When it comes to glamour, Watford is used to being overlooked.

So it came as no surprise when the town was once again jilted by the Sunday Times in its Best Places to Live list in favour of nearby St Albans.

It is so close to London it is often mistakenly believed to be part of it, and as a working town it lacks a cathedral and eye-watering house prices.

But we think there’s a case to be made for Watford being every bit as good as its neighbours.

House prices

Watford’s house prices might not reach the heights of St Albans’, with its ‘mid-market’ house prices quoted at £618,000. A quick scan of Zoopla put Watford’s two and three-bed homes at a little either side of £500,000.

If you ask us, this is quite enough, but most things to do with housing in Watford are on the up and up.

Attractions

Many places don't like admitting they're in Watford. It's a bit like admitting you've got a mad ex-wife in the attic. But there's a bizarre logic here - if it's that good it must be in London, right?

Watford Observer:

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (actually just across the A41 in Leavesden, so not Watford, but not London either).

Watford Observer:

The Grove, which depending on who’s asking is either in London or the pretty village of Chandler’s Cross. It has hosted the WGC-American Express Championship, the British Masters, the England football team, shadowy international puppet masters The Bilderberg meeting and a NATO Summit attended by Donald Trump.

All we’re saying is the front gate is in Watford.

Parks

Watford Observer:

Watford has 17 Green Flag parks, compared to St Albans’ five. The biggest is Cassiobury Park, which was created from part of the estate of the Earls of Essex and until 1927 held their ancestral seat, Cassiobury House. The house was demolished but the staircase is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Did we mention the miniature railway?

History

With a charter market going back to the 12th Century and a mansion in Cassiobury from the 16th to the early 20th centuries, there is no lack of history but much of it is more recent. Printing was the major industry from the 1920s onwards, with Sun Printers and Odhams the big names.

Watford Observer:

The same water that fed the printing presses went into beer, with Watford Museum currently housed in the former Benskins Brewery.

Transport

When we asked readers what was great about Watford, many answered “the road out”. Ho ho ho, but if you need to get somewhere, having a 20-minute rail link to Euston and being next to the M1 and M25 isn’t so bad.

If you can get round the one-way system.

Schools

Watford Grammar School for Boys is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, with Radio 1 DJ Chris Stark, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps and writer and Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen among its ex-pupils.

Chater Junior School, Field Junior School, Nascot Wood Infant and Primary School, Parkgate Junior School, Cassiobury Junior School and Cassiobury Infant and Nursery School, Colnbrook School, St Joseph Catholic Primary School in South Oxhey, Saint Michael's Catholic High School, and Parmiter’s School are all currently rated outstanding on the Ofsted website. Most of the rest are just good.

Watford Grammar School for Girls numbers Spice Girl Geri Horner, MPs Sarah Wollaston and Liz Kendall among its alumni, while Home Secretary Priti Patel went to Westfield Academy back when it was called Westfield Technical School, as did Naughty Boy and some of Rak-Su.

Culture

Watford Observer:

The name most people associate with Watford is Elton John. Reg Dwight began life in nearby Pinner but his association with the town’s football club goes back to his childhood and he has played many gigs both big and small in the town.

There’s also X Factor winners Rak-Su, KSI, Geri Horner, Naughty Boy and The Staves.

We have the Colosseum and the Palace Theatre, as well as a football stadium should you want to stage a bigger gig.

Sport

Sir Elton John has been part of two great partnerships in his life. One was with lyricist Bernie Taupin, the other was with legendary Watford manager Graham Taylor.

Under his ownership and with GT in charge, the club rose three divisions, came second in the First Division and reached the FA Cup final in 1984.

Watford FC also numbers Luther Blissett, John Barnes and more recently Troy Deeney among its legends.

Then there's Anthony Joshua. The two-time former unifiedworld heavyweight champion hails from The Meriden, is hoping he can win back his belts in a rematch with Aleksandr Usyk, and we are too. 

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