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Introduction

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 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.

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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

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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

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.

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.

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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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Eating Out

Flower Drum16 Market Street Tel: 01923 226711Established in 1978 andstill family owned, theFlower Drum is Watford’spremier Peking andSzechuan restaurant. Open for lunch and dinnerseven days a week.

Prince of Bengal51 Langley Way Tel: 01923 253676Award winning chefs, the freshest ingredients,friendly staff and convenient parking. What more could you look for in an Indianrestaurant?

The ClarendonChandlers Cross Tel: 01923 270009Serves simple British food with internationalinfluences in a relaxed but stylish location.

The Glasshouse at The GroveHempstead Road Tel: 01923 807807At one of England’s premier hotels, TheGlasshouse’s buffet boastsluxury cuisine incorporating British,Mediterranean and Asiandishes. Open for breakfast,lunch and dinner. Also atThe Grove: Colette’s andThe 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

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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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.

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.

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.

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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

Watford for...

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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Shopping

For an alternative shoppingexperience visit WatfordMarket located just off theHigh Street in Charter PlaceShopping Centre. It is alively, traditional, indoormarket with over threehundred stalls sellingeverything you need foryour family and home. The market is openTuesday, Friday andSaturday 8am to 5.30pm.

Running through the heartof Watford is the HighStreet which offers aneclectic mix of shops andeateries.

Slightly further afield is St Albans Road with itsmany interesting shops. It is also home to theWatford branch of TK Maxx.

Want more shops? Visit: watfordforyou.org orsend an email to: info@watfordforyou.org

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Watford for...

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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 websiteat: www.watfordfc.com

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Sport

Saracens Rugby Club

The current Rugby Premiershipchampions were founded bythe Old Boys of the PhilologicalSchool in Marylebone in 1876.The Club has moved locationmany times over the years,finally settling in Watford during their landmark 1997/98season with a ground sharedeal with Watford FC.

Saracens also has a communitydepartment which aims tomeet the needs of schools andclubs within the Watford community. Schools and Clubshave the option to join aPartnership programme, whichoffers the opportunity to develop links with Saracens,through events like exclusivepartner training sessions andopportunities to raise funds for schools and clubs throughticket sales.

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Want more info? Visit the Saracens websiteat: 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.

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Vue CinemaWoodside Leisure ParkTel: 08712 240240Eight air conditionedscreens, big comfy seats,high tech sound systemsand a wide selection offood and drink tochoose from.

Gambado Indoor Play CentreWoodside Leisure ParkTel: 01923 892140An innovation in childrensplay centres, Gambadooffers a full-scale climbingwall, mini dodgems as wellas a giant play frame.

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Lesiure

Hollywood BowlWoodside Leisure ParkTel: 01923 682929Open every day from 10am untilmidnight, Hollywood Bowl has 26lanes so is ideal for families, friends,groups and parties.

Mecca Bingo19 King Street Tel: 01923 223568Will tonight be your lucky night?Enjoy a fast-paced game of skill andluck in this conveniently centrallocation.

Top GolfBushey Mill Lane Tel: 01923 222045With a microchip in every ball, yourshots can be accurately tracked atthis state-of-the-art golf range. An 18 hole adventure golf course isalso available for you to enjoy.

Skate ParksLower Derby Road/ Riverside RoadFeaturing 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.

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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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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 moreboldly than thy fortune shall allow thee ’

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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

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Watford Museum, 194 High StreetWD17 2DT Tel: 01923 232 297

Watford CentralLibrary, HempsteadRoad WD17 3EU Tel: 0300 123 4049

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Watford for...

2011 Events in

Watford

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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/space2For 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

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

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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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