to Mill Street and from Mill Street running south towards St. Paul's Square. There will be a gap at the junctions of Silver Street and Mill Street for emergency access and street entertainment performances.

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