Hotel looks forward to swanning about on the river this summer

As spring arrives and with the prospect of summer to come, the hotel – which stands on the Embankment – has unveiled a range of charters along the Great Ouse.

 

The first marks Mothers Day on March 30, with the chance to book a table for four with champagne for a two-hour trip. Later in the year, the boat will take passengers on a series of sunset cruises and afternoon tea trips at weekends.

 

Public boat trips begin in April.

 

Bedford Swan general manager Dominic Mills said: “We have been delighted to see the John Bunyan boat volunteers helping to turn the tide on tourism in town.

 

“We have supported them from the beginning and now want to help them boost their funds through this valuable business arrangement.”

The John Bunyan Boat won a Pride in Bedford award for its contribution to raising the profile of the town. It has been sponsored by organisations like BedfordBID and Bedford College, each with donations of £5,000.

 

Other organisations have made loans, which the boat team volunteers have to raise income to repay.

Graham Mabbutt, chair of the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust which uses the boat to promote its dream of a river-canal link between Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire said: “We are very grateful to Dominic and his national hotel group for their backing of the boat.”

Bookings are already being taken for the Easter Sunday two-hour cruise with lunch. Sunset Cruise on the Ouse trips begin in May, with a chance to enjoy champagne and canapés for a romantic early evening followed by the option of a full dinner in the Swan’s River Room restaurant.
 
Weekend Afternoon Tea Trips run from May 25.

To book, or for more information, visit www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

Full details of the boat’s public trips from Sovereigns Quay and Priory Marina which begin in April , are on www.b-mkwaterway.og.uk