From favourite places to visit to hidden gems, Bedford Borough Council is shouting about what’s great where we all live in a regular feature.
Every councillor is being invited to answer questions about their ward, to reveal the best places to shop, socialise or spend a lazy Sunday, and to share facts that you might not know or dates that you should put in your diary.
This week it’s Councillor Sue Oliver, who represents Kempston North ward.
Describe Kempston North in five words.
The ‘green lung’ of Kempston.
Where is your favourite place to eat in Kempston North and why?
We only have a couple of cafes in the ward, but Mar-Chelles on Bedford Road serves tasty snacks and you can sit outside and watch the world go by.
Where is your favourite place to go for a drink in Kempston North and why?
Our other cafe is at Project 229, also on Bedford Road. It is more of a community hub as there is always something going on there.
Tell us a great place for a family to visit in Kempston North?
It has to be Addison Howard Park which has an extensive play area for all ages as well as plenty of space to run around or have a picnic.
What is a hidden gem in Kempston North?
The Green Man Community Garden really is a hidden gem - a quirky and peaceful green oasis, tucked away at the rear of Addison Park near Kempston Grange. Set up and tended by volunteers, it is described as the ‘Secret Garden’ by those who have discovered it.
What’s your favourite way to spend a lazy Sunday in Kempston North?
The River Great Ouse forms one of the ward boundaries as it meanders from Manor Drive at one end to the Slipe at the other. I love to walk my dog alongside it as a Sunday treat for both of us.
What has been your favourite change that you have seen in Kempston North in recent years?
I’ve been pleased to see efforts to give nature a helping hand in recent years. The planting at the Library and the One Stop Shop by Kempston Climate Change Group, more street trees and less mowing in certain areas have made an already green ward even more sustainable.
What is the highlight of the calendar year in Kempston North?
The Eid event which has taken place in Addison Howard Park in early summer over recent years is a fantastic multicultural weekend which has now established itself as one of the biggest celebrations of this festival in the country.
Tell us something most people won’t know about Kempston North.
There is a walkway which through the centre of the ward running from the end of King Street to the playing fields on Hillgrounds Road. It’s called Willsher Walk and even most locals don’t know its name. Also, a family of foxes live in the wooded area at the northern end; they became very tame during lockdown and the cubs can often be seen playing out in the open at dusk.
Name one thing that you’d like to see come to Kempston North.
Addison Howard Park is the largest of Bedford Borough’s parks not to have a cafe. Residents would love to have this facility, preferably as part of a refurbished Kempston Grange, which has stood empty for too many years.
I’d also like to see the return of a regular bus service to Hillgrounds Road.