Mayor denies Debenhams building will be sold for £1

A mayor has rejected claims a former Debenhams building in the town could be sold off for £1.

Bedford Borough Council's opposition councillors have called in a deal the authority made with developer Cityheart to regenerate the area, known as Mayes Yard, which was once home to a Debenhams and Beales department store.

Henry Vann, the Liberal Democrat Group leader, said: "It's beyond belief the mayor is willing to dispose of a building that cost £1.8m to buy, for just £1. This decision needs serious investigation by a council's Scrutiny Committee."

Tom Wootton, the Conservative mayor of Bedford, said: "We have absolutely guaranteed I'm not going to sell it for a pound."

The Debenhams building closed in 2021, but Bedford Borough Council bought it for £1.8m in 2024 and a year later the ground floor was reopened as a cultural hub.

The BBC reported in July that Cityheart had been awarded the contract to regenerate Mayes Yard with plans for bistros, cafes, restaurants and flats, plus improved pedestrian links for the town centre.

Yet Labour and Green Party councillors have echoed Vann's concerns over the plans, which will be re-examined in the coming months by the authority's Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Carl Meader, the Labour group deputy leader, said: "This is one of many examples where the mayor and his cabinet have complete disregard for elected members. He has said many times he wishes to work cross party, but obviously this is not the case."

Paul Edmonds, a Green Party councillor, added: "The bigger and more important the decision, the greater the need for clarity and transparency.

"We must ensure public assets are protected and the scheme can be delivered for the benefit of Bedford."

Vann said: "The mayor's proposal sees the council giving up the property it owns for next to nothing and in return there isn't even a complete redevelopment scheme planned. With future phases left hanging this is the worst of all worlds."

Opposition councillors also said they had concerns there was a lack of a comprehensive plan for the area and a risk no development will take place past the initial phase.

They also claimed the developers have limited experience of Bedford and that the risk to the council from the project has been underestimated.

Wootton said: "Instead of talking about how wonderful it is [the regeneration plans], we're talking about maybe selling it [a building] for a pound and I challenge anybody to find where it says we're actually going to sell it for a pound because we're not and that's a complete fib.

"We have a little thing called an election coming so instead of celebrating, they're trying to find fault because they're scoring political points."

Developers Cityheart have declined the BBC's request for comment.

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