Bedford & County AC and GLL hosted dignitaries and guests, including the Mayor of Bedford Borough Council, Tom Wootton, and CEO of England Athletics, Chris Jones, to a reception and ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the refurbished stadium ahead of the Bedfordshire AAA Open meeting on Saturday 4 April.

Speeches by Ewan Wilson (Bedford & County AC), Gillan Kelly (GLL) and the Mayor of Bedford, recognised the long and successful history of the club at the Barkers Lane stadium and the significant investment that has been made by Bedford Borough Council to ensure that the facilities continue to provide for the club and the town. Paula Radcliffe, Life President of the club, sent a video message, thanking the Council and recalling her time training on the track, highlighting the importance of such facilities to grass roots athletics.

Many of the guests, coaches and athletes then gathered on the track as the Mayor cut a ribbon to ceremonially mark the first competition to be held on the new surface.