After more than a century in government and private hands, the building that gave our village its name now belongs to the people of Shortstown.
By Leigh Coombs
Some stories are a privilege to write, and this is one of them. Shortstown Parish Council has completed the purchase of the Shorts Building, the historic landmark at the gateway to our village, securing its future in community ownership for generations to come.
The building, previously owned by housebuilder Bellway, now belongs to the people of Shortstown through their Parish Council, which announced the completion of the purchase on 10th June.
The building that built a village
It is no exaggeration to say that without the Shorts Building there would be no Shortstown. Built in 1917 as the headquarters of the Short Brothers airship works, it is the building that gave the village its name. From its offices, Short Brothers oversaw the construction of the giant airship sheds at Cardington and the Garden City style housing built for their workers, the estate that became the village we know today.
The site was nationalised in 1919, and the building went on to serve as the headquarters of the Royal Airship Works, where HM Airship R101 was designed during the great airship era of the R100 and R101. It later became part of RAF Cardington, which served from 1936 until 2000 and is remembered today by the memorial stone standing in front of the building in honour of all units and personnel who served there.
Restored in 2011, the building includes a public common hall displaying historic R101 photographs from The Airship Heritage Trust collection. For more than a century it has stood as the gateway to Shortstown and a proud symbol of our village’s unique place in British aviation history.
“A landmark day in every sense”
Cllr Tom Middleton, Chair of Shortstown Parish Council, said:
“This is a landmark day for Shortstown in every sense. The Shorts Building is not just bricks and mortar; it is the birthplace of our village and the keeper of its story. From the day the Short Brothers opened its doors in 1917 to the great airship era of the R100 and R101, this building has watched Shortstown grow up around it.
“Securing it for the community has been a long journey, and I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to get us here. From today, this building belongs to the people of Shortstown, and the Parish Council will be its proud custodian.”
Why this matters
As your Borough Councillor, I am absolutely delighted that the Parish Council has completed this purchase. Too often, historic buildings slip away from the communities that love them. Not here. Thanks to the determination of Tom Middleton and the whole Parish Council, the Shorts Building is now exactly where it belongs, in the hands of Shortstown residents.
This building tells the story of why our village exists, from airships to the RAF to the thriving community we are today. Securing it in community ownership is one of the most important things to happen in Shortstown in years, and I could not be prouder of what the Parish Council has achieved.
What happens next
The Parish Council will share further details in the coming weeks about its plans for the building. Keep an eye on this site and the Parish Council’s own channels for updates. Shortstown became its own parish in April 2019, and this purchase shows just what a determined parish council can achieve for its community.
Leigh Coombs is a Bedford Borough Councillor representing Shortstown, Cardington, Cople and Cotton End. All photographs in this article: Leigh Coombs.
