Town's floor chimes are back in Bedford town centre

Children and shoppers alike can have a spring in their step again as the pavement floor chimes are back.

Installed back in 2003, the chimes - outside the new B&M store on the corner of Midland Road and Harpur Street - have been a popular feature.

But through years of ongoing use, the chimes have suffered wear and tear and exposure to the elements, leaving them in need of repair.

Step in (pardon the pun) 10 level three engineering students at Bedford College.

They have now replaced individual elements of the chimes, including bolts, spacers and seals, as well as removing corrosion and cleaning and greasing the parts.

Once the chimes were repaired, students reset and calibrated them so they can continue to be used in the town centre.

What a sound investment.

Councillor Henry Vann, portfolio holder for town centres and planning, said: “This is simply fantastic: to work in partnership with The Bedford College Group and help their students to get valuable practical experience repairing the floor chimes and to see this well-loved feature return is brilliant news.

“The floor chimes are a popular feature in Harpur Square and children of all ages (and some adults and dogs) have enjoyed using the chimes over the years.

“We are hugely grateful for the fantastic jobs that the students have done in repairing and recalibrating the chimes and we look forward to the prospect of potentially working with the brilliant students and staff at the college on future projects.”

Karen Campbell, vice principal of The Bedford College Group, said: “The Bedford College Group is a regional leader in engineering training across its campuses in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

"However, we remain very much part of the communities we serve and so to be able to help with this Bedford town centre project was not only a useful exercise for the students but also shows we are here for our friends and neighbours.”