Ampthill Today

www.ampthill.org.uk - Visit Ampthill's Monthly Farmers Market on the last Saturday of each month - www.ampthill.org.uk

*The People*
Population (2001 Census)	6897
Representing 5.7% of the Population of Mid Beds. 22.7% were under 16 years of age and 19.5% were aged 60 or over.
Households (2001)	2843
Eligible Voters (1998 County Council Estimate)	5357
*Economy*
Jobs (as at September 1998)	2100
(Representing 6% of the total number of jobs in Mid Beds)
Unemployment Percentage (2001 Census)	1.7%
*Land Use and Housing*
Area (in Hectares)	771
Average House Price (in 2001)	Ł151, 846
(this compares to the average in Mid Beds of Ł149,809)
Agricultural and Forestry percentage of land use in the ward	63.9%
Residential percentage of land use in the ward	11.5%
*Indices of Deprivation*
Indices of Deprivation Ranking 2000	7801
(out of a total of 8414 wards, where 1 represents the most deprived ward in England)
Car Ownership Percentage (Residents owning 1 or more cars)	82%
*Education and Learning*
Percentage Achievement of Results of Level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 (1998)	77%

Ampthill Police Station	Woburn Street	01234 841212
Ampthill Town Council	9 Church Street	01525 404355
Mid Beds District Council	The Limes, Dunstable Street	01525 402052
	Abandoned Vehicles	01767 602307
	Air Pollution	01767 602410
	Building Regulations	01767 602378
	Bus Passes	01525 842047
	Business Rates	01525 842202
	Council House Rents	01525 842200
	Council House Repairs	01767 602435
	Council Tax	01525 842200
	Dog Warden	01767 602390
	Economic Development	01525 842027
	Electoral Registration	01525 842156
	Food Complaints & Inspection	01525 842177
	Footpaths	01767 602346
	Health & Safety	01525 842177
	Leisure & Recreation	01525 842247
	Local Plans	01767 602334
	Noise Complaints	01767 602410
	Pest Control	01767 602410
	Planning	01767 602324
	Recycling	01767 602407
	Refuse	01767 602307
	Street Cleansing	01767 602307
	Tree Preservation	01767 602338
Ampthill Library	Dunstable Street	01525 402278

Ampthill possesses a unique blend of shops, restaurants and businesses. The Town offers many opportunities for those seeking antiques. Additionally, you have the opportunity of sampling food from all over the world, with Chinese, Indian, Italian and Mexican Cuisine on offer. Other shops include 2 Butchers, 2 Bakers, Gift Shops, a Musical Instrument Retailer, a cobbler, a Budgens Supermarket, a Picture Framer/Retailer, Greengrocers, Florists, a travel agents and 2 Banks (Barclays and Nat West).

With the formation of the Ampthill Business Initiative, the appointment of a Town Centre Manager and the redevelopment of the Town Square, Ampthill continues to offers many attractions, both to residents and visitors to the town.

Ampthill's historic market takes place weekly every Thursday on the car park adjacent to Budgen's Supermarket. Stalls sell cards, confectionery, fruit & vegetables, clothes, shoes, fish, bikes and general household goods. If you would like a stall on Ampthill Market, you can do so by contacting Ampthill Town Council on 01525 404355.

Additionally, a separate monthly Farmers Market takes place on the last Saturday of each month, providing fresh produce from farms within a 30 mile radius of Ampthill. For farmers interested in taking part the price of a stall is Ł10; please contact Ampthill Town Council on 01525 404355. For information on farmers markets visit www.farmersmarkets.co.uk or www.tastesofanglia.com.

My Brother Ian is the Vice-Chairman and Treasurer of Ampthill Town Cricket Club, who compete within the Hertfordshire League.. The Club was formed in 1834 and is now located within Ampthill Park. Through its history it has produced many excellent players, chief amongst these must be brothers, George and James Moore, in the 1840's. They later emigrated to Australia and represented their adopted homeland internationally during the 1860's and 1870's. Although, the Club has not recently produced any players of international stature, it has recently provided team members for Bedfordshire County Cricket Club, in Minor Counties games. Ampthill Town Cricket Club is thriving at present, fielding 3 Sunday Sides, 2 Saturday Sides and a Midweek side. In addition there are Under 11, 13, 15 and 17 sides. (Also see Cricket Clubs Web Page)

Ampthill Town Football Club is located in Ampthill Park, on land adjacent to the Cricket Club. Find the Club's results on their page on the Football News Web Site.

The very impressively refurbished club house is available for all manner of functions.

The Rugby Club can be located at Dillingham Park, off of Woburn Street and across the road from both the Cricket and Football Clubs. The many teams fielded range from the age of 7.

You can catch up on the latest news and reports from the Rugby Club by clicking here

The Ampthill and Flitwick Flyers are based at Flitwick Leisure Centre and compete in cross country, road running and marathon events. 'Flyer', the official newsletter, is published twice a year and copies can be obtained from local shops, such as 'Kick Off Sports' in Flitwick. Enquiries concerning the club, as well as contributions for the newsletter can be made to Steve Jordan at stevej@kbnet.co.uk.

The Friends manage a 2 acre woodland garden, with regular work parties maintaining and developing the site, in order that the gardens can be enjoyed by members of the public on their frequent open days. The gardens can be found down Kings Arms Yard off of the Market Square. More Friends of the Garden are required, however not necessarily mean hard labour. They need help in staffing the gates on open days, as well as with light maintenance and tidying of the garden. If you are interested e-mail brydenk@cwcom.net .

The object of the Club is to bring together and foster good relations between Professional and Business men who have retired from their basic occupations. Probus is an International organization, with clubs in 23 countries and is growing rapidly. There is a Probus Chat Group on the Internet, with sub-groups covering genealogy, computers, wine, photography e.t.c. Informality is the keynote of the clubs and the use of Christian names is encouraged.

The Ampthill Probus Club is an active one, currently restricting the number of members to 50. They meet once a month for a lunch, which is held at local country pubs, with speakers at alternate meetings. There are formal Ladies Invitation Luncheons twice a year and coffee mornings at the Wingfield Club most months, often followed by lunch at a local pub. Other activities include, barbecues, mystery tours and evening meals.

Redbornstoke Morris Dancers were established in Ampthill in 1976 and practice on Monday's at 8 p.m. between September and April at Redborne School. No experience is necessary as full training will be given. Contact Leslie.merchant@btinternet.com for more details.

A highlight of every year is their Ampthill Sunrise Dance in Ampthill Park on May Day at 5.30 a.m., followed by dancing in front of the Old Sun Public House from 6.45 a.m.

The www.ampthill.org.uk website is aiming to expand with your help. If your group would like to have a page on this website, then all you have to do is send a word document & any pictures (jpeg & gif format only) you want on the page and a page will be set up for you. The best thing is that this offer is free. So what are you waiting for, e-mail your details to Mark.A.Smith@ampthill.org.uk.

Ampthill Book Club meets every month on the second Monday, at 8 p.m. Details of the book under consideration and the venue of each meeting can be found on the notice board at Ampthill Library. Additionally, you can contact Tess Crosbie on 405606 or e-mail her at tesscrosbie@yahoo.co.uk. The group is looking for more local men to join them!

Why not read the 'After the Fire' Trilogy of novels by local author John Lockley. The books detail life in Ampthill following a plague, which has wiped out most of humanity. Ampthill serves as the backdrop to these sci-fi novels, much in the style of the 70's B.B.C's 'Survivors' series.

John Lockley has been GP since 1976 and this trilogy of books is published by Word Publishing, 9 Holdom Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, England MK41 1QR. They are available via Dr John Lockley's website.

The White Hart (08700 270133) in Dunstable Street or The Prince of Wales (01525 840504), in Bedford Street, has 5 Bed & Breakfast Rooms, at Ł45 per night.

Also the Express by Holiday Inn, Bedford at the Elstow Interchange (6 miles from Ampthill). See www.hiexpressbedford.co.uk.

For details of other places to stay near to Ampthill, contact Mid Beds District Council and ask for their 'Mid Beds Visitors Guide - Things to do, Places to See, Accommodation'.

Should you wish to publicize your organization on this web site, please contact me at the address below with details.

Ampthill - The Statistics		Local Contacts
Ampthill Shops & Businesses	Market & Farmers Market	Cricket Club	Football Club
Rugby Club	Ampthill & Flitwick Flyers	Kings Arms Path Gardens	The Tuesday Club
Probus Club	Redbornstoke Morris Dancers	Ampthill Book Club	Fictional Ampthill
Places to Stay in Ampthill