The independent, intelligent guide to everything that matters locally
February 2025
GOING UP...
PARKING CHARGES IN EAST HERTS TO RISE
COMING SOON...ISH NEW HOSPITAL REMAINS ON THE WAITING LIST
OUT & ABOUT WHERE TO SEE THE SNOWDROPS THIS MONTH
THINGS TO DO WE PREVIEW UPCOMING ARTS & EVENTS
VALENTINE’S DINING CHECK OUR GUIDE FOR THE BEST LOCAL EATERIES
05-17 y Briefing
The latest local news, including the appointment of a new boss for BEAM
23-30 y What’s on
Our guide to everything from places to visit to art exhibitions and films
19-21 y Shopping & business news
Find out about the latest openings and closures on our high streets
31-35 y Food & drink
Looking for a restaurant for Valentine’s Day? Look no further...
15 & 17 y FROM PARLIAMENT: Our MPs write exclusive columns for you
18 y HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLBEING: Roll yourself fit!
Front cover images (clockwise from top)
The
No.14,
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Axis magazine was founded in 2003 by two award-winning former local newspaper editors who still own and run the business today.
We are the independent, intelligent guide to everything that matters in and around eastern Hertfordshire and we aim to provide a concise, useful guide to local life.
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The first changes to spring from the new parking strategy being developed by East Herts Council will come into force this April and – not surprisingly – herald an increase in the majority of charges for residents, businesspeople and visitors to park their cars.
As reported by Axis back in October, the Green-Liberal Democrat-controlled council is determined to reduce car use whilst also using one of the few levers it has to raise revenue by increasing fees. It plans to raise £1.75 million from parking for the financial years 2025/26 to 27/28.
But while the council has long-term aspirations that include controversial ideas such as charging more for drivers who own larger or more polluting vehicles in certain circumstances, its short-term aim is more predictable.
How fees will rise
From this April, charges in so-called ‘destination’ car parks in Hertford, Ware and Bishop’s Stortford will be set at £1.20 per hour, up from £1 or £1.10 at present, and these will increase in a linear manner by £1.20 per hour for up to five hours.
This will mean a five-hour stay will cost £6, up from £4.60 at present –
representing a 30 per cent rise.
However, smaller village car parks including Stanstead Abbotts and Sawbridgeworth will be treated differently, with charges (only recently introduced) in Stanstead Abbotts
High Street car park actually reduced and only a small increase being implemented in Bell Street car park in Sawbridgeworth. A further review of these ‘local’ car parks is also proposed moving forward.
Plan for Northgate End
The other car park being treated differently is Northgate End in Bishop’s Stortford.
Opened by the council’s previous Conservative administration in 2023, it has proved unpopular with motorists and is often largely empty, so to encourage people to use it, charges will stay unchanged. This means that while the all-day tariff at other car parks in the town will rise to £7.80, the all-day fee at Northgate End will be £4.20. These increases are in marked contrast to the previous East Herts policy of raising charges by either 2.5 per cent or the Consumer Prices Index. The overall aims of the parking strategy to encourage behaviour change and improve the environment will continue to be worked on over the coming years.
‘It’s Marmite on steroids’ –Councillor accepts change of approach will be divisive
Cllr Tim Hoskin, the council’s Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability, admitted that many people would find the increases hard to stomach, calling the subject of parking charges “Marmite on steroids – highly divisive” but he insisted that the increases were essential to help keep the under-pressure East Herts financially solvent.
“We inherited a budget that was very heavy on capital investment, which required a lot of borrowing, which is a problem. We looked at the books, and considered our green agenda, and increasing charges for parking is one of the few levers we have to actually raise revenue. We are not allowed to raise council tax by much, so raising money from parking has to be part of our strategy.
“We also have a £24 million car park at Northgate End that people
simply don’t want to use and we must make that work.”
Despite the increases, Mr Hoskin says the overall parking charges in East Herts will still not be out of sync with most neighbouring local authorities in Hertfordshire.
Streeting confirms there will be a new Princess Alexandra – but with a ‘realistic timescale’
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that a new hospital to replace Harlow’s Princess Alexandra will be funded and built – although it could be a decade before it is open.
Mr Streeting’s announcement in the House of Commons on Monday 20th January follows a review of the previous Government’s New Hospital Programme, one that was announced within weeks of Labour winning July’s General Election by new Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Back in 2019, the Conservatives, then under Boris Johnson, had promised to build 40 new hospitals across the country by 2030. It included a replacement for the Princess Alexandra, where it has long been accepted that buildings are at the end of their useful life. Last summer the hospital’s director of strategy and estates Michael Meredith said the trust was spending between £9 million and £10 million per year on maintaining the existing buildings, plus maintenance backlogs and technology.
A new site, close to the new junction 7a of the M11, had been identified (although not secured), with plans for housing on the current Hamstel Road hospital site. But the timescale for completing the new hospital has been pushed back time and again.
At the time that last year’s General Election was called the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust had been expecting an announcement from the Government that would have put Harlow high up in the schedule of projects to get underway. It was hoped that a planning application could be made in 2025 and the hospital would open by 2032.
their useful life
But after the election, incoming Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the whole programme was wildly off track and unfunded and announced a reset.
Mr Streeting said: “The New Hospital Programme we inherited was unfunded and undeliverable. Not a single new hospital was built in the past five years, and there was no credible funding plan to build 40 in the next five years ... Today we are setting out an honest, funded and deliverable programme to rebuild our NHS.”
He said all hospital projects in the revamped programme would be delivered but with a realistic and properly costed construction timescale.
New hospitals will be built in three waves. Harlow will be in wave two, with construction expected to begin between 2032 and 2034 at a cost of between £1.5 billion and £2 billion.
Labour Hertford and Stortford MP Josh Dean said: “We know how important a new hospital is for our community, and local residents, staff and patients are right to expect an honest, realistic and deliverable timetable. I’m relieved that this is what the Government has set out today.”
Harlow MP Chris Vince said:
“I’m delighted that the Labour Government has confirmed at least £1.5billion of new funding for a new hospital in Harlow.
“The building work will commence between 2032 and 2034. This is the first time there has ever been a proper plan for a new hospital.”
Trust calls announcement ‘a significant delay to plans’
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust said that while the announcement represented “a significant delay to the original plans”, it did nevertheless provide certainty that there would be a new hospital within the next decade.
It said it would continue to work closely with the national programme team to ensure plans are robust and that the necessary land is acquired.
The Trust also said it had been advised it could plan to begin construction from 2032.
Hattie Llewyn-Davies, chair of PAHT, and Thom Lafferty, its chief executive, said in a joint statement:
“We are pleased that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Wes Streeting, has confirmed the Government’s commitment to a new hospital for Harlow.
“His statement provides much-needed certainty to our people and our patients. The new hospital will provide an incredible opportunity to transform the care we deliver to our local populations, responding to local need.
“In the meantime, our ageing
hospital estate continues to face significant and ongoing problems. Now that the start of construction for our new hospital has been delayed until 2032, we will work with the system and NHS England colleagues to ensure we can maintain safe and effective facilities for our patients and staff across our current sites in the meantime.
“We would like to thank our people, our patients, our partners, and our local communities for their continued support.”
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Hertfordshire County Council is consulting on new proposals for a 20mph zone in Ware focused around the High Street.
The authority is keen to introduce a 20mph speed limit in areas across the county, with the aim of improving road safety, creating calmer streets and encouraging more walking and cycling. It has already implemented schemes in a number of places including in central St Albans, Salisbury Village in Hatfield and Holdbrook in Waltham Cross. And it is currently working up proposals for other areas with an emphasis on residential roads, town and city centres, high streets and local shopping parades.
Last Autumn the council consulted local residents on a proposal for Ware that would have reduced the permitted speed to 20mph in 95 streets including the High Street. But of the 433 responses received, 214 supported the proposal while 218 opposed it and, given a lack of overall support and the mixed
response from residents affected, a decision was made not to proceed. Somewhat confusingly, there is already 20mph signage in Ware High Street and Baldock Street, introduced as part of a package of emergency social distancing measures including footway widening during the Covid pandemic, which saw a temporary 20mph speed restriction between the Baldock Street/Watton Road roundabout and the High Street/Star Street/ Bridge Foot roundabout. The temporary traffic regulation order has expired but the signage has not been taken down.
A new proposal for the town would see a new traffic regulation order reintroduce a 20mph limit for the road through the town centre with other streets proposed for the measure including Amwell End, Station Road, Star Street, Kibes Lane, New Road and Church Street. The streets proposed to be converted to 20mph would link up to others where the lower speed
Hertford’s redeveloped theatre, BEAM, starts 2025 with a new leader at the helm after the appointment of Steve Sargeant as its Commercial and Cultural Development Manager.
He joins the East Herts Councilowned venue from Trafalgar Theatres, for whom he was the director of The Beck Theatre in Hayes for seven years. He also worked as the development director for the Trafalgar Entertainment Trust, a national charity set up to increase access to the arts for all, whose programmes reached more than 55,000 people last year. Prior to that, Steve was designing and delivering strategy for High Peak Theatre Trust, a role that included setting up a commercial cinema enterprise and designing a high quality, bespoke customer experience.
On his appointment he said: “BEAM in Hertford is truly inspiring and I feel privileged and excited to join this world-class
venue so early. The potential at BEAM is boundless and the range of world-class facilities means BEAM can be a cultural destination for all with a broad programme that connects with our audiences in a truly meaningful way. Venues that bring our communities together are perhaps more important now than ever before and I can’t wait to work with the expert team at BEAM to unlock an extraordinary future for BEAM and for Hertford.”
Steve will oversee BEAM’s summer programme and the delivery of the venue’s second auditorium, which has been purpose-built to bring in more intimate shows and support local talent.
The leader of East Herts Council, Cllr Ben Crystall, said: “We are really glad Steve is joining us to become the figurehead for this brandnew venue. We welcome his wealth of experience and cannot wait to see everything he will achieve with the support of the great team we already have at BEAM.”
limit is already in place, including Bowling Road, The Close, Church Street, Collett Road and The Bourne, to create a more coherent 20mph zone.
To view and comment on the new proposals visit Hertfordshire.gov. uk/consultation and click on Ware
town centre 20mph by 11.45pm on Sunday 9th February. The council says that comments received will help it to finalise any proposal before a formal consultation. Alternatively, it may decide not to continue the proposal further.
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HITCHIN • 01462 438422
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HODDESDON • 01992 471709
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Despite the uncertainty over the pending reorganisation of local government, our local councils are having to plan their budgets for the coming financial year, 2025/26, and still face huge challenges in balancing the books while retaining an adequate level of public services. Hertfordshire County Council has published its draft budget, outlining how it plans to spend £1.1 billion on the services it operates, which include social care, education and highways. The council is planning to use £3 million from its reserves (savings) to balance the budget whilst reducing its own costs by £42 million, and increasing its share of council tax by 4.99 per cent.
Conservative Cllr Bob Deering, Cabinet member for Resource and Performance, said: “This is by no means easy to achieve since demand for the services we provide is burgeoning and it doesn’t help that the new government has put up NI and
is redirecting funding towards other areas of the country. Nevertheless, true to our national reputation for the sound management of the county council’s finances, I am confident that we will finalise a budget that will maintain services and continue to support the residents of Hertfordshire.”
East Herts Council’s financial difficulties have been reported extensively in Axis but its Executive has put forward a balanced budget which includes a 2.98 per cent council tax rise, increased garden waste charge (up £10 to £59 a year), higher parking charges (see page 5) and reduced debt repayment by the sale of some assets. The expected contribution from BEAM, the new Hertford theatre, originally expected to be £1.8 million, has been downgraded to just £200,000.
Broxbourne Council will be considering its budget this month.
Andy Prophet began work as Hertfordshire’s new Chief Constable in January after Charlie Hall retired. Meanwhile, Neighbourhood Policing Teams across East Herts have set their new policing priorities for the coming months, to focus on the issues currently causing the most concern to residents locally. In Hertford activity will focus on reducing anti-social behaviour around the theatre, BEAM, The Wash and Mead Lane. In Ware officers will be looking to reduce reports of substance misuse in the Kibes Lane area and tackle shoplifting in Stanstead Abbotts. Officers in Sawbridgeworth will be working to reduce the number of incidents of retail crime while in Bishop’s Stortford they will be working to reduce incidents of youthrelated anti-social behaviour in the town centre.
County council elections in Hertfordshire will go ahead as planned on 1st May after the council decided against applying for a delay to the Government, pending the local government reorganisation.
Ware’s Southern Maltings arts centre is to be leased for an undisclosed sum on a 99-year lease to Ware Town Council by owners East Herts Council.
The building in Kibes Lane is one of a number of assets that East Herts Council agreed last October should be disposed of, the income from which could be used to pay down debt and thus ease pressures on its budgets via reduced interest payments.
The move would also reduce East Herts’ liabilities in terms of maintaining the assets.
At their January meeting, members of the council’s Executive were asked to agree to the granting of a 99year lease on the Southern Maltings Building to Ware Town Council on the basis that it continued to be run as a community arts venue.
CAMERAS NOW IN FORCE
New number plate recognition enforcement cameras are now operational at the yellow box junction where Adderley Road meets The Causeway in Bishop’s Stortford. For the first six months (the cameras went live on 10th December) drivers will be issued with a warning letter for a first contravention. For subsequent contraventions a PCN will be issued for £70, or £35 if paid within 14 days.
Planning permission for 10,000 new homes in the Gilston area has been granted by East Herts Council. The outline permissions comprise 8,500 homes for Places for People across six villages and 1,500 homes for Taylor Wimpey in a seventh village. East Herts agreed that permission would be granted in 2023 subject to the finalisation of conditions and completion of a satisfactory Section 106 agreement to secure the necessary infrastructure. That has now been completed.
Fanshawe swimming pool in Ware and Leventhorpe pool in Sawbridgeworth are now closed after the Department for Education withdrew funding which helped them to operate. The pools were run by Everyone Active on behalf of East Herts Council and Chauncy and Leventhorpe schools, but the Government funding was crucial to them staying open. Last-minute attempts to find a reprieve came to nothing.
Despite the UK’s water vole population continuing to be in decline, a new report also shows a heartening increase in our area that coincides with the conservation efforts of Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and its partners.
The native mammals are a vital part of river ecosystems, their burrowing, feeding and movements helping to create conditions for other animals and plants to thrive. But the species is in rapid decline for reasons that include habitat loss and degredation, pollution, and predation by American mink. The mink were first brought to the UK in the 1920s for fur farming but a number escaped and rapidly bred.
The National Water Vole Database Project Report, newly released by The Wildlife Trusts, paints a gloomy picture nationally with a 39% decrease in the number of areas occupied by the endangered mammals compared to the 2006 baseline.
And, it says, in some parts of Britain it is likely that water voles are now functionally extinct.
But it also offers confirmation that with intervention, there is hope of turning the mammal’s fortunes around.
The report identifies two areas of Hertfordshire as new Regional Key Areas – areas of 35 square kilometres or more, known to support water vole populations, and likely to play a strategic role in the recovery of the species.
The expansion of the species,
to both the east and west of the county, coincides with sustained conservation work undertaken by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust since 2002.
This includes a successful water vole reintroduction in 2015 at Thorley Wash Nature Reserve, a wetland reserve nestled between the River Stort navigation and the Stort backwater; and a further reintroduction in 2022 on the River Beane near Watton-at-Stone. Surveys have
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subsequently reported an increase in range from both sites.
The Trust has worked with the Colne Valley Fisheries Collective, which represents the interests of angling clubs in the area, to celebrate the role anglers play as stewards of wetland environments.
And since 2012 it has been working with partners including the Environment Agency to support the restoration of the area’s chalk rivers, including those to the east of the
county where water vole expansion has been reported, on the rivers Stort, Ash, Beane, Lea and Rib.
More to be done
There is more that can be done, much strategic – ensuring developers, land managers, farmers and conservationists work in tandem to help water vole populations expand from their remaining strongholds. Josh Kalms, Water Vole Officer at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, said: “Despite the disappointing national findings, the localised picture shows there is hope for the future of water voles thanks to the Trust’s work to conserve voles and their habitats continuously for over 20 years. We will build on this further with reintroductions, continuing American mink control and by conserving and restoring habitats so that water voles and other wildlife can thrive.
“Water voles are mini-ecosystem engineers and they contribute greatly to healthy river ecology. They look after our riverbanks, burrowing and eating a huge range of plant species. In doing so, they move seeds around, helping to maintain varied plant cover and creating lush and wild bankside vegetation. They are also a key source of food for native species like stoats, predatory fish and birds of prey.”
l To find out more about the work that Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is doing to protect local wildlife visit hertswildlifetrust.org.uk.
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The Government’s plans to reorganise local councils will make it harder for you to hold them to account
In December, the Government published their plan to reorganise local councils across the country. These plans would mean the councils that currently cover our area – Hertfordshire County Council as well as Broxbourne and East Herts district councils – would be abolished.
In their place, a new unitary council would be created, taking on all the functions and responsibilities currently held separately between the county and district councils. As the Government foresees these new councils having a population of 500,000 or more, it is inevitable that both Broxbourne and East Herts would be combined with other neighbouring districts in Hertfordshire, such as North East Hertfordshire, Welwyn Hatfield and Stevenage.
It is even possible that we could end up with a super council covering all 1.2 million people in Hertfordshire.
As a former leader of Broxbourne Council, I feel strongly that a new authority, covering a much greater geographic area and a population at least five times larger than our current districts, would do the exact opposite to what the Government intends.
In fact, it would make it harder for residents to hold those responsible for delivering and maintaining vital services, such as highways, planning
and education, to account.
While no council is perfect, I believe that they work best when they are close to the people they serve.
That’s why it’s important that, as soon as possible, the Government clarifies its plans for our area. Since the proposals were published, I’ve spoken up for Broxbourne and East Herts in the House of Commons. I’ve asked for meetings with the Ministers responsible, and I’ve
pressed Angela Rayner directly on just how large these new councils could be.
Reducing the impact of flooding
I know how often our area is affected by flooding. As soon as Parliament returned after Christmas, I questioned the Minister responsible about what’s being done to reduce the impact of floods when they occur, and how
I hold regular in-person surgeries to discuss issues and concerns with constituents. If you have a problem you’d like to raise with me, please contact my office at lewis.cocking.mp@parliament.uk or by phone on 01992 845335.
we can ensure the Environment Agency is held accountable for their management of flooding risks.
Tackling disruptive roadworks
I’m also continuing my campaign to reduce disruption caused by roadworks, pressing the Government to do more to hold utility companies to account when they close roads for long periods under emergency procedures.
It was a pleasure to kick off 2025 by joining the Prime Minister for a lunch meeting in Parliament, a valuable opportunity to highlight the issues that matter to our residents, discuss this Government’s work in driving forward our Plan for Change, and make your voices heard at the highest level of Government.
In January, Parliamentarians marked Holocaust Memorial Day and 80 years since the liberation of Nazi concentration and death camps by signing the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment in Parliament. On this solemn anniversary, we reaffirmed our collective responsibility to confront antisemitism, intolerance and hatred in all its forms. Never again must mean never again.
Supporting jobseekers
I had a productive meeting with the team at Hertford Jobcentre. We discussed how we can improve access to their services for residents in Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth and strengthen connections with local charities and voluntary organisations to support those in need. I want to break down the barriers to employment for people in our community and that’s why
I’m encouraging employers in Hertford and Stortford to advertise job opportunities with the local Jobcentre.
Following the Government’s record £1.6 billion investment to fix Britain’s road networks in December, I joined with Hertfordshire Labour MPs to write to the county council last month urging them to take full advantage of the £9.3 million uplift they will receive to fix potholes across the county.
I’m delighted that this Government is taking action to improve roads in our community, not just through this landmark investment, but also with new measures to clamp down on disruptive street works, which I know will be welcome news to local residents.
An
At the end of January, I was pleased to host a roundtable discussion in Westminster with headteachers from across Hertford and Ware. This Government’s mission is to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people, and I want Hertford and Stortford to be an even better place to learn. It was good to speak in detail about the challenges faced by our schools, how we can work
in partnership to address them and support our young people to thrive. I’m looking forward to welcoming headteachers from Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and the villages into Parliament in the near future.
Saturday 15th February: Ware Friday 28th February: Sawbridgeworth
Please email josh.dean.mp@parliament.uk with your name, address including postcode and as much detail about your case as possible
Let me know your views
As always, I want to hear from you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with my office by emailing josh.dean.mp@parliament.uk. For details of constituency surgeries coming up see below.
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Two open in Florence Walk
Bishop’s Stortford’s Florence Walk shopping arcade in North Street has had a major revamp in recent years and houses a range of high quality independent shops.
Two new ones have just opened to join the community there.
Maison de Scarlett is all about timeless fashion, with clothing, shoes and accessories available from a range of luxury and high fashion brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Harmont & Blaine, Guess, Moschino, Calvin Klein and EA7.
Also just opened is Chesterford Interiors, selling vintage furniture sourced from around the UK and France.
Just round the corner in Bishop’s Stortford, Wright & Bailey London, an eyewear emporium, has also opened its doors.
Based at 10 High Street, it is in the distinctive and historic building most recently occupied by the Adnams Brewery shop but probably best known as the former home of menswear specialist Tissimans.
Wright & Bailey spectacles combine timeless elegance with modern precision. Frames start from £150.
Hertford’s Powerhouse
In Hertford, The Powerhouse is a protein shake bar that has opened at 8 Railway Street, in the row of shops that was refurbished last year. It joins fellow newbies Barkingham Palace dog grooming salon and Gumtoad Tattoos there.
Farewell to Leaf café
However, one long-standing business has announced it is to close down after 12 years in Hertford. Leaf café and children’s bookshop at Old Cross will be closing its doors for the final time on Saturday 29th March. In a message posted online, owner Carol Jones said that although she had seen an increase in customers last year, rising costs including the forthcoming minimum wage and National Insurance increases made continuing with the business impossible.
End of a stretch
In Hoddesdon, Jailbreak Café and shop, which was based in the former police station in High Street, is being closed by the charity Teens Unite Fighting Cancer which runs it. The charity is moving elsewhere in Hoddesdon (details to follow) and is having a farewell event and clearance sale on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th February.
If you fancy getting yourself in someone’s good books and enjoying some great cake at the same time then why not order a personalised photo cake through Big Day Cakes at our local Asda supermarkets in Ware and Harlow?
Perfect for birthdays, Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, Big Day Cakes has hundreds of designs to personalise for all occasions and you can either order a cake to pick up in-store from £15 or an online cake topper from £8 to have delivered if you prefer to bake and decorate your own cake. bigdaycakes.com
The Galleria in Hatfield is running a skiwear promotion until Sunday 23rd February. Retailers including Mountain Warehouse, Regatta and Trespass are offering unbeatable deals on top quality skiwear. Shoppers can get a taste of what’s on offer by visiting the giant ski mountain that has been installed on the top floor in the centre, which showcases many of the products. Mountain Warehouse is offering up to 60 per cent off skiwear clearance; Trespass 60 per cent off all full-priced skiwear and Regatta up to 70 per cent off. thegalleria.co.uk
The obvious solution is not always the best one in the long term, says
Peter Smits of Ashbourne Insurance
Many people, whether they are searching for business or personal insurances, will often question the role and value of involving a broker when it comes to choosing their insurance solution – after all if we can ‘self-service’ online, surely that will guarantee a cheaper insurance premium.
But does it?
I would argue, and of course you would expect me to, that using a broker – one that fully understands your needs and risk – would not only provide you with a more comprehensive solution, but one that could save you money in the longer term and
In the current economic climate, we all want to ensure that we are getting the best value for money and whilst it could be perceived that the cheapest insurance option is to buy online via one of the aggregators, what about the consequences of buying ‘budget’ cover when it comes to making a claim?
Times are hard enough, but imagine not being able to replace that treasured personal posses-
sion, not having the use of your motor vehicle, or losing the use of some valuable business equipment?
At times like these that ‘cheap’ premium will not only compound your misery but also your costs. When you purchase any form of cover online, you become your own broker. It is classed as a ‘non-advised’ sale and you have no right of recourse: you made the selection, and the choice of cover was down to you.
In comparison, if you purchase cover from a regulated insurance broker and engage them for advice, then not only will you have that extra layer of comfort, but if it all does go wrong then you have the right to claim back any losses incurred for incorrect advice.
In fact, most insurers save their best rates for independent regional insurance brokers as well. They recognise that we
will conduct a full and thorough audit before making a recommendation, thus ensuring less of a risk to them and avoiding potential fraudulent policy set-up, something which is much more common via the online platforms. Ultimately the choice of how you buy your insurance solution is down to you and given that none of us ever think we’re going to make a claim, then perhaps cheapest is best.
However, do remember that we can’t control all the variables: the other driver, the opportunist thief or even a genuine accident.
Ashbourne Insurance are a third generation family-run business established over 40 years offering insurance solutions to both the business community and local residents.
You can trust us to find the right solution for you.
If you would like to find out how we can help you with either business or personal insurance, call us on 01992 471001.
New Year Street Fair
Love Hoddesdon BID has held its first major public event of the year – the annual New Year Street Fair.
The fair, organised as always by the BID’s Events and Promotion Chair Stephen Harris, saw a raft of funfair rides and attractions sited in the town centre from 28th December to 2nd January.
The idea of the fair is to give families an incentive to get out of the house for an hour or two, and to visit the town centre and support local businesses at a time of the year when they might otherwise stay indoors.
Estimates show that around 3,500 people attended over the six days.
The next event in the town centre will be the annual Spring Fair and Heritage Day, organised by Broxbourne Council with the support of Love Hoddesdon BID on the Saturday before Easter –12th April.
Volunteers to be honoured
Love Hoddesdon BID’s series of annual events could not take place without the dedication of its many volunteers who turn out no matter what the time of year or weather to help set up and keep things running.
A special invitation-only event is being held by the BID at The Spotlight Theatre this month on Tuesday 11th February to say
‘thank-you’ to them, with certificates being presented to more than 40 people to mark their support of the town.
you can join the BID
The start of the year is a crucial one for the work of Love Hoddesdon BID. Next month, the bills for the annual BID Levy, which funds the work of the BID, will be sent out on its behalf by Broxbourne Council.
Every business that is based in premises within the BID’s geographic area must by law pay a small levy (just 1.5%) of the rateable value of their premises towards the work of the BID. All of those businesses also have
the chance (at no extra cost) to become members of the BID company itself, which entitles them to vote at the AGM.
But Love Hoddesdon also offers the opportunity to other businesses based just outside the physical boundaries of the BID area – including those based on industrial estates such as Pindar Road, for example – to become members of the BID.
This Voluntary, or Associate, membership is particularly attractive to those who offer services to the people and businesses of Hoddesdon because it offers them a way into the town’s business community through its regular newsletter and social media activ-
ity, as well as networking. This membership offer is also available to entrepreneurs who might be running their businesses from home, and to community-minded individuals and local groups, such as arts organisations and sports clubs.
For a small annual fee (currently £100 for individuals and community groups and £250 for small businesses) you too can become part of Love Hoddesdon BID and help support its work to create the best possible town centre environment for businesses to thrive in.
To find out more about BID membership, email info@lovehoddesdon.co.uk.
Our team at Tindall Security and Barnet Lock & Security are ready to provide the very latest security products to protect you, your family, your home and your
“It’s a fact that many burglars return to homes that they’ve previously burgled because the homeowner failed to upgrade security following the first burglary.’’
~ Hertfordshire Police
Customers with our advanced maintenance package benefit from an annual service visit, by one of our highly trained engineers, to check that our systems are working correctly. Burglar alarms and panic alarms are fully maintained, fire and smoke detectors are tested, alarm systems are serviced, CCTV cameras are checked to ensure views are clear and unobstructed, and batteries are changed to provide peace of mind for the upcoming months.
Security lighting is another great way to reduce the risk of break-ins taking place under the cover of darkness. Not only can this work as a deterrent, but security lighting can be invaluable when leaving or returning to a property during darker evenings.
If possible, consider running your own security checks.
Having had windows and doors open during the summer months, now is a great time to check the condition of locks and keys.
Snowdrops are heralded as one of the earlier harbingers of Spring and are delicate, bell-shaped winter flowers that bloom as early as January or February, defying the usual prevailing weather conditions.
Carpets of them are very attractive and bring people from miles around to view them at our local gardens. Here are three places to enjoy them this year:
Benington Lordship Gardens
Set between Ware and Stevenage and signposted off the A602, the gardens will be open daily from Saturday 1st to Sunday 23rd February, between 11am and 4pm. No booking required, tickets available on the day. Expect a spectacular display around the remains of a Norman keep and surrounding moat. Adults £8 (£9 on Sundays); children under 16 £4, under 3 free. beningtonlordship.co.uk
Myddelton House Gardens
A short hop over the M25 into
north Enfield will take you to Myddelton House Gardens, the lifelong home of the renowned late plantsman Edward Augustus ‘Gussie’ Bowles. The eight acres of gardens feature an impressive display of snowdrops during February and March. Open daily from 10am to 4pm, admission is free though car parking charges do apply. visitleevalley.org.uk
The Gibberd Garden
The garden of the former home of the master-planner of Harlow New Town Sir Frederick Gibberd, The Gibberd Garden is open every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon during February for visitors to view and enjoy displays of both snowdrops and hellebores. Open Wednesdays from 2-4pm and Sundays from 12noon to 4pm, admission to the garden near Old Harlow is £6 for adults, £5 concessions (over 60s or students), £1 children aged 5-16.
thegibberdgarden.co.uk
If you are a fan of murder mystery events, then there are two coming up based in historic local buildings that are sure to be of interest.
Both are being organised by our local town Mayors – one in Ware, one in Hertford.
Murder on the 13th Fairway
The first is a golf-themed murder mystery dinner at Ware Priory on Saturday 15th February from 7.30-11.30pm.
Titled Murder on the 13th Fairway, the event features
Quintessence Drama Group and will see Priory Hall transformed into East Herts Golf Club for one night only, inviting you to put on your best golfing attire, step into the role of detective and solve the mystery. Tickets are £45 to include a G&T and two-course buffet. Book at waretowncouncil.gov.uk or call 01920 460316.
The Mystery at the Castle
A month later, on Friday 14th March at 7pm, the Mayor of Hertford invites you to an
evening of entertainment to help solve The Mystery at the Castle. Tickets are £39 to include a drink on arrival and canapés. Visit hertford.gov.uk to order. Money raised from the events will go towards the annual appeals of the two Mayors, Cllr Martin Butcher in Ware and Cllr Rachel Carter in Hertford.
Ware-based artist Paul Hiles
will be exhibiting a selection of original works and giclee prints at north London’s Lauderdale House throughout February.
London Stories, featuring Paul’s stunning pencil on paper ‘birdseye views’ of London, will be on display in the venue’s Upper Gallery from Wednesday 5th February through to Monday 3rd March.
Born in Holloway in north London, and having later moved out to Hertfordshire, Paul is an award-winning artist whose drawings are held in private collections throughout the world. There have been many solo and group exhibitions of his work including, most recently, in the Royal Academy’s 2023 Summer Exhibition.
His earliest and greatest inspiration, he says, was his Irish grandfather whom he would watch paint in his flat near London Bridge in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
After a foundation course at Watford School of Art, Paul completed a degree in fine art at Birmingham School of Art and it was here in the mid-1980s that he began producing aerial landscapes and cityscapes. His degree exhibition featured an 18ft long triptych of the industrial Black Country featuring the factories and coal-burning power stations near Dudley.
It is Paul’s stunning views of his home city that form the basis of his latest exhibition.
While they’re not intended to represent a street plan, they are nevertheless 80% accurate and
St Paul’s (2024) is typical of Paul’s
incredibly intricate. Viewers will recognise major buildings, roads, and often the River Thames.
Each involves weeks of painstaking preparations, with Paul making repeat visits to the area, taking photographs, making notes and producing small sketches to remind himself of his observations, with a drawing then taking some six months to complete.
The resulting works are predominantly monochrome but with occasional elements in colour
(bright red Routemaster buses for example) adding contrast and helping the viewer’s eye move around the drawings. Look closely and you might also spot tiny, sometimes partially concealed, pictographs (referred to by Paul as mementos) which reference his personal interests, formative influences, local history, folklore and pop culture, together with the iconic individuals (famous and infamous) indelibly associated with that particular part of London.
l For more information and exhibition opening times visit lauderdalehouse.org.uk.
For more on Paul and to order prints visit paulhiles.art.
Lauderdale House is in Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, London N6 5HG.
Discover Lauderdale House
Dating back to Tudor times, the grade 2* listed Lauderdale House is an arts and education centre and community hub providing creative classes for adults and children. It also hosts exhibitions and events, including weddings and has its own café.
Enjoy Waterlow Park
The estate in which the house stands was presented by Sir Sydney Waterlow to London County Council in 1889 to be enjoyed as ‘a garden for the gardenless’. It features a kitchen garden, orchard, play area and wide open spaces and is a haven for wildlife.
Grab something to eat
A stone’s throw away from Lauderdale House in Highgate High Street, fans of Hertford’s Lussmanns restaurant will find one of the group’s recent openings. Lussmanns Highgate, which opened last summer, is at 2 Highgate High Street N6 5JL.
Given their role of conserving, curating and displaying all manner of items relating to the history of an area, its people, communities and businesses, it’s not surprising that our local museums are home to some weird and wonderful objects. Each year Hertfordshire Association of Museums challenges museums across the county to
enter artefacts from their collections into its Museum Object of the Year Awards.
Members of the public can view the shortlisted items online and vote for their favourite. It’s all a bit of fun – previous winning entries have included an unusual love token crafted from an animal hoof by local cobbler William Longland at Watford
Bishop’s Stortford Museum’s entry is this oil painting of the town featuring St Michael’s Church in the early 1760s. It is owned by the town council and on long term loan to the museum but its artist, clearly very accomplished, is unknown. The museum believes they may have other surviving works and is hoping that sharing the painting as its Object of the Year might help it to discover who painted it.
Bishop’s Stortford Museum
South Mill Arts, 1-3 South Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG southmillarts.co.uk
This 19th century Object Lessons Box is the entry of The British Schools Museum in Hitchin. Object Lessons were a pre-cursor to modern science lessons, with children being taught about the wider world using everyday objects as focal points. From the 1830s the Home & Colonial School Society began to sell professional object boxes to accompany their scripts for lessons. Each box contained a bottom layer of items from the natural world such as minerals, plants and animal products. The top layer contained common household tools,
Museum and what could be Letchworth’s oldest toilet roll. But it also serves to raise the profile of our local museums. Twenty-two objects have made the shortlist for 2025 and include a Moon Landing plaque presented to the senior trials engineer who wrote the launch manual for Apollo 11; the desk used by the 19th century inventor John Dick-
fabrics and foodstuffs. The layers in between showed stages in the manufacturing process that connected the two.
The British Schools Museum
41-42 Queen Street, Hitchin SG4 9TS britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk
Potters Bar Museum has a large and fascinating collection of novelty telephones that range from the 19th century to the present day. This is one some readers might recognise – a chameleon phone featuring a ringtone of Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon that was number one in the charts in the autumn of 1983.
Potters Bar Museum
Wyllyotts Centre, Wyllyotts Place, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 2HN pottersbarmuseum.org.uk
Ware Museum’s entry is a brass plough sign, the symbol of pharmaceutical company Allen & Hanburys whose apothecary’s shop was founded in Plough Court in the City of London. In the late 19th century the firm moved its manufacturing and research and development
inson (whose stationery business came to define the area around Apsley, Batchworth and Croxley) and legendary manager Graham Taylor’s Watford FC tracksuit. See the foot of the page for how to vote. To help you, we have included a selection of our favourite entries below. And of course, why not get along and visit the museums too!
base to Ware, later merging with Glaxo Smith Kline to become GSK. The Ventolin inhaler, used by millions worldwide, is one of its most recognisable products and the discovery of the active ingredient, Salbutamol, was made in Ware. From a small firm making traditional medicines and nutritional products to a global biopharma company developing cutting edge vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases, the plough symbol is a reminder of the company’s early days.
Ware Museum
89 High Street, Ware SG12 9AL waremuseum.org.uk
PAWPRINTS FROM THE PAST
Mischievous children today are sometimes tempted to write their names in wet cement. It was no different 2,000 years ago in Roman times when clay tiles were left to dry in the sun in a similarly vulnerable state.
The Lowewood Museum in Hoddesdon has put forward this Roman tegula roof tile which a dog, and possibly other animals, have wandered over leaving their prints for us to admire today!
The Lowewood Museum
High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8BH lowewoodmuseum.com
The Brutalist (18)
Now showing
Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect Laszlo Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life and career. On his own in a strange new country, he settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognises his talent. This film swept the awards at the Golden Globes last month – often a precursor to Oscars success.
Dog Man (U)
Out on Friday 7th February
Family animation adventure with a hero who is exactly what he sounds – half dog and half man. He is sworn to protect and serve as he doggedly pursues the supervillain Petey the Cat. This latest from Dreamworks is based on a children’s book and features the voices of Isla Fisher, Poppy Liu, Pete Davidson and Ricky Gervais.
Love Hurts (15)
Out on Friday 7th February
An American realtor (that’s an estate agent to us here on this side of the pond) is dragged back into a life he thought he had left behind when his former partner-
in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crimelord brother also on his trail, he must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (15)
Out on Thursday 13th February
Bridget is back, this time navigating life as a widow and single mum with the help of her family, friends and former lover, Daniel. Back to work and hitting the apps, she’s pursued by a younger man and maybe – just maybe –her son’s science teacher.
Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Chiwetel Ejiofor star alongside René Zellweger.
Captain America: Brave New World (12A)
Out on Friday 14th February
Anthony Mackie plays the new Captain America, Sam Wilson, and finds himself in the middle of an international incident, having to discover the motive behind a nefarious global plan. We presume this doesn’t mean the annexation of Greenland or the takeover of the Panama Canal, but these days, who knows?
Harrison Ford and Liv Tyler co-star.
Hertford Museum reveals there was so much more to Barbara Cartland
Barbara Cartland’s name is synonymous with romance and this year marks the contenary of the publication of her first novel, Jig-Saw. With collections loaned by the author’s family, Hertford Museum this month launches a new exhibition which will explore the fascinating life of this true original, who made her home outside Essendon from 1950 until her death in 2000.
These collections include original artworks produced by celebrated fashion illustrator Francis Marshall for Barbara’s book covers.
Barbara Cartland wrote 723 books, which sold more than one billion copies, and the author used her platform as most the world’s most prolific novelist to champion many
issues, particularly those affecting women and children, from the rights of traveller children to attend school to women taking part in motorsport.
Sara Taylor, the curator of Hertford Museum, said: “Barbara Cartland’s name usually conjures up ideas of romance, glamour and very traditional tales of womanhood, so we are absolutely delighted to be able to shed a light on her very practical efforts to enrich and improve the lives of others.”
Barbara Cartland: The Art of Romance will be on show at Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, Hertford SG14 1DT from Saturday 15th February until 1st June. Entry to the museum is free. For more details, visit hertfordmuseum.org.uk.
The Wizard of Oz, one of the greatest stories ever told, is coming to Harlow Playhouse in April for its Easter panto show. This new adaptation of the classic tale follows Dorothy along the yellow brick road as she sets out on her magical adventure to the Land of Oz, making friends with Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man, while the
Wicked Witch of the West keeps her beady eye on them all.
Starring Harlow’s own Fanny Galore as Glinda Galore and Ben Parsley as Scarecrow alongside a professional cast of West End performers, it runs from Friday 4th to Thursday 10th April. Tickets are from £14 to £20 online or from 01279 431945. harlowplayhouse.co.uk
Art and science meet in new exhibition at University of Herts
A new art exhibition exploring co-creation within the fields of art and science has just opened at the Art + Design Gallery on the University of Hertfordshire’s College Lane campus in Hatfield.
Presented by University of Hertfordshire Arts + Culture, in collaboration with the Art:Sci Research Lab, the group show runs until Friday 25th April.
Titled Mind + Matter… Towards Co-Creation, the exhibition follows six artists’ journeys as they explore ways in which meaningful collaborations can be achieved. The exhibition looks at how artists and scientists can work together, and where there is space to co-create new knowledge.
The artists are Heather Barnett, Emma Critchley, Hannah Dargavel-Leafe, Alexa Wright, Sam Jury and Danni Phoenix-Kane.
The exhibition is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm at Art + Design Gallery, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB. Admission is free.
You can find more university arts events online. uharts.co.uk
See art in a new light at Glasshaus XVII
Glasshaus has long been one of the annual highlights at The Gallery at Parndon Mill in Harlow and this, the 17th incarnation, is showing until Sunday 23rd February.
Glasshaus XVII features the mill’s resident artists Ewa Wawrzyniak, Jon Lewis, Yuki Kokai and Muna Zuberi showing new works alongside guest artists including Teresa Chlapowski and Jack Glazer. Bringing a blaze of colour into the dull days of this time of the year, the exhibition is guest-curated for the first time by Francesco Maione.
The Gallery at Parndon Mill is in Parndon Mill Lane, off Elizabeth Way, Harlow CM20 2HP. It is open from 10.30am to 4.30pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 2-4pm at weekends and by appointment on Mondays. parndonmillgallery.org
music, by
An award-winning Adele tribute is coming to The Spotlight in Hoddesdon on Friday 7th February – and it is a concert with a difference.
This intimate performance of Adele’s hits by Natalie Black is a candlelit recital and promises to take your breath away. Featuring hits from Adele’s four platinum-selling albums, the Hometown Glory Candlelit Concert is performed completely live, with Natalie’s most vulnerable performance as Adele yet.
Tickets are £24.50 online or through the box office on 01992 441946. Grab one of the last few seats while you can. thespotlightvenue.com
Uncle Funk are back in Ware
Uncle Funk’s now annual show at Ware Drill Hall is now open for bookings with tickets already selling fast to see the popular local band – the nation’s best live disco group. It’s on Saturday 15th March from 7pm-11.30pm. The event is organised by the Rotary Club of Hertford Shires, with all proceeds going to local charities. Tickets are £25. tickettailor.com
16th FEBRUARY 11am - 3pm
Ware Priory High Street, Ware Hertfordshire, SG12 9AL Tel 01920 460316 www.warepriory.co.uk warepriory @ware_priory COME TO WARE PRIORY WEDDING SHOW ON
What’s on at
Flowers & Friendship Bracelets
Wednesday 19th Feb 6pm: £23.50
Ultimate pop party concert with hits from Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter
Shape of You – The Music of Ed Sheeran
Thursday 20th Feb 7pm: £25, £18 child
Daniel East with an electrifying journey through Ed Sheeran’s classic repertoire
The Dinosaur That Pooped A Rock Show!
Friday 21st Feb 11am, 1.30pm: From £15
A lot of laughs and a whole lot of poo! Adapted from the bestselling books
Wyllyotts Box Office: 01707 645005
Hometown Glory
Candlelit Concert
A candlelit recital of Adele’s songbook performed live!
Friday 7 February
Soldier of Illusion
Starring Richard Jones!
The only magician to conquer the stage of Britain’s Got Talent!
Sunday 23 February
It’s Never Too Late
- How we came to be here
Brenton West (The Repair Shop) and Raj Bisram (Antiques Roadshow) Stories of antiques, repairs and television
Friday 14 February
Rave On The Ultimate 50s and 60s Experience
Thursday 27 February
Wyllyotts Theatre, Wyllyotts Place, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 2HZ wyllyottstheatre.co.uk
The Crooners Uncaged! Superbly original and hilarious with a splendiferous injection of Big Band swing
Saturday 15 February
Legend – The Music of Bob Marley Direct from the West End – Reggae for the World
Thursday 20 February
Queenz – Drag Me to the Disco! A Drag-stravaganza!
Saturday 8 March 3.30pm and 7.30pm
Half Term Fun! The Science Museum – The Live Stage Show! Fuel their imagination
Sunday 16 February, 2pm
Doors and bar open 1.5 hour prior to event start.
If you are seeking somewhere really special for Valentine’s Day then Bishop’s Stortford’s most stylish restaurant has got to be on your shortlist, with entertainment including live singers and a DJ on Friday 14th February.
No.14 opened in the heart of North Street at the end of November last year and is already making quite a splash. Featuring a no-expense-spared and absolutely stunning interior design, No.14 specialises in Asian fusion dining, including sushi. The restaurant is spread over three floors, each as visually striking as the others, and each with its own bar at its heart.
With booth seating, marble tables and ambient lighting throughout, this really is a venue that feels luxurious and opulent. No.14 is based in a historic building that is best known in
recent years for being home to fashion retailer White Stuff. Now it is a fashionable restaurant.
Whether you are dining with friends or family, having a date night or popping in after work for cocktails, No.14 serves high quality food and original cocktails in decadent surroundings that will stay long in your memory.
From this month, No.14 will be offering a new set lunch menu, with either two or three courses available from Tuesday to Saturday until 3.30pm. There will be a choice of several options for both starter and main course. Also launching this month is a Sunday brunch menu, with diners offered three different brunch packages with drinks included, each available until 4pm and
accompanied by live entertainment.
The à la carte menu features the best pan-Asian cuisine, full of flavour and uniquely presented. Sample dishes include caviar and oysters and a wide range of sushi rolls and sushi sashimi sets. Examples from the menu include the No.14 Special Sushi Rolls such as the eight-piece Spicy Dynamite roll with salmon, surimi, avocado, cucumber, shredded filo pastry, kimchi dressing and spicy sauce. Or you could opt for the 24K Golden Dragon Roll with eel, tempura shrimp and teriyaki. There is also a choice between three No.14 Sushi Sashimi sets, starting with Set One, for example, including two pieces of salmon nigiri, two of tuna nigiri,
eight pieces of spicy dynamite roll and six pieces of mixed maki. Meat-lovers can choose between a Wagyu burger, Wagyu sirloin steak, Korean-grilled chicken skewers or lamb chops. With expertly-mixed cocktails and a wine list that the knowledgeable sommeliers will guide you through, you are also guaranteed the best in drinks service. A DJ will be in the house every Friday and Saturday evening too. No.14 is open six days a week, opening at 12noon. From Tuesday to Thursday and on Sunday it is open until midnight and on Friday and Saturday until 2am. Book your table now!
No.14
14 North Street, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2LQ 01279 597548 no-14.com
Family-friendly free house with a play area, garden and outdoor dining. Join us for our wheelbarrow race on 13th July. We will be holding a BBQ in the evening and live music. Don’t forget to book your table for our Tapas evenings.
Finding a gap in the crowded hospitality market is not always easy but the owners of the independent new Spanish and Mexican tapas restaurant Sabrosa Del Fuego in Bishop’s Stortford have definitely achieved it.
While not directly translatable, the name references “taste” (sabrosa) and “fire” (fuego) and the flavours and quality of the food here puts you in mind of the warmer climes the dishes were originally crafted in.
The new venue opened just before Christmas in the historic, timber-framed Boars’ Head Inn building in High Street, which is believed to date back to the late 16th or early 17th century.
The building lends itself well to the ochre-painted walls and intimate style of the Spanish and Mexican restaurant, which offers
a wide range of tapas dishes together with regional specialities. It has four separate dining areas, two on the ground floor, one each side of the entrance and bar area with its huge walk-in fireplace that radiates warmth when you enter.
The flagstone floors add to the rustic style, something continued upstairs where there are two further dining areas and a bar. The set-up is perfect for those busy Fridays and Saturdays, which have seen the upstairs rooms being put to good use already despite January being a traditionally quieter time for the restaurant trade.
They are also ideal for private dining hire for parties.
The menu really does offer something for everyone and anyone keen on sharing dishes
with friends or family is going to have a field day here because of the large number of tapas dishes available – and all at sensible middle-market prices.
Seafood-lovers are well catered for, with dishes such as octopus, calamari and lobster, while the three-piece small burgers and albondigas (pork and beef meatballs) will delight meat-eaters.
Traditional favourites such as burritos, tacos, nachos and quesadillas are firm favourites already, together with dairy and gluten-free paellas freshly cooked with saffron and authentic mixed spices. Full main course fish and steak dishes are on the menu too, as are a good number of vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Desserts include Nutella cake,
banana chimichanga and churros while an affordable wine list specially created to match the food and a separate list of imaginative house cocktails and classics complete the menu. Open six days a week (closed Mondays) from 12noon, you can visit Sabrosa Del Fuego for lunch or dinner. The kitchen closes at 10pm, or 10.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
A refreshing new face on the local scene, and with a management and staff with many years of experience, this is a new restaurant that is definitely well worth a visit.
Sabrosa Del Fuego
30 High Street, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2LX 01279 801468
sabrosadelfuego.com
Two more local food businesses have won accreditation from Hertfordshire County Council’s new Responsible Food Award. Axis has reported in recent months about the new scheme, which highlights businesses that show a commitment to making small, easy changes to operate in a healthier and more sustainable way.
Now both Soka Catering and Events based in Stanstead Abbotts and Mudlarks Garden Café in Hertford have earned Gold awards from the scheme.
Soka impressed the award team with their use of local and seasonal produce, the wide variety of healthy options available and their use of whole, unprocessed foods.
Henry and Natalie Jacob are the founders of Soka, which caters for weddings and other events. They said: “Creating menus that promote healthy eating has always been something we are pas-
sionate about, as well as limiting our waste, sourcing locally and supporting small producers.” Find out more about what they offer at sokafood.co.uk.
Mudlarks Garden Café probably needs no introduction to Axis readers. Much of the locally grown and seasonal food it serves at its Fore Street café is grown on its own allotment just a mile away. The charity’s vegetarian café supports and offers work opportunities to adults with learning disabilities and mental health concerns.
Mudlarks’ retiring CEO Vic Broscomb said: “At Mudlarks we are passionate about diets that are in line with nature and full of fresh fruit and vegetables.”
For more about Mudlarks, visit mudlarksgarden.org.uk.
For more information about the Herts Responsible Food Award, including how local businesses can apply, just visit hertfordshire.gov.uk/HRFA.
Nolaki is a high quality Turkish restaurant that has taken over the former Cock pub in Stansted Mountfitchet and transformed it into a stunning contemporary restaurant. It is the sister restaurant to Veyso’s in Hertford, and the elegance of its interior and the inventiveness of its food are already earning it a real reputation. Open seven days a week from 12noon until late, Nolaki offers a lunch and dinner menu, together with fabulous wines and stunning cocktails. The restaurant is also available for private hire.
30 Silver Street, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8HD 01279 812864 nolaki.co.uk
The award-winning Veyso’s has long been one of Hertford’s most talked-about restaurants. Its chefs use the finest ingredients and traditional skills to produce innovative signature dishes and desirable cocktails in a bold and stunning environment. Behind the doors of Veyso’s lies an interior as well crafted as the food, with hand-carved wall art, mother of pearl-embedded wall beams – and the iconic Veyso’s staircase that leads to the basement. Open 7 days a week, Veyso’s has a menu for every occasion, from a light lunch to a great celebration.
97-101 Fore Street, Hertford SG14 1AS 01992 550055 veysos.co.uk
Ruay Rôt means ‘rich in flavour’ in Thai and that is precisely what the food you can order for takeaway or delivery from Hertford’s newest eatery is. Just down the road from its previous and hugely popular Baan Thitiya restaurant, this new takeaway outlet offers authentic Thai food for you to enjoy at home, continuing Baan Thitiya’s story after 20 years in Hertford. You can order by phone or through the GoGetters and Deliveroo apps for delivery to Hertford, Ware and Hoddesdon. The menu includes many vegan specials. Outside tables are also available on warmer days.
6 Old Cross, Hertford SG14 1RB 01992 587706
ruayrôt.co.uk
Nestled in the picturesque village of Great Amwell, The George IV offers exceptional restaurant cuisine within a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Oliver and his team serve a menu of seasonal and fresh small and large sharing plates.
The George IV can also be the perfect venue for your next event. Whether it is an intimate wedding, baby shower, birthday or a special anniversary, there is a variety of dining options to suit any occasion in the private dining room and courtyard.
Cautherly Lane, Great Amwell SG12 9SW / 01920 870039 info@georgeivpub.co.uk georgeivpub.co.uk
Italian & Turkish
Pircio is a family-run independent restaurant in Bishop’s Stortford that offers two different menus of Italian and Turkish cuisine. Both menus are cooked by teams of specialist chefs and diners can choose from pizza, pasta and other Italian classics or dishes such as halloumi, falafel, moussaka and lamb tagine.
The historic Drill Hall building has been smartly refurbished and can seat 200 people downstairs whilst there is also a mezzanine for private dining. Pircio is open seven days a week, all day.
Drill Hall, Market Square
Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3UU 01279 898181
pirciorestaurant.com
The newly-opened No.14 in the heart of Bishop’s Stortford is taking Asian Fusion dining and luxury to new heights in the town. No expense has been spared on the interior decor at this three-storey venue. While specialising in sushi, there is much more on the menu as well, and the high quality of its food is matched only by the originality and decadence of its cocktails. A lunchtime set menu is available Tuesday to Saturday and a Sunday brunch menu is accompanied by live entertainment weekly. Book the Chef’s Table for the best seats in the house.
14 North Street, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2LQ 01279 597548 no-14.com
Based in the former Old Star pub in Wormley, Broxbourne, Manto’s restaurant offers authentic Turkish cuisine with a modern twist, using only the finest ingredients for its dishes. Taking inspiration from the heritage of Turkey and ancient Mediterranean cooking techniques, Manto’s aims to celebrate regional flavours and give a true flavour of the Mediterranean. The restaurant is open seven days a week 12noon to midnight, offering lunch, food throughout the afternoon and dinner. The kitchen closes at 10pm.There is also free parking for customers.
32 High Road, Wormley EN10 6LE 01992 414301 mantosrestaurant.com
The Golden Fleece is an old English pub with a contemporary twist, and one where the food is so good that it has earned an entry in the Michelin Guide for Hotels and Restaurants. Set at the heart of the village of Braughing, Jess and Peter Tatlow’s pub offers a menu of fresh, seasonal and delicious locally sourced food and also caters for diners who require gluten-free meals. As a freehouse at the heart of its community, the Fleece is also able to offer a wide range of real ales, beers, wines and spirits. A takeaway menu is also available.
20 Green End, Braughing SG11 2PG 01920 823555 goldenfleecebraughing.co.uk
Roni’s, set in the heart of Bishop’s Stortford, is a fine dining restaurant where both the quality of food and the service combine to offer guests a memorable experience. Roni’s offers a wide range of traditional dishes, passionately crafted, including a vegan menu. There is a set lunch menu (Tuesday-Saturday) and a set evening menu (Tuesday-Thursday) while superb roasts are served on Sundays. You can also book the private dining room for your group or family. Roni’s is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12noon, and closed on Monday.
16 North Street, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 2LQ 01279 508856 ronisrestaurant.co.uk
This modern, luxury, detached family home offers six reception rooms and six bedrooms along with four bathrooms. The magnificent landscaped garden features outside entertaining areas, a swimming pool, a detached home office/gym, mini football pitch and children’s play area. The gated driveway provides ample off-street parking along with garaging. Viewings strictly by appointment.
This newly re-modelled and refurbished detached home sits on a desirable leafy lane in Letty Green near Hertford. The property offers four double bedrooms, three of which are ensuite, a large open plan kitchen/dining/living area with separate study and laundry/utility room. Outside, both front and rear gardens have been landscaped.
