Bedford

[Mark Peacock]

In Bedford we have Goldings in Bedford High Street. Good range of kits with Airfix as the flagship brand, and some paints and materials. Being the local ironmonger you have to walk to the back of the shop. Toymaster Kingdom, who stock Revell exclusively, can also be found on the High Street 200 yards further down

Post modified to show location ~ Nick

[Martin H]

good man Mark, always wondered what u local lads were on about ref Goldings. Good to see a fellow Kempston member on here.

[NoelSmith]

There used to be some really good model shops in the Beds, North Herts Area.
Remember Gascoignes in Bedford, MR&ME in Kempston, Maple Models in Luton,
Taylor and Mckenna in MK until Beatties took it over and sold models for a while.
Modelscene in Hitchin, and most recently to close, Model Images Retail in Letchworth?
Goldings in Bedford thank goodness still survive on the back of their main hardware business which we can be thankful for. There is a modelshop named Mainly Models in Hermitage Road, Hitchin who deserves to be supported. I can also remember a good model shop close to the main crossroads in Dunstable, but it's such a long time ago since I have been over there I don't know if they are still going or not. Anyone know if Models in Motion are still going in Stevenage?

[NoelSmith]

Further to my last post I was passing through Dunstable recently and the model shop is still there near the main cross roads in the middle of town.
Must be one of the very few independants left in this area.
I have heard that there is a good independant model shop in Bletchley nr Milton Keynes. Anyone know the name and address so that I can have a look?
Modelzone have a new(ish) shop in the main Milton Keynes shopping precinct.

[NoelSmith]

I need to update a couple of my posts....Mainly Models in Hitchin have moved to a small factory unit in Stotfold, Beds.
The landlord jacked the rent up so high in Hitchin that keeping the shop on was untenable.
I referred to a Modelzone being in MK.....Most of us know what happened to MZ unfortunately, and MK shop suffered closure.
The Bletchley shop I was trying to think of was was named Maple Models......long gone!

As far as I know the West Street Model Shop in Dunstable is still going and the one in Wellingborough Road Northampton.
THE GOOD NEWS......I found another one! There is an independent toy shop in Rushden, Northants named Osbornes in the High Street. The right hand area of the shop is a good old fashioned model shop. It is about 3 mins walk from the big ASDA store and digonally opposite to the Witherspoons Railway Tavern.
There is a good model railway shop in Stevenage Old Town. It is located along a back alley walkway that runs parralel with the High Street. They carry a few kits along with all the railway stuff, but they do stock a lot of modelling accessories like painte, adhesives and fillers etd. and plenty of weathering stuff. Good for plastic card, plastruct extrusions and metal tubes and bar etc. NOTE They only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
On a smaller scale there is a guy on Hitchin Market with a stall named the Model Box.....Carries kits and bits an pieces.

[NoelSmith]

Another update about Bedford. Sadly after over 150 years in business and surviving through 2 world wars GOLDINGS in Bedford High Street is closing its doors at end of this month or August 2019. This is due to lack of footfall, out of town malls and internet competition according to the current owners who have decided despite soldiering on as long as possible that enough is enough and calling it a day.

Besides the modelling stuff it was a very good old fashioned hardware shop. Sad to see it go.

[NoelSmith]

The only place in Bedford now that I know of carrying any model making materials and kits is Hobbycraft.
The guy who used to run the Model Box in Hitchin Market I believe has moved to the Old Mill on the A6 at Barton Le Clay near Luton.