Pictures: Changing face of Watford between 1975 and 1999

The Watford Observer produced a series of supplements called The Millennium Collection to look back at events in the town and south west Herts in the 20th century at the end of 1999.

The fourth and final part of that series focused on the years 1975 to 1999 and the ten pictures on this page, including the original captions, have been taken from that publication.

They include images from our archive of the very start of building the Harlequin Centre, the link road to the M1 and a facelift for the pond in the High Street.

It was also a period that marked the end of business including Fishburns, Watford Golf Centre and the post office in Market Street.

We hope you enjoy seeing these pictures again and they provoke some memories.

Work commences on this moonscape for the Mars 1 project, later named The Harlequin in August 1988 (Image: Watford Observer)

Biting the dust, much of the Peace Memorial Hospital. (Image: Watford Observer)

It was farewell to a familiar High Street store, which was originally based in Queens Road. (Image: Watford Observer)

The last post. Watford's Market Street post office closes despite many appeals for a rethink. (Image: Watford Observer)

Another tract of green land is being prepared for the tarmac of the M1 Link Road in 1992. (Image: Watford Observer)

Fisburns departure reflects the decline of Watford as a world-renowned printing centre. (Image: Watford Observer)

Another stalwart of the Watford retail community, Hammonds bows out of lower High Street. (Image: Watford Observer)

Fire guts this doomed shop in lower High Street, on the Harlequin site. (Image: Watford Observer)

More unimaginative cosmetic work on The Pond, Watford, in the days before the area became known as the cafe quarter. (Image: Watford Observer)

The Watford Golf Driving Range became a sporting fixture but that too was replaced by the Warner Village. (Image: Watford Observer)