Hertfordshire is a county like no other. Well that is according to many of its residents. Whether you were born and bred in Hertfordshire or moved to one of the Hertfordshire towns for a piece of that fine Hertfordshire life, you will know that it is one of the best places to live in the UK.
Hertfordshire continues to poll high in many surveys looking at living standards, income and overall happiness. These have included the ‘Sunday Times Best Places to Live’ and independent surveys from the likes of USwitch.
Whilst this has been great for ‘team Hertfordshire‘, polls looking at individual Hertfordshire towns (and ranking them) have created division and a touch of snobbery. Historically, there have always been rivalries between towns located near each other however, there are some unique rivalries between Hertfordshire towns. Over a series of posts and potentially a documentary, we are going to create ‘The guide to local rivalries between Hertfordshire towns‘.
The guide to local rivalries between Hertfordshire towns
Does St Albans believe its head and shoulders above the rest because of their city status?
Who really cares Watford have had a premiership team?
Do Letchworth & Hitchin still vie over the number of pubs they have?
These are the types of friendly rivalries we would like to get to the bottom of. We are not talking purely sports rivalries. That would be too simplistic. We will be looking at the history of local ‘friendly’ rivalries between Hertfordshire towns. Our goal is to focus on:
Historical ties that have caused rivalries
Rivalries started because of local amenities
Bizarre claims to fame
and last but not least, simple old jealously.
What next?
At this stage, we want to get local input from residents in Hertfordshire. We want to know which town you come from and who you which Hertfordshire town do you think is your towns rival?
We have ranked the various Hertfordshire towns based on populations and selected the top 20. We will collate the views and opinions from Hertfordshire locals on who they think is their town’s rival and why.
#
Settlement
District
Population (2011)
1
Watford
Watford
131,982
2
Hemel Hempstead
Dacorum
94,932
3
Stevenage
Stevenage
89,663
4
St Albans
St Albans
82,146
5
Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Hatfield
48,380
6
Cheshunt
Broxbourne
45,832
7
Hoddesdon
Broxbourne
42,253
8
Bishop’s Stortford
East Hertfordshire
37,838
9
Hatfield
Welwyn Hatfield
37,577
10
Borehamwood
Hertsmere
35,489
11
Hitchin
North Hertfordshire
34,266
12
Letchworth
North Hertfordshire
33,249
13
Harpenden
St Albans
30,240
14
Hertford
East Hertfordshire
26,658
15
Bushey
Hertsmere
25,328
16
Rickmansworth
Three Rivers
23,973
17
Potters Bar
Hertsmere
22,639
18
Berkhamsted
Dacorum
20,641
19
Abbots Langley
Three Rivers
19,574
20
Ware
East Hertfordshire
18,799
How to get involved?
At this stage, we would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the subject. You can leave them at the bottom of the page. You can discuss it on social media with us using #TrendLifeHertfordshire or you can follow the discussions on Facebook – We are adding the Facebook group chats overtime.
For fun and to learn more about the history of our towns from a different perspective. We as Hertfordshire locals always hear funny reasons why people have their favourite towns or towns they avoid. We want to find our some of the reasons and present them to residents of Hertfordshire. At this stage, we are only looking at Hertfordshire but we plan to do the same for Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Then we can look at the picture across the Three Counties.
Harpenden based Twist Teas have announced their “Brew for a Hero” campaign is back! Launched to support and boost morale for NHS staff and key workers, the Brew for a Hero” campaign gives people a chance to show their appreciation for all the heroes from all walks of life during the current pandemic. This could be anyone – local postal workers, refuse collectors and cleaners, emergency services and health care staff, teachers and chefs, community groups and volunteers.
You can participate in the “Brew for a Hero” by nominating a NHS or key workers hero you know. Nominate your hero and give them a chance to win one of Twist Teas Rainbow inspired tea caddies. If you know a key worker, that you would like to surprise with a personalised Rainbow Caddy of tea, simply email your nominations to hello@twist-teas.co.uk. Please include a brief reason, as to why they deserve a little treat. Twist Teas will again be tasked with the difficult job of picking winners, to be announced on the 31st of January.
Twist Teas will also be making caddies available to purchase via their website with profits going to NHS Charities. More information about Twist Teas can be found in our interview with founders, mother and daughter duo Nicky Kavanaugh & Claire Ayers.
Watford BID have launched a video highlighting the reasons why they believe they deserve a second 5-year term. Many residents in Watford are aware of Watford BID but not many understand exactly what they do and more importantly, how integral their work is to the success of Watford.
What is a BID and why are they so important?
Essentially, a BID (Business Improvement District) is a business-led and business funded body formed to improve a specific area in which a levy is charged on all business rate payers. This levy is used to develop projects and provide services which benefit businesses in the local area. This can include:
Activities to increase visitors to the area
Reducing overall business costs for levy members
Marketing and promotion of the area such
Lobbying councils/local government
Working with local police to reduce anti-social behaviour
There is no limit on what projects or services that can be provided through a Business Improvement District. Some BIDS are more effective at certain tasks than others for a number of reasons but overall, the benefits BIDs offer to the various towns across Beds, Bucks & Herts is immeasurable.
Three reasons for Watford BID to get renewed
We have selected what we believe are the three main reasons why Watford BID should get renewed.
1. Watford BID offers a central point of contact
At a time when the Government don’t know if they are coming or going, having a central point for all information relating to Watford offers residents, visitors and business owners a much-needed level of clarity. Social distancing procedures and safety communication both need harmonisation to keep Watford Town safe.
Watford BID have been extremely informative on Social Media and in the district sharing key information such as this statement on the national lockdown from the Mayor of Watford.
Typically a Business Improvement District is within a local authority boundary but in April 2013 government introduced Cross Boundary Business Improvement Districts enabling Business Improvement Districts to operate across local authority boundaries.
2. Watford Restaurants & Bars will need support after the lockdowns end
Promoting Watford’s entertainment venues post-covid is going to need a lot of collaborative support post covid. Individual businesses taking to to social media to posts and update Facebook is not going to tempt the same numbers back to the district’s nightlife venues.
By having one organisation working alongside all the venues to promote Watford as an entertainment destination, visitors will hear one concise message that Watford is open for business.
3. Think of the benefits for residents and visitors
There have been calls for BIDs across The Three Counties to do more by some levy payers but in fairness, the amount of work involved in some of the projects is not to be underestimated such as launching The Watford Gift Card.
It is also important to understand that alongside promoting what’s on in Watford and things to do in Watford, the organisation is a key source for useful information for those living in and visiting Watford.
Regardless of lockdowns and coronavirus, people want food. Fans of Five Guys could be getting a late Christmas present with a new Five Guys in Stevenage. A recent job post on the Five Guys recruitment page for a General Manager in the Stevenage area has got locals excited about the possible arrival of the much loved American Chain.
Could this be the biggest clue for a Five Guys in Stevenage?
Spotted by an eagled eyed member of ‘Stevenage Chit Chat‘, the advert for a General Manager drops a few clues at a possible opening of a Five Guys in Stevenage.
Unit 10 appears empty on Google Maps
Clue No.1 for a Five Guys in Stevenage – The perfect scene
Nothing cements a clue in a mystery more than a location. The recruitment team have placed a X on the spot and that is 51°54’02.4″N 0°12’33.7″W. For all the normal people reading this, that is Unit 10 in Stevenage Leisure Park. This was home to Pizza Hut since late 2002 but this recent Google treasure map shows the unit is currently empty.
Clue No.2 for a Five Guys in Stevenage – A job for an ‘accomplice’
Did we mention there is a second job advert for a ‘Assistant Manager? If one job advert was not enough proof, two should be enough to convince you that plans are afoot for a Five Guys in Stevenage.
Clue No.3 for a Five Guys in Stevenage – A motive
What more motive do you need than hungry people in Stevenage in need of a good burger? A Five Guys in Stevenage is well overdue. It could even tempt Sir Lewis Hamilton back to Stevenage.