02 Jan 2026
With page after page of news and features every issue, is perhaps easy to forget everything that the St Albans Times has reported on across the district over the past 12 months, which is one of the many reasons why we take a look back over this period for our annual Year in Review.
We started 2025 with Laura Bill asking if it was the year you considered becoming a vegan, our suggestions of some of the best routes and clubs to keep you motivated should you decide to make running a resolution, and Daisy Cooper dissecting some of the decisions made during the first few months of the new Labour Government.
Questions were asked about the future of the ceremonial role of St Albans Mayor after more than 470 years in the face of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), a subject which we would return to on various occasions during the course of the year.
We caught up with SADC leader Cllr Paul de Kort to discuss the ongoing pressures faced by the administration to fulfil national housing demands while protecting and maintaining the district’s character, and St Albans Postboxes knitted their way into the Guinness World Records with the largest ever display of textile post box toppers.
Meanwhile, the Rt Rev Alan Smith, 10th Bishop of St Albans, announced his retirement after more than 15 years in the role, and we raised concerns about rough sleepers using dangerous and derelict garages in London Colney, just one aspect of the neglect of this part of the district we investigated in January.
The Museum of the Moon installation shone lunar light over the Nave at St Albans Cathedral, and local members of the WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) movement revealed their fury after the Government rejected a plea for compensation.
Inspectors were appointed to examine SADC’s long-awaited Local Plan, a rare yellow-browed warbler was sighted wintering around Verulamium Lake, we interviewed Trash Boat guitarist Ryan Hyslop, and charity Highfield Park Trust found its time and resources consumed by work to tackle abandoned horses.
Conservative councillors called on the council to start addressing new Government housing targes or risk being caught out by speculative developments while the row over a scheme for 550 new homes on north-west Harpenden Green Belt rumbled on.
Country pub The Holly Bush unexpectedly closed in January, leaving couples who had paid hundreds of pounds for wedding bookings in the lurch – the doors remain shut a year later.
The month ended with unpopular plans to charge for on-street parking in Harpenden approved by SADC councillors despite fierce opposition from retailers, residents and town councillors, a story which would dominate our pages throughout the year.
Meanwhile, Thames Water failed to apologise for pumping raw sewage into the River Ver for weeks as a result of leaks at Markyate wastewater treatment works, a problem which continues to plague the rare chalk water stream.
Moving into February, and major improvements to Verulamium Park were finally given the green light, while traffic restrictions introduced in George Street during the pandemic were made permanent despite safety concerns about pedestrians.
Green Party councillors launched a damning attack on SADC’s latest Air Quality Action Plan, warning it may fail to deliver meaningful improvements to local air quality, we looked at the stories behind the various fascinating people buried at St Albans Cathedral, and revealed St Albans hair salon Trinder’s ongoing fight to reopen a blocked doorway between its two adjacent properties, a battle they finally won in September.
We revealed plans for another major housing development – 750 homes on fields neighbouring Batford, residents living near Park Street roundabout condemned the clearance of trees and vegetation as part of road modifications for the controversial rail freight depot, and plans were announced to permanently close four of the council’s public toilets.
The introduction of the much-derided on-street parking charges in Harpenden on February 17 saw it become a “ghost town” as customers battled with complicated payment methods or stayed away in their droves, while there was another blow for residents as SADC approved the north-west Harpenden development.
The former Butterfly World site at Chiswell Green continued to deteriorate, with a used-car business occupying the land making no effort to restore it ahead of their expected departure in June, and St Albans actor Asha Banks’ first lead film, My Fault: London, hit the top of the Amazon charts just a few weeks after its premiere.
Campaigners welcomed the decision to end prayers before meetings of St Albans district council, but the outgoing Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Rev Alan Smith, was less positive about the move.
“In a city named after St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr, it is sad that this tradition, which has existed for many decades, is to be set aside. For many, prayer offers a moment of reflection, wisdom and encouragement as councillors prepare to serve their community,” he said.
Third generation Bangladeshi Muslim Anisha Kashim offered a harsh insight into the racism still prevalent in St Albans, with schools and local authorities accused of failing to adequately tackle the issue.
Meanwhile, SADC passed a budget which saw £325,000 of net savings, and we revealed how Flamstead residents were being targeted by a bird of prey on the loose in their village – a story which made the national media shortly afterwards.
The St Albans Pancake Race returned in style, and city centre business leaders shared their stories to mark International Women’s Day.
We supported St Albans Cathedral in raising awareness of the £7,000 it costs per day to remain open, and asked whether district councillors should enjoy substantially discounted parking despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the introduction of new charges for ordinary motorists.
We told the story of legendary local tailor Geoffrey Golding, who has worked with princes and Prime Ministers, and asked local residents and visitors to Harpenden what they made of the new parking charges.
As city centre pub the Alban’s Well became the first local casualty of the Government’s onslaught of National Insurance, minimum wage and business rate increases, we spoke to three different publicans to find out how they were coping with the changes, and St Albans School announced it was ending more than a thousand years of boys-only provision by welcoming girls into Year 7 from September 2026.
As March came to a close, businesses in Harpenden revealed the negative impact on trade caused by the end of free parking in the town, and as the Peregrine falcons returned to breed at St Albans Cathedral we had little idea of the fate which would befall their first clutch of eggs.
OVO theatre company boss Adam Nichols revealed that plans to create St Albans newest theatre by transforming a derelict 18th century barn were still on the cards, despite reports to the contrary in other local media, a legal challenge against Harpenden parking charges was launched by the town council, and actor Ray Winstone showed his support for pal Jake Wood at an exhibition of his artwork at Vache Bleue Galleries in The Maltings.
The Government’s approved expansion of London Luton Airport from 19 million passengers per year to 32 million by the mid-2040s met with mixed responses locally and former Fleetville Junior School headteacher Gareth Linwood narrowly escaped being barred from the profession for making a series of misogynistic comments and sending sexual emails.
Meanwhile, police launched an investigation into the destruction of three Peregrine falcon eggs at the Cathedral and The Dressing Room boutique celebrated its 20th anniversary.
We spoke to Harpenden candidates standing in the May elections about their stance on the parking charges, revealed how Redbourn prepared for the event of a nuclear war during the eighties, and marked 70 years of Ayletts garden centre.
Heads of girls-only independent schools commented on the decision by their peers to go co-ed, we were there for the reopening of the Clock Tower for 2025 and celebrated this year’s Easter Monday Pilgrimage at the Cathedral.
Just a few weeks before the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we revealed how Nazi memorabilia was on sale at St Albans Vintage Market, and marked St George’s Day at the annual Chamber of Commerce lunch.
The results of the county council elections at the start of May saw the Lib Dems seize control of County Hall, and Green Party candidate Matt Fisher win the St Albans Central division by just six votes. Elsewhere, new eggs were laid by the Cathedral falcons, and the St Albans Times featured in a Guardian article about the ongoing campaign against smartphones for under-14s.
We marked the VE Day anniversary with exclusive coverage of the celebrations across the district, asked whether the Lib Dems have an anti-car agenda, and caught up with Electric Umbrella musician Tommy Waterhart to discuss the band’s remarkable performance on Britain’s Got Talent.
We said a fond farewell to Bishop of St Albans Alan Smith ahead of his retirement, enjoyed the city’s first Spring Festival, and revealed the secrets of a Cold War gizmo which shaped the course of world politics thanks to research by two St Albans filmmakers.
The St Albans Times launched its unique Flashback series, looking at the stories, ads and photographs featured in the Herts Ad of 1957-58, met EastEnder Kellie Bright at the Fleetville Fashion Extravaganza, and revealed the first images of St Albans City Football Club’s proposed new stadium.
We highlighted the unresolved issues hanging over plans to build more than 1,000 new homes on Green Belt land to the north of the city, and were back at Oaklands College’s Smallford campus for this year’s Foodies Festival.
Heritage campaigners were up in arms after County Hall replaced 100-year-old cobbles at the north end of St Peter’s Street with unsightly Tarmac, community organisation LeeAnna’s Wish celebrated receiving £207K from the National Lottery, we previewed this year’s St Albans International Organ Festival, and presented a shocking follow-up to our previous article on racism with research into how it remains prevalent today.
Harpenden Town Council decided not to pursue a Judicial Review against on-street parking charges at the end of June, we marked 20 years of the Abbey Line Community Rail Partnership, and questioned whether SEND provision locally had improved since the Lib Dems took control of the county council.
The Maltings Shopping Centre turned into a Friday night music festival for the inaugural Summer Sounds, developers continued to carry out enabling work on a Green Belt site in north St Albans despite not having secured planning permission, and we marked 170 years of local news in the city with an in-depth look at the history of the Herts Ad – an anniversary which passed them by without celebration.
Wimbledon prodigy Oliver Tarvet returned to his former school, The Marlborough Science Academy, for the annual M Fest event, we investigated writer Tony Rodway’s claims that St Albans was the cultural centre of prehistoric Britain, and an appeal was approved for the commercial use of the former Butterfly World site under the Government’s new “grey belt” rules – but this wasn’t the end of the story…
A mural dedicated to sixties band The Zombies was unveiled by the group at The Pioneer Club, a fresh wave of parking restrictions were proposed for back streets around the city centre, and we took a look behind the hoardings to discover more about the new Cosy Club coming to Christopher Place.
A major inferno tore through Redbourn’s Ver Meadows Travellers site, leaving dozens of residents homeless, we discovered the history beneath our feet at an archaeological dig at the Rose and Crown in St Michael’s Village, and Harpenden retailers refuted suggestions by SADC leader Cllr Paul de Kort that they were happy with the on-street parking charges in the town.
Keep Chiswell Green spokesperson Shirani St Ledger McCarthy reflected on the devastating news that their long-running fight to save the local Green Belt development had ended in defeat, and the 80th anniversary of Harpenden resident George Hogg’s death was honoured – he is considered to be a national hero in China after saving the lives of school boys in his charge during the Japanese invasion.
The founder of the Herts 10K dismissed suggestions that this year’s event was cancelled due to its “unpopularity”, MP Daisy Cooper offered her opinions on the Labour Government’s performance over its first year in office, and we marked 40 years of St Albans Cathedral’s Education Centre –the very first dedicated learning space of its kind within a British cathedral.
There was good news relating to the former Butterfly World site, as the appeal decision giving permission for its industrial use quashed due to a lack of public consultation thanks to the efforts of campaign groups Keep Chiswell Green and Herts and Middlesex Butterfly Conservation.
We revealed the often unseen treasures of St Albans Cathedral’s archives, examined the current state of the hospitality industry in the district, and controversial plans for up to 150 new homes on Green Belt land to the north of St Albans were approved by councillors.
SADC leader Cllr Paul de Kort revealed how a massive increase in the number of homeless families across the district has placed unexpected pressure on their finances, and there was chaos at St Peter’s Street Post Office after it reopened as a franchise.
St Albans’ last Pub in the Park ended on a high as its replacement in 2026 was confirmed as a more intimate event called Sound Bites, and the Civic Society launched a new campaign for the creation of a City Parish Council in the wake of local government reorganisation.
We explored how water supplies are coming under fresh pressure as housebuilding ramps up, asked whether there was such a thing as a happy dairy cow, and visited the Pioneer Club for the inaugural Escape to the City all-dayer, with photos by world class concert photographer Neil Lupin gracing our pages.
The security of our treasured heritage came under question as the campaign for a City Parish Council gathered pace, with fears that a distant unitary authority could sell off key assets, and Harpenden Town Council revealed plans to commission an independent survey into the impact of on-street parking charges.
When we announced the closure of popular eatery The Pudding Stop at the end of September, nobody could predict the controversy which would surround its revival as The Bakery Stop just a few weeks later, which saw it wipe out £624K worth of debt, including £127K to employees.
‘The Siege of Sandridge’ was how we described proposals for more than 100 new homes on Green Belt land to the east and west of the village which threaten to ruin its historic character forever, and we took an in-depth look at the challenges faced by local independent businesses while also marking 20 years of St Albans restaurant Lussmanns.
Legendary band The Zombies returned to St Albans’ Pioneer Club – where they had their first rehearsal in 1961 – to celebrate the re-release of their seminal album Odessey and Oracle with a listening party for their fans, and we took part in the second Great St Albans Challenge, a GPS-powered treasure hunt raising funds for local charity Youth Talk.
County Hall admitted it had made false promises over the restoration of 100-year-old historic cobbles which had been ripped up and replaced with Tarmac, we reviewed Herts Showground’s short-lived Halloween Haunt Fest prior to it going into administration, and launched the 2025 St Albans Postboxes campaign with a look behind-the-scenes at the charity fundraiser.
We asked whether we are seeing a rise in far right politics across the St Albans district, took a look inside the city’s CCTV control room, and interviewed Instagram comedy sensation Bronwyn Sweeney.
Annie Brewster was announced as a new Deputy Lieutenant for Herts, St Albans SEND parents took their protest over service failings to the steps of County Hall, and we published exclusive photos of Cruz Beckham’s secret gig at The Horn. The rise in membership of the Green Party across the St Albans district was highlighted, we announced the imminent arrival of popular restaurant Chicken George to The Maltings, but also the sad news that home interiors store Cositas was to close after nine years.
Another thousand homes were proposed for Green Belt land outside Redbourn, we marked 10 years of St Albans Sustainability Festival, the Marshalswick Elf prepared for this year’s Christmas campaign, and we took a deep dive into what the Autumn Budget means for businesses in the district.
We marked our 150th issue with reviews of both St Albans and Harpenden pantos, revealed how SADC leader Cllr Paul de Kort had no plans to action any recommendations on Harpenden parking made by the town council, and looked at how hundreds of homes across the district could be affected by Labour’s new ‘mansion tax’.
The year came to a close with a special feature looking at St Saviour’s Church’s three-yearly Christmas Tree Festival, coverage of the success of the Reverse Advent campaign for St Albans Action for Homeless and the Community Pantry, and news of a council U-turn over plans to charge motorists to use Haseldine Road car park in London Colney.
It’s not been a quiet 12 months by any account, with plenty happening locally to keep us busy reporting on stories not covered anywhere else, and the year ahead slows no signs of slowing down, with further updates on local government reorganisation and whether St Albans’ long-overdue Local Plan is given the green light.
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has ensured the continued success of the St Albans Times in 2025 – our readers, sponsors, advertisers and contributors – and look forward to your support in 2026.
