Archive

  • YOU,M.E & RANTOMIME SEASON

    Before we begin......let me go grab my soap box, because it’s rants galore this week. Starting with Monday afternoon, I spent over two and a half hours on the phone to BT going back and forth between the Indian call centre and the centre based

  • Committee defers decision on extended restaurant hours

    Plans to extend the opening hours of a Watford town centre restaurant have been deferred until police can comment on the proposals. Officers were not notified of an application by Sandwich Box, in The Parade, before tonight's meeting of Watford

  • 'It don't matter if your black or white'

    After watching a two part documentary on Channel Four the other night named 'Bleach, Nip, Tuck: The White Beauty Myth' I was absolutely appalled. Today it is the norm to be unhappy with yourself and to strive to look differently. A smaller

  • Parish councillors to clear blockage

    A blocked ladies toilet in the Kings Langley’s parish hall in Charter Court has caused a further stink for parish councillors. At a meeting on Tuesday evening, parish clerk Paul Dunham informed councillors that they may have to dip into their

  • Postal strikes called off

    Planned postal strikes for Friday and Monday have been called off, a source within the Communication Workers Union (CWU)has confirmed. The third round of nationwide strike action by members of the CWU is unlikely to be the last unless an agreement

  • Rise in sexually transmitted infections prompts new centre

    A “66 per cent rise in the number of sexually transmitted infections in the UK” has prompted the opening of a new service for Radlett residents today. Despite representing only 12 per cent of the population, young people aged 16–24 have the

  • Radlett bucks recession trend

    Vacancy rates in high street shops trebled in the first six months of the year but Radlett is going its own way and has seen a splurge of new shop ownership, according to a shop owner who used to be an analysist. Analysts Experian predict

  • Kids score at school rugby tournament

    Primary school pupils from across Watford faced each other on the rugby pitch this afternoon during a tournament designed to introduce them to the sport. The event, hosted by Watford Rugby Club, saw 160 boys and girls from 16 schools play each

  • Mosaic at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels****

    We owe a debt to Mosaic - a choir founded in south Hertfordshire a few years ago - and their Director, Nicholas Robinson, for providing, for its first appearance in Watford on Saturday, October 17, an anthology of mainly 19th-Century French religious

  • Funeral for a Friend at The Forum*****

    Hertfordshire was rocked into life when Funeral for a Friend descended upon The Forum in Hatfield. The University of Hertfordshire's newest live music venue played host to a triple bill, opening with promising Brighton-based band Telegraphs, who were

  • Support group celebrate 30th birthday

    The Hemel Hempstead and Watford Group of the National Association of Colitis and Crohn’s celebrated NACC’s 30th birthday on Saturday, October 31 at Watford General Hospital. Dr Rakesh Chaudhary, one of the team of Consultant Gastroenerologists

  • Historians to learn about 'extraordinary man'

    Historians will learn about the life of an “extraordinary local gentleman” at the next meeting of the South West Herts Archaeological and Historical Society. Michael Stanyon, an archivist for the Apsley Paper Trail, will lead a talk about Sir John Evans

  • Disabled access information brought online

    Hertfordshire’s NHS Trusts have signed up to a new website which gives information to the disabled about access and physical suitability of healthcare services. By visiting www.disabledgo.com users can find for free a dentist with a step-free access

  • Bar refused longer opening hours

    A bar in Watford has been refused permission to extend its opening hours. Walkabout, in The Parade, had applied to vary their closing hours from 1am to 3am on Friday mornings, from 2.30am to 3am on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and from 1.30am

  • Parish councillors consider rebranding village

    Parish councillors are considering rebranding Kings Langley to make it more attractive to visitors. At a meeting of the parish council on Tuesday, shopowner Jeff Folkins asked attending councillors whether it would be possible to add decorative

  • Conservative sells poppies from Watford High Street office

    Richard Harrington, prospective Conservative MP for Watford will be selling poppies for the British Royal Legion ahead of Remembrance Day Sunday. This is part of what he calls a “raft of campaigns” to honour and show thanks for British forces

  • Drug offences rise in Kings Langley

    Drug crime in Kings Langley has risen a whopping 700 per cent, according to figures provided by Hertfordshire police. At a Kings Langley parish council meeting on Tuesday evening, PC Nik Pringle revealed that drug offences had risen from one

  • Children in Need of more places like Watford

    Watford has been named as one of the most dedicated donators to BBC Children in Need. A survey carried out by Asda showed 66.7 percent of Watford people donate to the charity. Hertfordshire was also revelled as one of the top regions in the UK

  • Remembrance Day service to be held at All Saints Church

    A Remembrance Day service to commemorate men and women killed during the two World Wars and other conflicts is to be held. Visitors are welcomed this Sunday, November 8, to All Saints Church in Kings Langley, from 3pm, to remember the brave

  • Babycare clothing star to meet fans

    George, the star of Marks and Spencer's new nursery and babycare range designed by My Unusual Friends author and illustrator Sally Hunter, will meet his fans this weekend. He will be joined by Sally at the Watford Harlequin Centre store from 1pm on Saturday

  • Weight Loss Plateau

    There is so much conflicting information out there on the best way to loose weight. We are bombared with junk email on weight loss pills, supplements etc – even huge sports nutrition companies are pumping out the energy drinks with a “burner” in it!!

  • Who is championing vestiges of yesterday, Dorothy?

    WHEN a friend dies, even if he is a few years older than you, there is a tendency to be reminded rather sharply of your own mortality. That happened when my pal, Watford Observer cartoonist Terry Challis passed away last month. I became

  • Former Watford MEP admits fiddling thousands

    A former policeman who represented Hertfordshire in the European Parliament until May faces jail after admitting fiddling £36,000 in expenses. Tom Wise, 61, from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, changed his pleas to charges of false accounting

  • 'Northwood Six' face charges for peaceful protest

    Peace activists protested on the steps of Watford Magistrates Court yesterday, as fellow demonstrators appeared in the dock. Inside a group named Northwood Six faced charges for their part in the “Die-in” protest, which saw the road outside the military

  • Paul Daniels likes Steve’s sausages ‘a lot’

    A butcher impressed judges including magician Paul Daniels with his sausages to be crowned the London region winner in The Hunt for Britain’s Magical Bangers. Steve Blake, who runs Chris Blake Butchers in High Street, Rickmansworth, won a competitive

  • Railway services resume

    Train services have been resumed this afternoon after police freed a lorry stuck under a railway bridge. The line was temporarily closed while police officers removed the HGV vehicle that had hit a bridge over Orphanage Road, close to Woodford

  • Thieves break through football club roof

    A football club which provides voluntary football coaching to youths in the area has been targeted again by thieves. Evergreen Football Club, on South Way, Abbots Langley, was broken into via the roof on Wednesday morning, between 12.30pm and

  • Stuck lorry rescue underway

    The tyres of a lorry stuck under a railway bridge have been let down to try and free the vehicle, police have said. An HGV lorry became stuck under the bridge in Orphanage Road, close to Woodford Road, at 11.44am. Police were called to the scene, while

  • Cowie keeps Scotland place

    Don Cowie has retained his place in the Scotland squad for next week’s friendly with Wales. Cowie recieved his first call-up against Japan last month after injuries decimated George Burley’s squad. But former Inverness midfielder Cowie

  • Charity bid for European cash grant

    A charity in South Oxhey will bid for a European grant to grow its new community allotment. Ascend, which provides training and educational opportunities for people in south-west Hertfordshire, will use its allotment as a base to teach residents

  • Lorry hits railway bridge

    A lorry has become stuck after hitting a railway bridge in Watford. The HGV vehicle struck the bridge over Orphanage Road, close to the junction with Woodford Road, at about 11.44am. Police have arrived at the scene, close to Watford Junction station

  • Students take part in a spooky sleepover

    Generous children from Francis Combe Academy have held a spooky sleepover in order to raise money for disadvantaged children in Africa. Kenya charity was set up by a parent from Bedmond school, Esther Muoso, after she saw first-hand the struggle

  • Brinton asks town to remember serving soldiers

    Sal Brinton, Liberal Democrat prospective MP for Watford is asking people to remember our troops currently out in Afghanistan this Remembrance Day. The Royal Anglians which includes personnel from Watford and Hertfordshire have members of the

  • Teens avoid jail for Cassiobury Park robbery

    Two teenagers involved in a knifepoint robbery in Cassiobury Park have been given supervision orders. Rhys Bannister, 18, was enjoying himself in the Watford park with friends when a 16-year-old from another group of youths began throwing stones

  • 'Social workers failing Hertfordshire children'

    Allegations of abuse were left for six months without proper review, while others were assessed by unqualified staff, an investigation of childcare in Hertfordshire has revealed. Hertfordshire County Council's childcare system had a surprise

  • Traffic gridlock causes chaos for residents

    Traffic was brought to a standstill in Abbots Langley yesterday as the High Street was closed for a funeral at St Lawrence Church. Motorists were redirected from the High Street and around the narrow bends of The Crescent by police officers

  • Schoolgirl tells court of sexual assault at bus stop

    A schoolgirl was sexually assaulted at a Watford bus stop by a man who had offered her £200 to do modelling work, a jury was told. The 14-year-old girl was stepping onto a bus in the High Street to go to school when she was molested by a man

  • Collect free kitchen caddy

    Environmentally friendly Watford residents can collect a free kitchen caddy to help them recycle their food waste. Watford Borough Council's recycling team will be in Charter Place to hand out the caddies between 10am and 1pm on Tuesday,

  • Children go to work

    Children across the country will go to work as part of 11 Million Takeover Day. Takeover Day, which takes place tomorrow (Friday), is a national event where young people “take over” jobs, swap roles and work alongside adults in schools, police

  • Lambert Smith Hampton reports housing market upswing

    Research published by national commercial property consultant, Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), of Grosvenor Road, St Albans, signals that the property market may be recovering from one of the sharpest downturns ever experienced. The results

  • Foundations laid for church centre

    The foundations are being laid for a new church on the former Watford Springs swimming pool site in central Watford. Watford Community Church won planning permission to build a two-and-a-half storey church centre with an auditorium, café, training

  • Business Link offers struggling publicans financial lifeline

    Following the success of Business Link’s ‘Open for Business’ pub support campaign in March, EEDA has this week announced additional funding to help ailing pubs in the East of England. Accessed once again through Business Link in conjunction with a

  • Abbots Langley children's centre could face closure

    A number of children’s respite centres in Hertfordshire could face closure in the coming months. Herts County Council is currently reviewing the services offered by children’s centres in Adrian Road in Abbots Langley, Woolmer Drive in Hemel

  • Charity auction for firefighters' charity

    Tickets have sold out for a charity night organised by a Garston firefighter. Neville White, who is based at the station in St Albans Road, is aiming to raise more than £2,000 for The Firefighters Charity and Help For Heroes. During