Bedford is a town and the administrative centre of Bedfordshire. The town is within commuting distance of London and is approximately a one and a half-hour drive away.
The town is predominantly residential, although it has been listed as a market town, allowing regular markets to be held. Bedford offers a number of markets such as the Farmers Market and Gourmet Market as well as the Harpur Centre, a large shopping centre featuring high street shops. Around 30% of the population is Italian, and there are a number of Italian eateries, along with many traditional British pubs.
There are two main train stations in the town, Bedford Railway Station and Bedford St Johns Railway Station, which is the smaller of the two and has a line going to London St Pancras. This line takes less than an hour to reach the capital. The closest international airport is Luton and is a 30-minute drive from the city centre.
