Services A-Z
Discover links to local organisations who may be able to offer advice and support.
Our town centre, located in the Leighton Buzzard aspect of the town, will serve all your convenience needs as well as provide your backdrop for leisure and social activities. Meeting friends for coffee is a great reason to visit the centre and whilst you are there, why not get your nails done, nip into the bank and perhaps treat yourself to some new clothes or get that ‘bit’ you need to finish off the DIY project.
The picturesque medieval high street provides a diverse selection of independent and High Street branded shops. Twice a week the High Street hosts the thriving Charter Market (Tuesday and Saturday) and running alongside this, there are speciality markets such as the Farmers and Handmade and Craft markets which run on a monthly basis. Leighton-Linslade Town Council holds the market Charter and is therefore the market authority who will assert its market rights as it sees necessary, read the statement.
A meal in the town centre before a film showing or stage show at the Library Theatre, Lake Street perhaps? We have an array of pubs and restaurants to enjoy day or night, many still occupying their original historic buildings. For social history lovers, many stories can be learnt of events that took place in and around them. A good starting place to discover this is the publication, Changing Faces of Our Pubs (Leighton-Linslade Town Council and Leighton Buzzard and District Archaeological and History Society, 2016).
Many of our licenced venues achieve the annual Best Bar None accreditation scheme which aims to support businesses create safe and well managed premises by reducing alcohol related crime. Find out more about Best Bar None.
Our 2020/21 Focus On booklet gives you a great introduction to Leighton Buzzard & Linslade’s shopping offer. It was written by local business man, Clive Jacques, who runs Latte Dah coffee house in Peacock Mews. Although Clive is locally based, he said he learnt so much when researching his Focus On articles. It took him to places around the town he didn’t normally go and he realised how much he had been missing. You don’t have to miss out. Use Clive’s Focus On booklet to discover our local shops
Of course, some shops will have changed since Clive created this guide yet we are fortunate to have retained may of our great businesses.
Find out more about the history of our Town centre here: Visit Historic Leighton Buzzard.
For those who need to plan a visit in more detail, access information for the town centre can be found via the AccessAble website.
Find out more about our Town Centre
Shops and Services
Looking for a particular shop or service? Our Town Centre Shops and Services Map and Directory will point you in the right direction.
Are you a small business in Leighton-Linslade? Our Keeping it Local information and branding will assist you in localised publicity.
If you can’t get into town, you can still view and buy from our town centre shops by using the online platform Shop Local LB https://www.shoplocallb.co.uk
Benches
The upkeep of town centre benches is managed by the Town Council, please get in touch should you spot an issue with one.
Bus Stops
27 of the towns bus stops are maintained by the Town Council. If you would like to report an issue, please get in touch.
Buzzard Free WiFi
Town Centre WiFi brings our historic High Street into the modern age, helping visitors stay in touch, informed and in our town. Read our Wifi FAQ’s.
Christmas lights
The Town Council provides Christmas lighting to celebrate the season and encourage shopping in the town during the darker months.
Children’s Trail
Plan a visit to take a walk around the children’s story book inspired Children’s Trail. Our innovative Children’s Trail hosts a series of 22 pieces of public art creating a free literary themed trail in and around the centre of the town and its town centre park, Parson’s Close Recreation Ground.
Living History Trail
Our town centre is the host to many an historic tale. Find out more about the town, it’s history and the people of our past. We launched the Living History Trail in 2019. Discover who walked down these streets before you. This trail captures a glimpse into the lives of ordinary townsfolk and shares the impact they left on the town’s history. What mark will you leave?
Defibrillators
There are 4 town centre defibrillators maintained by the Town Council which can be located:
- Leighton Library, Lake Street, LU7 1RX
- Multi-storey Car Park, (pedestrian entrance at Waterborne shop parade, LU7 1DD)
- Post Office, LU7 1AA
- Cumbria House, (Connells Building), Hockliffe Street, LU7 1GN
Should you need to use one:
Contact the emergency services; Call 999 and give them the number on the Defibrillator box.
You will be given a code to unlock the box to retrieve the defibrillator. The defibrillator will then guide you through the use of the machine. View our short video on how a defibrillator works.
High Street Flags
The Town Council ensures a warm and uplifting welcome to town centre visitors by decorating the town.
Lamp post banners
Most of the lamp post banners are maintained by the Town Council. They serve to celebrate the town and inform visitors of the successes, services and events that the Town has and offers to people.
Planters
The various planters around the town are maintained by the Town Council. Many of them during the summer period link to the Town’s In Bloom projects. The planting schemes aim to welcome visitors and present a warm and inviting place to spend time shopping or meeting with friends and family for leisure purposes.
Public Toilets
The public toilets are adjoined to the multi-storey car park building and accessed via Waterborne Walk or the West Street entrance to that car park. They comprise a dedicated nappy changing room, women and men’s toilets (inclusive of a nappy changing cubical) and a combined accessible toilet and shower room.
The facility benefits from an onsite attendant who, in summer, is also responsible for cleaning the toilets located in Parson’s Close Recreation Ground, so may be off-site occasionally during the summer period.
Opening times:
08:00 – 17:30 (Monday to Saturday)
09:00 – 15:30 (Sunday)
Shower access – The shower is part of the combined accessible toilet which has a radar key lock. For non-radar key holders, access to the shower can be secured with the help of the on-site attendant. (Please note during the summer months the attendant may be off-site for a short while as well as having a lunch-time work break.)
Signage
Much of the non-highways signage is maintained by the Town Council to aid navigation around the town, pointing out directions to shops and services.
Road and traffic signage is owned and maintained by Central Bedfordshire Council.
Town centre events
Our High Street lends itself as the venue for many community events delivered by local organisations as well as the Town Council.
The annual May Fayre, Carnival, Big Lunch Food Festival and Christmas Festival weekend, all attract good numbers and positive vibes. The community spirit is a must to enjoy as we gather together at events and showcase our talents, local community networks and groups, and have fun!
See our full event information.
Community Engagement
In February 2020, the Town Council supported Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) host an opportunity for members of the public to give their views and opinions on the town centre. Central Bedfordshire Council recorded the information into a Community Engagement document. All information gathered then and over many months is in place to inform future work delivery.