02 Jan 2025
The second half of 2024 began with the long-awaited General Election, as St Albans MP Daisy Cooper retained her seat, now joined by fellow Lib Dem Victoria Collins in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, and we followed up the result with in-depth analysis across the political spectrum.
We asked whether police were doing enough to enforce road traffic offences across the district, and the row over the introduction of seven day markets in the city centre rumbled on, as councillors voted in support of the scheme despite mounting opposition from retailers.
“We feel the council should be spending more time and effort supporting bricks and mortar and not creating new challenges for them,” said Liam Judge from St Albans City Independent Businesses.
We met the cast of this year’s Harpenden pantomime, revealed the town’s photographer of the year, and campaigners launched an appeal against the county council’s sale of land for a rail freight terminal.
St Albans actor Asha Banks starred in the must-see new BBC mystery series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, adapted from the book by Holly Jackson, and we revealed plans by St Albans Cathedral and St Albans Film Festival for the inaugural Alban Film Week.
Harpenden town councillor Richard Scott called for local Lib Dems to come together and devise a solution to the issue of on-street car parking changes ahead of the start of public consultation, Ben Collins received his life-saving stem cell transplant, and the world’s first lace-free performance slipper was launched in St Albans.
Cottonmill residents came together for their annual community day, the St Albans Times, Mix 92.6FM and The Maltings Shopping Centre revived the St Albans Retailer of the Year competition, we spoke to Harpenden athlete Phoebe Gill ahead of her appearance at the Paris Olympics and St Albans City FC launched a bold and proud new pink away shirt.
Moving into August, and Sandridge businesses called for their customers’ support during a three-week closure of the main road through the village, the Government announced major changes to the National Planning Policy Framework which heralded a 70 per cent increase in St Albans’ house building targets – leading SADC to steamroll ahead with the Local Plan process.
We spoke to Tom Kerridge at the launch of this year’s St Albans Pub in the Park, city centre flagship development Jubilee Square was finally officially opened, six years since work first began on the site, and Bob Golding led a trio of actors portraying comedy legends Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Bob Monkhouse in new play The Last Laugh.
A Mini Mela Festival celebrated South Asian Heritage Month, St Albans hairdresser Michael Symcox was left hanging for nine weeks without a landline due to failings by BT, the regeneration of Rothamsted skate park was cancelled due to soaring costs, SADC rejected calls for a formal collaboration with Harpenden Town Council on a parking strategy, and Ed Sheeran popped in to the Sainsbury’s store at London Colney to launch his new hot sauce.
Long-lost photographs of Morecambe and Wise by late photographer Tony “Greg” Gregory were published in the St Albans Times, a major wardrobe revamp took place at the Abbey Theatre, Harpenden’s history and heritage was celebrated on a new subway mural, we celebrated 90 years of Verulamium Park and Lake with a major series on its creation and development and there was another anniversary as St Albans Talking Newspaper marked a half-century.
September brought news of the possible early submission of the Local Plan in a bid to avoid increased housing targets, prompting criticism from campaigners and opposition councillors, and SADC revealed proposals to charge for free car parks in Redbourn and London Colney had been shelved.
Local landlords condemned ‘unworkable’ proposals to ban smoking outside pubs, almost a third of Harpenden’s population were revealed to oppose the proposed on street car parking charges as petitions were submitted to SADC, and this year’s Pub in the Park proved St Albans knows how to party with a packed weekend of food and music.
Filming for this year’s Tesco Christmas advert took place in the city centre, Harpenden councillors threatened a judicial review as the divide between town and district over the parking controversy grew even wider, and Alban Arena doorman Mick Chaudry celebrated 50 years of dedicated service to the venue.
Community campaigners presented their case at a planning inquiry over proposals for 95 homes on Green Belt land in Park Street after SADC refused to take part and Laura Bill interviewed the stars of this year’s Arena panto.
Heading into October, and we looked at how parent pacts were having a decisive impact on the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, with Crabtree Infant and Junior Schools in Harpenden setting the standard for the district and county. OVO artistic director Adam Nichols discussed plans to regenerate the Grade II listed St Germain’s Barn – next to Verulamium Museum – as a new performance venue, and we revealed the finalists of the St Albans Retailer of the Year 2024 ahead of November’s awards ceremony.
We met the team behind charity project Hygiene Bank Harpenden and St Albans, tackling hygiene poverty across the district, and covered the inaugural Great St Albans Challenge in aid of Youth Talk.
County Hall announced a community-led initiative to transform Victoria Street, and we reported on the devastating news that a legal challenge over HCC’s sale of land on the former Radlett airfield to rail freight terminal developers Segro had been rejected at the High Court.
How to Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell visited Fleetville Junior School, and St Albans Times editor Matt Adams joined hundreds of other runners for the 19th annual Herts 10K in aid of Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.
We celebrated the district’s cinematic links ahead of the Alban Film Week with a special movie issue, including appearances by St Albans on film and TV, interviews with a production sound mixer behind assorted blockbusters and the owner of a new film academy for youngsters, and the story of St Albans’ own film industry.
The St Albans Times featured on a new edition of perennial family favourite boardgame Monopoly, which also included the likes of the Odyssey Cinema, Verulamium Park, St Columba’s College, Youth Talk and the Ollie Foundation, and we explored the stories behind the headstones at Hatfield Road cemetery.
St Albans TEDx returned for another successful year, the draft Local Plan was approved by Full Council ready for submission to the Secretary of State, and we interviewed original Zombies singer Colin Blunstone ahead of the second Begin Here Festival.
St Albans Chief Inspector Martin Turpin marked his first year in the role with a successful period of proactive policing, and local Conservatives were also celebrating after their candidate Sue Griffiths dealt the Lib Dems a bloody nose in the Harpenden North and Rural by-election.
We also spoke to the couple behind the Chiswell Green pizzeria gaining national acclaim for its New Haven-style pies, and revealed how work to clear scrub from Bedmond Wildlife Meadow had resulted in the decimation of a large area of established woodland.
November saw the local hospitality industry hit hard by a devastating Budget which saw Chancellor Rachel Reeves reduce the business rate relief discount and increase National Insurance contributions. St Albans Times photographer Toby Shepheard was at Downing Street for the famous Red Box moment.
District councillors ignored overwhelming opposition to plans to charge for on-street parking in Harpenden, High Sheriff Annie Brewster received the highest possible accolade from St Albans Rotarians, and MPs Daisy Cooper and Victoria Collins joined campaigners in their call for clean water in rivers.
There was devastating news for Park Street after the Planning Inspector allowed an appeal by developers against the refusal of planning permission to build 95 houses on Green Belt land, notable because SADC had decided not to take the stand, leaving the battle in the hands of local campaigners.
A military historian uncovered the stories of Marlborough Science Academy pupils’ fallen ancestors, there was uproar following major changes in the opening hours at Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre, we covered this year’s Begin Here Festival featuring sixties legends The Zombies, and the new Tesco advert filmed in St Albans was finally broadcast.
The winners of the revived St Albans Retailer of the Year Awards were announced, which included Theresa Kennedy of Up We Pop, Empire Records, Chloe James Lifestyle, Kat’s Cuisine, Barbone, Andy Shoesmiths, Hannah Sessions Design and Toast.
The public was offered the chance to have their say on whether traffic calming changes to George Street should be permanent, we marked 50 years of iconic music venue The Horn, took a look inside the new Farr Brewery and Tap Room, and kicked off the festive season with coverage from the St Albans Christmas Cracker.
The Government announced plans to end the two-tier system of local government, which would involve the demolition of district councils like St Albans, Olympian Phoebe Gill became the first ambassador for mental health charity Youth Talk, St Albans Postboxes embarked on a world record attempt for the highest number of textile toppers displayed in one place, and St Peter’s Street Post Office was revealed to be at risk of closure.
We examined the implications of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, celebrated 130 days of Ben Collins’ recovery from leukaemia, watched an iconic Blue Plaque from BBC TV Centre unveiled at the Eric Morecambe Centre by the eponymous funnyman’s daughter and interviewed local actor Vincent Franklin about his new production of A Christmas Carol.
Also on the news agenda was coverage of the winners of the 15th annual St Albans District Chamber of Commerce’s Community Business Awards, St Albans Soroptimists’ Orange the World initiative, and the launch of a new illustrated timeline of St Albans Cathedral.
Entering December, there was controversy over who should make the final decision in the Harpenden car parking row, fears for the future of Cottonmill Community and Cycling Centre, a focus on Small Business Saturday, and the Local Plan was submitted for Government approval.
Meanwhile, Oaklands College opened its flagship new Construction Centre, the Cathedral hosted the High Sheriff’s Justice Service, and councillors called for better scrutiny of rail freight planning applications.
Daisy Cooper took to the stage at The Horn for a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, controversial plans to install graduation facilities next to St Albans Cathedral for 12 weeks of the year were rejected by councillors, and we looked back over 20 years of Cellar Door Wines.
The Marshalswick Elf was back for a third year, raising funds for St Albans Action for Homeless and the Community Pantry, we asked whether sweeping changes to planning policies vindicated SADC’s decision to steam ahead with the Local Plan, and highlighted which St Albans shops offered the greatest accessibility for mobility scooter and wheelchair users.
Wrapping up 2024, we marked our 100th issue with testimonials from leading figures in the St Albans community, caught up with the team behind the St Albans postbox toppers, and took a look at people’s alternative Christmas Days.
Phew! What a year it’s been. Here’s to 2025!
