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Introduction Watford for You is proud to welcome you to our growing, prosperous town. With our diverse population we think everyone will feel at home and hope you'll find this guide a useful introduction to all the town has to offer. Watford has activities and attractions to suit all tastes: historic sites, parks, museums, leisure centres and sporting events for the whole family. There's a wide range of shopping and dining opportunities as well as theatres, a cinema, pubs, music venues and nightclubs for after-hours entertainment. Getting here couldn't be easier whatever your mode of travel and there's a wide range of places to stay with prices to suit all budgets. Welcome to Watford for You.
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Want to get involved? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Watford for
Transport
Location. Location. Location. Watford enjoys an enviable proximity to the UK’s transport network. Its location just inside the M25 at junctions 19 and 20 and just off the M1 at junction 5 ensures it simply couldn’t be easier to get here. Access from the M40 can also be swift via junction 16 of the M25. Alternatively, Watford can be reached by tube on the Metropolitan Line and for destinations to the North or the South, via overground services into Watford Junction. The tube is a good choice for those wishing to visit Cassiobury Park. Watford Junction is closest to the Clarendon Road business district and Watford High Street station brings Watford’s Harlequin Shopping Centre within comfortable walking distance. Air travellers are well catered for too with London Heathrow and London Luton being less than a 20 minute car journey away.
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Watford for... Perhaps you are in town on business, for a special night out or here to visit friends or relatives for a few days? Whatever the reason, Watford has a wealth of hotels for you to choose from. A selection are detailed below. Jurys Inn Watford Clarendon Road WD17 1JA Tel: 01923 422800 Located in the heart of the town’s business district, this hotel is also less than a five minute walk away from the High Street. The Grove Hempstead Road WD3 4TG Tel: 01923 807807 Acclaimed as ‘London’s Country Estate’, The Grove
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is a luxury hotel, golf and spa resort set in a rural location but just a few minutes drive from the M25, M1 and central Watford. The White House, Best Western Upton Road WD18 OJF Tel: 01923 237316 The only town house hotel in Watford, with an award winning conservatory restaurant.
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Hotels
Premier Inn Watford Water Lane WD17 2NJ Tel: 0870 9906620 A popular hotel with those on a tight budget and ideally situated for shopping trips to the Harlequin Centre.
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Hilton Watford Elton Way WD25 8HA Tel: 01923 235881 A mere three minutes away from junction 5 of the M1 and with all the extras you would expect from the Hilton chain.
Want more hotels? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Watford for... In harmony with its vibrant, bustling atmosphere, Watford has an abundance of restaurants for you to choose from. A mini menu of places to eat is detailed below. Zinco Sapori d'Italia 89-91 The Parade - Tel: 01923 222888 Right in the heart of Watford, this authentic Italian restaurant is famous for its extensive a la carte menu and delicious monthly specials. La Tasca 63 The Parade - Tel: 01923 223545 Adding a Spanish flavour to Watford’s restaurant scene, La Tasca offers a wide variety of dishes for both vegetarians and meat eaters, including their signature dish of cooked-to-order paella. Cafe Mezza 144 High Street - Tel: 01923 211500 This Lebanese restaurant’s speciality is lamb from the spit but there are over 75 other dishes to choose from.
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Want more restaurants? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Eating Out
Flower Drum 16 Market Street Tel: 01923 226711 Established in 1978 and still family owned, the Flower Drum is Watford’s premier Peking and Szechuan restaurant. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Prince of Bengal 51 Langley Way Tel: 01923 253676 Award winning chefs, the freshest ingredients, friendly staff and convenient parking. What more could you look for in an Indian restaurant?
The Clarendon Chandlers Cross Tel: 01923 270009 Serves simple British food with international influences in a relaxed but stylish location. The Glasshouse at The Grove Hempstead Road Tel: 01923 807807 At one of England’s premier hotels, The Glasshouse’s buffet boasts luxury cuisine incorporating British, Mediterranean and Asian dishes. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also at The Grove: Colette’s and The Stables.
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Watford for... Visitors and residents alike have a rich variety of entertainment options available to them, making Watford a great choice for a memorable night out. The Pump House Lower Watford High Street Tel: 01923 241362 Once a pumping station providing water from the River Colne to the Watford area, the Pump House now provides an intimate theatre auditorium accommodating just 124 audience members. The Pump House is a live music venue but also provides facilities for local groups covering all art
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forms including music and written, spoken and visual art. Watford Palace Theatre 20 Clarendon Road Tel: 01923 225671 Opened in 1908, the Palace Theatre has a long tradition of launching new productions before they hit the West End. Contact the Box Office to discover which comedies, plays and musicals are featuring in the forthcoming season.
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Entertainment Highlight 76 The Parade Tel: 0844 499 4075 Formerly Jongleurs, Highlight is the comedy club in Watford. Conveniently located at the top end of the High Street, this recently refurbished venue gives you an opportunity to enjoy both up and coming and established comedy acts. The Horns 1 Hempstead Road Tel: 01923 225 020 Built in 1756, The Horns provides live music for the people of Watford to enjoy, complemented by an extensive display of music memorabilia.
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Want more venues? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Watford for... Watford’s nightlife draws visitors from far and wide as its clubs cater for all ages and music tastes. With a generous number of bars and restaurants, Watford provides everything you could need for a truly memorable night. Bars Bar Bodega 151 The Parade A haven for the over 25s to enjoy a chilled out evening against a nu-jazz background. Paparazzi 77-79 The Parade Simple but sophisticated surroundings with music preferences to suit everyone.
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Walkabout 76 The Parade Something for everyone. Sport, gigs, DJs and karaoke for the adventurous ones. Revolution 48-50 High Street Serving a variety of 90 different vodkas with guest DJs seven nights a week.
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Nightlife
Clubs Oceana Watford 127 The Parade This venue features six bars each with their own theme, influencing everything from the decor to the drinks. With music ranging from pop and rock to electro and trance there’s something to suit most tastes.
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Reflex 66-68 The Parade 80s decor and 80s music for all those 80's lovers out there. Area 46 The Parade Where music lovers can indulge in the vibrant atmosphere created by a different theme.
Want to get involved? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Watford for...
Shopping
The Harlequin is Hertfordshire’s largest shopping centre. It opens seven days a week and has over 140 shops and restaurants under its roof including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Karen Millen, Primark, Waterstones, Disney Store, Lakeland and Zara, to name just a few. There are over 4,500 car parking spaces in seven car parks in and around the town centre. The Kings, Queens and Palace car parks directly link to the shopping centre and have over 2,500 spaces for shoppers. There is also a Shopmobility scheme that offers battery or manual wheelchairs and scooters free of charge to disabled customers. The Harlequin hosts free events including fashion shows and children's holiday entertainment and when it comes to catering for the family the Harlequin has it all: baby changing facilities; mother and child parking on all levels of both Queens and Kings car parks and children’s kiddy karts. You can also enjoy great places to eat like Ponti's Restaurant, The Place to Eat in John Lewis, Pizza Express and Cafe Giardino. Opening Times: Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm, Thur 9am to 9pm, Sat 9am to 7pm, Sun 11am to 5pm. Tel: 01923 250292
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Watford for...
Shopping
For an alternative shopping experience visit Watford Market located just off the High Street in Charter Place Shopping Centre. It is a lively, traditional, indoor market with over three hundred stalls selling everything you need for your family and home. The market is open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 8am to 5.30pm. Running through the heart of Watford is the High Street which offers an eclectic mix of shops and eateries. Slightly further afield is St Albans Road with its many interesting shops. It is also home to the Watford branch of TK Maxx.
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Want more shops? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Watford for... Watford Football Club Watford FC, based in Vicarage Road, is at the heart of the town’s community. Its excellent Community Sports and Education Trust team runs a variety of schemes and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of those who live in Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. The club’s academy system, which regularly produces high-quality players for the first team, has also linked up with The Harefield Academy to combine education and football in a pioneering scheme that hasn’t been seen before in England, blazing a trail for football development.
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Want more info? Visit the Watford FC website at: www.watfordfc.com
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Sport Saracens Rugby Club The current Rugby Premiership champions were founded by the Old Boys of the Philological School in Marylebone in 1876. The Club has moved location many times over the years, finally settling in Watford during their landmark 1997/98 season with a ground share deal with Watford FC. Saracens also has a community department which aims to meet the needs of schools and clubs within the Watford community. Schools and Clubs have the option to join a Partnership programme, which offers the opportunity to develop links with Saracens, through events like exclusive partner training sessions and opportunities to raise funds for schools and clubs through ticket sales.
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Want more info? Visit the Saracens website at: www.saracens.com
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Watford for... Keeping fit has never been easier or more enjoyable in Watford as there are a host of health centres. Watford has two leisure centres, both of which are fully equipped with top quality and eco-friendly facilities providing a wide range of classes and leisure opportunities. Watford Leisure Centre - Woodside and Watford Leisure Centre - Central have many facilities, including swimming and learner pools, sports courts, fully equipped gyms, dance studios and even a climbing wall. Both centres also have a crèche and cafè. The centres are owned by Watford Borough Council and have proven to be very popular since they opened in 2008.
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Fitness Contact details: Watford Leisure Centre Central Tel: 01923 296750 www.everyoneactive.co.uk Watford Leisure Centre Woodside Tel: 01923 892710 www.everyoneactive.co.uk Watford is also home to a number of premier health and fitness clubs. David Lloyd Health Centre Tel: 01923 213760 www.davidlloyd.co.uk Fitness 4 Less Tel: 01923 620179 www.sportzacademy.co.uk
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Watford for... The broad range of leisure activities on offer in Watford ensure you can make the most of the time available to you, your family and friends. Vue Cinema Woodside Leisure Park Tel: 08712 240240 Eight air conditioned screens, big comfy seats, high tech sound systems and a wide selection of food and drink to choose from.
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Gambado Indoor Play Centre Woodside Leisure Park Tel: 01923 892140 An innovation in childrens play centres, Gambado offers a full-scale climbing wall, mini dodgems as well as a giant play frame.
Want more activities? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Lesiure Hollywood Bowl Woodside Leisure Park Tel: 01923 682929 Open every day from 10am until midnight, Hollywood Bowl has 26 lanes so is ideal for families, friends, groups and parties. Mecca Bingo 19 King Street Tel: 01923 223568 Will tonight be your lucky night? Enjoy a fast-paced game of skill and luck in this conveniently central location. Top Golf Bushey Mill Lane Tel: 01923 222045 With a microchip in every ball, your shots can be accurately tracked at this state-of-the-art golf range. An 18 hole adventure golf course is also available for you to enjoy. Skate Parks Lower Derby Road/ Riverside Road Featuring a wide range of equipment, the skate parks are free to use and are open daily from 11am until 9pm.
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Watford for... Watford has a pleasing array of open spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy. Cassiobury Park Cassiobury Park is a lovely sight to behold in any season. It is the largest public open space in Watford comprising of over 190 acres of green space, a wealth of sports facilities, attractions for children such as paddling pools and a miniature railway, Cha Cha Cha Tea Pavilion and a Local Nature Reserve. The entrances to the park are located on Rickmansworth Road, Shepherds Road, Gade Avenue, The Gardens, Langley Way and Parkside Drive.
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Want more open spaces? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Open Spaces Cheslyn House & Gardens Discover Watford's ‘best kept secret’, Cheslyn Gardens, where you can explore a semi-natural woodland area. Its 3.5 acres of space is imaginatively laid out to provide areas of interest including a pond, fernery, large herbaceous borders -and an aviary. The gardener is usually to be found in the garden and is keen to share his plant and wildlife knowledge. Cheslyn House & Gardens is accessible from Nascot Wood Road. Whippendell Woods Listed as an ancient wood, it is believed to have been a wooded area for at least the last 400 years. Enjoyed by walkers, runners and horse riders the wood also has a rather unique claim to fame, having been used for filming scenes from the Star Wars movies. Breathtaking displays of bluebells mean a visit between the last week of April and the first week of May is highly recommended.
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Watford for... ‘ Yield not thou to ills, but go forth to face them more boldly than thy fortune shall allow thee ’ Virgil’s Aeneid VI The town motto Audentior is found on the Watford Coat of Arms and invites people of the town to adopt a bold approach. This sentiment has been embraced and Watford is recognised for it's rich history of entrepreneurism and forward thinking. Follow the town’s journey from market town to business hub, by visiting Watford Museum. The museum houses Watford's art collection, features exhibitions on the local printing and brewing industries plus a tribute to the town's football club. Visitors and residents alike can also enjoy the specialised research room at Watford's Central Library which is dedicated to local studies and provides an ideal environment for people researching their family history.
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History
Watford Museum, 194 High Street WD17 2DT Tel: 01923 232 297 Watford Central Library, Hempstead Road WD17 3EU Tel: 0300 123 4049
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Want more history? Visit: watfordforyou.org or send an email to: info@watfordforyou.org
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Watford for...
2011 Events in Watford Various dates FREE Space2 Space2 is a programme of exhibitions in spaces across Watford, and was launched in the spring of 2006. The aim of Space2 is to promote visual art in the widest sense, providing a platform for local, regional and national artists to exhibit their work. The Space2 gallery is situated on the first floor of Watford Museum: www.watfordmuseum.org.uk/space2 For more information email: community@watford.gov.uk or tel: 01923 278333 Various dates FREE Wild about… Watford! Come and help protect and enhance Watford’s parks and open spaces as part of Watford Borough Council's nature conservation programme
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Volunteering opportunities available all over the town. For more information visit: www.watford.gov.uk/nature or tel: 01923 278333 Tuesdays and Thursdays FREE BTCV Green Gym Practical nature conservation in Watford's green spaces. Get physically active, learn new skills & make a difference to your local environment. Accompanied under 16’s are welcome. 10am-1pm. For more information email: GG-watford@btcv.org.uk or tel: 01923 278220 Saturdays in August FREE Summer Season at Watford Bandstand Sponsored by Watford For You. For the latest updates visit: www.watfordforyou.org
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Events
Thursday 3 November FREE Christmas lights switch on & fireworks spectacular! With live music & special guests outside The Harlequin shopping centre, by Waterstones. Visit: www.theharlequin.uk.com Saturday 5 November FREE Guy Fawkes firework and bonfire celebration Something for all the family with this spectacular firework display, bonfire and entertainment.
Provided by Watford Borough Council at Cassiobury Park. For more information visit: www.watford.gov.uk/fireworks or tel: 01923 278333 24 November FREE Christmas tree lights switch on Bell ringing, tree light switch on and carols in St Mary’s Square and Church by the High Street. For more information email: community@watford.gov.uk or tel: 01923 278333
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