Latest news with #Bedfordian
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bedford clubs will not merge ahead of next season
Plans for a merger of two Bedford teams with a view to establishing an English Football League club in the town in future years will not go ahead this Bedford FC, owned by bitcoin podcaster Peter McCormack and backed by Gemini founders the Winkelvoss twins, confirmed merger talks with Bedford Town in they have been unable to meet a 23 April Football Association deadline to finalise the plan and will continue to play as separate entities in 2025-26.A statement by Real Bedford confirmed that discussions regarding a potential merger "have ended".The statement continued: "While conversations have been positive, the timeline did not allow enough space to finalise key governance issues and broader details required to complete such a significant move."We'd like to thank everyone in the Bedford community who contributed to the process with their input, passion, and support. "We would also like to express our appreciation to everyone at Bedford Town for their part in the discussions, and we wish them the very best for the remainder of their season." The decision means that there is still a prospect of the two teams playing each other next won promotion from Southern League Division One Central last weekend with a 1-0 victory over Kings game was watched by twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who have invested about £3.6m in the Bedford Town, who were originally founded in 1908, are three points clear at the top of Southern League Premier Central with three games to merger proposal envisaged McCormack, who bought the former Bedford FC in 2021, assuming the role of chairman of the newly merged club while Jon Taylor and Ben Banks, of Bedford Town, would be non-executive Town said in a statement: "Bedford Town Football Club can confirm we will not be following through with any merger with Real Bedford FC this summer, and will remain as Bedford Town FC for the start of the 2025-26 season."We would like to thank the fans and people of Bedford for their contribution to these discussions over the last few months. The club look forward to finishing this season on the highest possible note." McCormack believes it is possible for a Bedford club to reach the EFL and eventually the Premier following last week's announcement that the first Universal theme park in the UK is to be built on the site of a former brickworks near the town, he said: "It's just a very cool time to be a Bedfordian."
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Real Bedford men and women promoted in same weekend
Real Bedford are celebrating a double promotion while talks continue about a possible merger with the town's other Southern League men's team clinched the Division One Central title with a 1-0 home win over Kings Langley on Saturday, courtesy of Joe Evans' first-half game was watched by cryptocurrency investor twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who have invested about £3.6m in the on Sunday, the women's team secured promotion from WNL Division One South East with an emphatic 11-1 win over London Seaward as Sofia Stovold and Abbie Bensted both scored hat-tricks. Owner Peter McCormack bought the former Bedford FC in 2021 and changed the name to Real Bedford at the end of that wants the town to have a club in the English Football League, and ultimately the Premier men's team have now won three successive promotions under boss Rob Sinclair, but which league they will play in next season is still up in the air as talks about a possible merger with Bedford Town who were originally founded in 1908, are currently three points clear, external at the top of Southern League Premier Central, the division Real would most likely be in next season if they did not become a single told BBC Sport on Monday that there was nothing new on the merger following Saturday's win, he said: "You create a project, you say you want to get a team in the Football League, and you know you've got to do six promotions - that was the goal."To do three back to back is incredible, quite overwhelming. But then it's 'OK, how do we do a fourth?'" The bitcoin podcaster told the club's social media channels he was delighted to have the Winkelvoss twins among the 1,426 crowd at the Eyrie."For them to see us win a championship, see what it means for the town, for the people and be part of the moment, it helps them understand it," he said."When they're in America and I'm explaining it, they kind of get it but when you're here and experience it, you know what it's about. It's going to help getting them more embedded in the project."It was announced last week that the first Universal theme park in the UK is to be built on the site of a former brickworks near Bedford and McCormack believes it has the chance to be the fastest growing town in the country."It's just a very cool time to be a Bedfordian," he added.
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Real Bedford owner invests in his hometown and football club
A football club owner says investing in his hometown's high street could be the "blueprint" for other towns. Peter McCormack, "a proud Bedfordian", and chairman of non-league Real Bedford, has just opened Real Coffee, in the heart of the said Bedford, close to where Universal Studios could be built, was a "good investment" and he was "putting my time where my mouth is" and doing his bit to raise the area up. "If people are coming into the town and spending money, I will open other businesses and other people will," he said. Mr McCormack, who is hoping his club will merge with Bedford Town FC, has already persuaded Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss to invest $4.5m in Bitcoin (about £3.6m) in his team and become said Bedford was like many other places affected by the opening of retail parks and the expansion of supermarkets."I hope it's the start of me creating more business in the town, whether that is Real branded or independent businesses I set up," he said. "I see the town centre as a good investment opportunity," he said. "Town centres need rethinking and in redesigning town centres we can create new businesses locally which means money stays locally."He also has his eyes set on the town's currently empty Debenhams store, purchased by Bedford Borough Council for £1.8m. "It should have high quality flats above and build a hub for families to be entertained and where they can get food and drink." If Universal Studios goes ahead, he can see it acting as a regeneration project for Bedford. "If you want Bedford to be better you have to play a part otherwise you have no argument."It might be coming into the town once a week more than you do, buying a cup of coffee, having a mooch around the shops, buying a card, getting your hair cut. "Every time you spend money in the town centre that might be paying for some kid's ballet lessons or another kid's football boots."He also hopes to see a "café culture" in Silver Street with more restaurants and bars opening with people coming out in the evening. "We can do this, and just raise the town up, and if we get this right, if enough people help and my thesis is right, this could be the blueprint for other towns." What do shoppers think? Laura and Jonathan Cook, a married couple, live 15 minutes away from the town in Keysoe. They believe the opening of any new business was "fantastic"."A lot of people diss Bedford and run it down. We're the opposite, we've been here for five years and we love it," Mrs Cook said. "There's nice parts and not so nice parts, but if you demolish the past and look to the future - you need to invest in small business."Mr Cook said: "For someone to say I'm a business man, I want to to invest in Bedford, is great for Bedford, there's great potential here. "It's a great place to invest in right now, with everything that's going on in the future, we need people to come into Bedford and visit more." Richard Tattle, from Bedford, thought the opening of the new business was "good news" and he was pleased there were plans to improve and change the town. "If you look at the High Street it's disappointing the number of empty shops there are, so people who are taking things and redeveloping things can only be good for the town," he added. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
