Bedford UK Town Centre 1985 Part 1

In answer to previous questions, the car was a yellow Renault of some kind, with Lee (my cousin) driving while I recorded, using a JVC video camera with a cable connector to a full size VHS recorder running a 12v lead acid battery. Between parts 1 and 2 we stopped at Bedford park and recorded some students singing and dancing. The first time this was on YT it had 37,000 hits, but it was deleted. This is the third version I have uploaded. The music was recorded by myself and Lee, we were only messing about with my synths at the time and would have done a better job had we known that people would be watching 29 years later, check out more ancient clips on Emerton321 KZbin channel.
On The Embankment, what was the Plaza (aka Century, aka The Nite Spot) is demolished, but you can still see red paint on the wall where the projection room would have been. The building still standing was the museum at this time, although it was originally built as an skating rink (afaik, sorry if this is not strictly true). If you watch the Raft Race video on the Emerton321 YT channel, you can see the museum in the background as this was filmed from the other side of the river. The full version of this film is now uploaded, it includes some of the Bedford Park footage and has been frame stabilized where it had dropped frames at the beginning.

[@lxsapphirexl]

I was a child growing up in the 80s. in 1985 i was 8 years old and remember Bedford town very well. Pick & mix at Woolworths, C&A store, the Beehive! So nice to see people just sat having a chat and people watching, not glued to mobile phones!! Life was so much better back then😥😥

[@peternagy-im4be]

Pick and nick....

[@acolegenda3663]

yappuchino mate, melt

[@MuddyZen]

This is great! Grew up in Bedford for 25 years from 79 to 04, this is a real blast from the past, thank you :)

[@acolegenda3663]

you absolute spanner

[@NintyGuy999]

Better times! Everyone looked so much happier and friendlier, nowadays you would get stabbed for looking at someone the wrong way

[@peternagy-im4be]

Better times back then ....

[@suki1978]

My dad had a shop on Midland Road called Janta (1977-1998) it was going down hill fast due to the idiotic council.

[@NintyGuy999]

@@suki1978isn't there a premier called janta on goldington road still?

[@suki1978]

@@NintyGuy999 yes that was the original it use to belong to my Uncle on my mother he persuaded my parents to come to Bedford and helped my father set up his business. The Goldington Road is now run by my Uncle's grandson & his wife

[@BubuRuzu]

diversity

[@raysrcsandtech]

Thanks for posting this, from Bedford and it's amazing how to changed. Remember going into the beehive and C&A as kid, how times change.. After almost 40 years I moved away to Canada so see Bedford every few years.

[@markmason-hd4md]

Great thanks for the upload, brings back memories. I was 14/15 in 1985, the year of the B & C Reg motors. I purchased my first Sony Cassette Walkman from Dixons in Bedford in this year.

[@superlornap]

Blimey this is a blast from the past! Studied there 84-88 and have some great memories. Worked in the Saracen's Head pub in 87.....may be going back soon to see how things have changed.

[@suki1978]

Not there anymore

[@superlornap]

Yes I went back to have a walk around and saw the plaque to say where it stood. It was a pretty depressing walk around the town centre with so many shops closed. But I can see little glimmers of hope to bring life back to Bedford with maximising the river areas and the concerts in the park.

[@peternagy-im4be]

​@superlornap glimmers of hope? Good god almighty are you sure?

[@anthonymills7302]

This is so cool! I was stationed at RAF Chicksands in the 1980's and use to ride this bus every weekend to go shopping in the town center. I hope it is still beautiful now as it was back then.

[@puttington4343]

The Embankment is still nice, but other areas have gone downhill

[@peternagy-im4be]

I have news for you. It isn't.

[@LorFire]

Nope, it’s a pure shithole and they dont spend the money in the right places… if they spend any money at all

[@johnwilliams2479]

I know Chicksands well my grandparents brought land in Shillington in the mid 50s

[@lxsapphirexl]

You may have known my stepdad who was stationed at Chicksands in the 80's, his name is Tom Crouch😀

[@BanglaPassion]

wow people looked so much happier then.

[@peternagy-im4be]

Better times back then in nearly every way possible

[@R-E-D-A-C-T-E-D.]

There is a reason why people looked happy... It's because there Is no modern day technology. No iphones. No teenage girls being absolute bitches Just simple things.

[@Sparx632]

@@peternagy-im4beunless you were a woman or a minority

[@peternagy-im4be]

@@Sparx632 please don't be so silly.

[@Sparx632]

@@peternagy-im4be Not silly at all. If you were gay you were classified as mentally ill, accused of spreading aids and couldn’t get married or adopt kids. If you were trans you may as well not have existed. If you were black or Asian, racism, especially systematic was more rampant than it is today. If you were a woman you were not equal in the work place, were expected to be at home keeping it clean and having kids and you’d be considered a rebel for daring to wear anything that isn’t a dress or a skirt. Climate change was already in progress but nobody wanted to acknowledge it. Things were not better back then, we’ve become a much more open and accepting society that’s actually aware of the issues we’re facing and willing to tackle them and we’ve advanced massively scientifically, medically and technologically and it takes real privilege to think that things have gotten worse. Only issues we’re facing are due to nationalism, conspiracy and politicians who don’t care about what’s actually good for people. That’s why we had Brexit and Covid run down our economy and cause problems like we see in Bedford today with all the shops shutting down.

[@CreamOfBeats]

This is awesome. Thank you! I moved from Bedford in 1986. Lived in Queens Park and Brickhill. If Jason Randall or Canuthe Cato see this (my two best friends), This is Zack! Hit me up! 😛

[@MrJiggz09]

Hiya, I'm Canuthe's nephew, sitting with him, and he says hi and going through memories with me 😂

[@OneEyePI]

Love the music in this

[@bizarredragonsgameland]

I was 3 :) but I've grown up in bedford I do remember some of these old shops and have seen changes. I can't remember when they paved the road thou. Defiantly c&a stays in my mind.

[@goneforapee]

Bring back the 80s , what a decade ! Did you notice on 34 secs the blue astra actually stopped at the junction , before pulling out .Things like that dont happen in 2022.

[@Englishsea24]

I was born in Bedford in 1984. A lot has changed since then

[@emzt5289]

I was born there in 1984 too!

[@ChuckieFinzter]

I left bedford in 84. Lol

[@suki1978]

I was born in 1978 and grew up on Midland Road Bedford.

[@D-777i]

The year I started work. Happier more carefree times...

[@Tigerskys-6699]

Worked in Bedford at Colley Sampson Estate Agents 82-84. Searched for street scenes Bedford 1980s and didn't think I'd find anything so thank you! Nan had a house in The Grove, just up from the The Three Cups pub

[@billb7876]

Looks like Lee took a fancy to the large lady crossing at 1.55 ish lol (great vid thanks)

[@lesleyscott938]

So sad to see how rundown its become and no shops ...

[@suki1978]

It is sad but that's down to us for letting idiotic council ruin it.

[@lesleyscott938]

@suki1978 when I was a kid Bedford was incredible to visit its heartbreaking to see it now ...

[@suki1978]

It's down to the council incompetency and the private landlords greed.

[@covidwasacon]

It's not incompetence...its a plan that's happening across every town in the UK. Believe it or don't...but it's happening

[@peternagy-im4be]

​@covidwasacon you've hit the nail on the head

[@manofweed1]

Amazing to think that in living memory what antique cars were still in daily use then.

[@ABCis123]

The McDonald’s on the high street is still there

[@Emerton321]

Bedford UK Town Centre 1985 full version. The full version of this film is now uploaded, it includes the Bedford Park footage and has been digitally stabilized were it had dropped frames at the beginning.

[@peternagy-im4be]

Some of the synthesizer sounds a bit like early Human League.

[@chattycathy1674]

How brill is this?! I wish I could find footage from bk in the day of my town xx

[@pauldrewery6313]

And now it's a ghost town... So sad.

[@peternagy-im4be]

Much like many other towns in England.

[@jon9218]

Worked there in the 70's do not remember it being like that.

[@jennifersmith-pp6uw]

Remember it well, great to see it, back in the day, 😅😅😅

[@monicajarrold2520]

Look amazing in them time peace and joy

[@SNAFUferret]

Shocking number of Allegros and a bonkers soundtrack.

[@Tomorrowboymex]

Very scary music

[@peternagy-im4be]

Home made synthesiser music

[@BlockABoots]

How on earth do you have the foresight to do this!!!?

[@BlockABoots]

Do you have anymore footage kicking about, would love to see it

[@Emerton321]

Only the stuff that's on Emerton321 YT channel

[@bubble22213]

1:10 isn't that where the harpur center is ?

[@BedfordRovers]

Great Video. #BedfordRovers.

[@Pavan-rz9uo]

Kindness is free

[@MrSteve453]

Such a shame this lovely town now resembles a third world ghetto where the english language is now a rarity

[@DreG884]

Erm no it doesn't! What a stupid comment, you probably met two people who spoke s different language and you were in shock and horror.

[@peternagy-im4be]

@@DreG884 Actually he's correct because of the unlimited mass immigration. And i was one of them. Your country does not look after your own English born and raised.

[@peternagy-im4be]

Correct i came from Hungary to work for one year and if you walked through the town hardly any English is spoken. Unbelievable place.

[@elijahd7388]

I don’t understand what’s wrong with that. You people always get angry at people coming to your country but forget what you all did from 1400-1900 . So many countries invaded and taken over by you all. Bedford is an amazing multi-cultural place, and I would not change it for the world. If you don’t like it, MOVE.

[@elijahd7388]

@@peternagy-im4be well that’s just sad. The fact that you’re an immigrant, just like the most of us here, and you’re complaining about this. I’ve been living here for 14 years and know the deeper meaning of how people from multi-cultural backgrounds are treated. Go back to Hungary if you don’t like it.

[@zardadkhan6092]

Video made by dashcam

[@SENEX12]

Blair destoryed this.....

[@PECKTHERECK]

I would love for someone to watch this and recognise themselves or a friend/relative

[@peternagy-im4be]

Someone commented that he saw himself playing rugby.

[@freemanv4056]

Bedford has changed - and not for the better. So many shops shut in the town. It's a desert these days. The place is getting more Islamised as well, which is never a good thing.

[@peternagy-im4be]

Same applies to England in general. Ridiculous numbers of mass immigration not needed and certainly unnecessary.

[@suki1978]

Freemanv4056 • Sorry Don't get offended but this comment is idiotic.

[@suki1978]

​@@peternagy-im4beThe problem is not mass immigration but the indigenous people of this country not upgrading infrastructure . But the indigenous idiots vote these idiots back in power and let them off when they screw up.

[@Sparx632]

It’s not getting more “Islamised” it’s just getting more people who are Muslim since they have every right to live where they want. Ultimately this country is becoming more and more irreligious which is a good thing.

[@mistofoles]

I'm guessing this was filmed in the summer ?

[@janeairvintage7416]

Did an old woman live in a cave house under the castle mound near to the lavender flower beds facing the river ???? Am sure it was real

[@colinl9018]

Haven't they heard of pedestrian crossings?

[@rushdenmotorscars]

It is still the same. Nothing changed.

[@suki1978]

It has changed as you can see we had a busy town centre.

[@mautufaraniioapo2515]

mautu ioapo bedford uk town centre 1985 part1 thonk you youtube videos goodday by now mautu ioapo thonk you in my loaptop compter thonk you 6.9.2014

[@billyb5059]

I don't think this is 1985

[@peternagy-im4be]

Definitely is

[@bizarredragonsgameland]

I was 3 :) but I've grown up in bedford I do remember some of these old shops and have seen changes. I can't remember when they paved the road thou. Defiantly c&a stays in my mind.