The Bedford Swan Hotel is making the most of the town’s popular tourist attraction – the John Bunyan Boat.

The programme for 2014 will include a range of charters by the riverside hotel starting on Mother’s Day on March 30th with a Champagne tables of four on board the boat for a two hour trip.

On Easter Sunday April 20th there will another chance for a table on a two hour sparkling cruise with lunch.

Sunset Cruise on the Ouse trips will begin on Friday May 9th 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 will begin on May 25th – an ideal outing for visitors. Bookings are made via www.bedfordswanhotel.co.uk

Bedford Swan Hotel 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 who Love Bedford, and Bedford College, with donations of £5,000. Other organisations have made loans, which the boat team volunteers have to raise income to repay.

BedfordBID has helped to promote the boat via www.lovebedford.co.uk and Bedford College Travel & Tourism students have designed some special charter trips.

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 Beds and Bucks said: “We are very grateful to Dominic and his national hotel group for their backing of the boat.”

Full details of the boat public trips from Sovereigns Quay and Priory Marina which begin in April can be found on the website www.b-mkwaterway.og.uk