LIB DEM ACTIVISTS REVEAL WHY IT’S THEIR PARTY OF CHOICE
RETAILER OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST REVEALED
4 BEDROOM HOUSE FOR SALE IN FISHPOOL STREET, ST. ALBANS, HERTFORDSHIRE, AL3
Enriched with history dating back to the early 1700s, this distinctive Grade II listed period home occupies a prime position on the charming Fishpool Street, at the edge of St Michael’s village. Full of character and architectural interest, the property is arranged across three generous floors, a beautifully landscaped garden, and benefits from the rare addition of secure off-street parking to the rear.
£1,650 pcm (£381 pw)
3 BEDROOM HOUSE TO LET IN WAVERLEY ROAD, ST. ALBANS, AL3
This well-presented, mid-terraced property is located on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Batchwood area of St Albans, offering excellent access to the vibrant city centre and close to highly regarded local schools and amenities Set over three floors, it provides spacious and flexible living accommodation throughout, complete with parking
£1,750 pcm (£404 pw)
2 BEDROOM APARTMENT TO LET IN ASHTREE COURT, GRANVILLE ROAD, ST ALBANS, AL1
A beautifully presented ground-floor two-bedroom apartment, ideally located just minutes from St. Albans mainline station, Clarence Park, and the city centre, offering well-arranged, bright and spacious accommodation throughout.
Editor’s Note
Our regular contributors include: Laura Bill, Darren McCabe, Eris, Deborah Heath, James Cameron, Elena Hogg, Jess Unwin, Jim Standen, Robert Edrop, St Albans Tour Guides, Caroline Thain, Gary Wiles-Rourke, Ruth Newman Front page photo: Andy Lawrence
Revealed: shortlist
for
Albans Retailer of the Year Awards
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OPINION BITE with
Will new Local Plan secure the future of our Green Belt or destroy it forever?
developments, and preserves our green spaces
“Whilst the top-down Westminster-led planning system has continued to hinder these efforts, this Local Plan is focused on delivering for local people and protecting our area from speculative development
“Where previous Conservative administrations failed, it’s through a lot of hard work that our Lib Dem district council has got this draft Plan to its final stages and thereby secured added protections for our green spaces As Government policies like the grey belt continue to undermine those efforts, I’ll continue to campaign in Parliament for more local powers ”
However, St Albans district faces a 70 per cent increase in mandatory housing targets under new Government directives, rising from 15,000 to over 23,000 new homes by 2041
This massive surge, intended to tackle the housing crisis, places further pressure on the district’s Green Belt, with potential for extensive development on sites previously considered protected
It is suggested that no sooner has the current Local Plan been approved that SADC will have to start working on a new one
This week’s announcement from the Lib Dems has been met with strong words from local opposition councillors, who claim far from saving the Green Belt, the SADC administration is enabling its destruction
Labour councillor Mike Hobday said: “It’s outrageously cheeky of St Albans Liberal Democrats to pretend to be saviours of the local Green Belt. Well over half the homes they propose in their new Local Plan are on Green Belt or green field land St Albans Council is the biggest enabler of Green Belt destruction
“It has repeatedly declined opportunities to prioritise brownfield land or previously developed land in the Green Belt
“Open green land like the London Colney Green Belt at Shenley Lane, south of Napsbury Park, is a vital community resource
The most important Green Belt is the part we have access to Yet this is the land that the Liberal Democrats repeatedly say they want to build over
“When this dreadful Plan comes to a vote at St Albans council, Labour councillors will vote against it.”
Conservative group leader Cllr Matt Cowley said: “Once again, the Lib Dem administration wants us all to pat them on the back for achieving the bare minimum we should expect from the council Years of their dither and delay has left our Green Belt vulnerable to speculative development, whilst simultaneously leaving local people facing the brunt of a housing crisis
“It may sound good on leaflets, but the reality is that this Plan will do very little to protect our countryside and almost nothing to unlock the brownfield sites which should be taking much more of the load of development
“And it will all be very short term - with their dither and delay meaning we will have to start a new Plan almost immediately to deliver more than 20,000 new houses.
am meant to do, and if I could go back in time then I wouldn’t change a thing’
everything out of love, it’s not a big deal’ “When I was hanging up, I thought, ‘What a nice conversation’, and you know, I’d worked all of my life for this, but then the next day he was gone ” Embarking on the long journey home under the restrictions of the pandemic, Fathima realised there was an urgency to carry out the burial and she would not be back in time
“I said, ‘It’s OK, bury him, do what’s best’ My Mum had told me that after the soul departs, it says goodbye to everybody around the body, and I was thinking, ‘I’m not there, does he think that I don’t care?’ So I asked my uncles to put the phone on speaker and put it next to him, so I could say ‘Dad, I’m coming, I’m coming’.
“When I finally got home, everything was still there, his car, his wallet, but the person himself had just vanished, and I didn’t know how to deal with that grief “I wanted to go and see his grave, but my uncle, who was a very religious figure, said that my Dad would be cursed if a woman went to the grave. I had had some sense of God and religion and that point, and I said, ‘This is my father, I’m his daughter, what God cannot see my pain?’ I never speak back to elders, it’s a big thing in India, but I said, ‘When I die, no man will come near me, I will curse you ’ After a few days my brother took me in secret to the grave, but he was not there, and I just couldn’t say goodbye
“It was such an intense, life-changing sort of grief that I knew no amount of crying was going to do anything to help me, so I started painting this sort of alternative reality where me and my Dad were together, but I was five years old
“Four or five illustrations in one day, I was just pumping them out like I was possessed This was all I was doing, not crying, just sitting in my room painting. I was talking to him, ‘Oh Dad do you remember when we did this?’ and by the sixth or seventh day I had about 20something paintings, and decided I wanted to make them into a book to honour my Dad
it material It’s the only way these experiences leave me, I’m just built like that and I can’t do anything about it ”
While she was studying in the UK, Fathima had been sharing her work on Instagram: “I wasn’t too popular, but my style stood out, and one day I received a message from HarperCollins asking me to design a cover for a book ”
Once again it was to be the beginning of a new stage in her life: “I met my husband six months after coming here
When I was made, he was made next to me, God was like, ‘You know what, I’ll take a bit away from her and put it into him’, he is the universe’s poetic justice.
We met on an app, and by the end of our first date he asked me to delete it He introduced me to his family after three weeks, proposed after two months, and we flew to Kerala and got married at six months ”
Shortly afterwards the newlyweds moved to North Kensington and Chelsea, and Fathima met someone who had been working with the community devastated by the Grenfell tower block inferno
“I was always big on making art accessible for people who don’t have access to it I know that whatever it took me six years to learn I could easily have learned in a classroom, and my art could have taken a different direction “But I started teaching art to those people who had been clearly affected by the fire and it just grew from there.”
HarperCollins invited her to complete her first fully illustrated book – The Royal Spy by Ayesha Braganza, about Princess Noor Khan, who worked as an undercover spy in France during WWII – she was invited to speak and TEDX talks in India, and became a public speaker along the way We’re sitting in the garden of George Street Canteen on a beautiful spring day, the Cathedral providing a majestic backdrop to a remarkable tale of determination against incredible odds
It’s hard not to be moved, especially when considering that this is just her talking about her journey, whereas actually living that life and experiencing those challenges is a world away from where she is now in sunny St Albans.
SING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING
was in 1993 when I delivered leaflets for a friend who was standing in a council by-election in Leeds.
“In St Albans I became involved in April 2019 when, instead of shouting at the TV, I wanted to campaign to keep the UK in Europe and get rid of the awful Conservative Government. I had an MP who was pushing for a hard Brexit and was not going to be ‘cowed by her constituents’. I started delivering leaflets and telling for the local and European elections and later that summer became more involved ”
Part-time Harpenden business psychologist Kate Netherton, who is in her early 60s, is on the executive committee for Lib Dems for the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency
“I joined the Lib Dems around the time of Brexit because of the Lib Dem position on Europe and because of their progressive politics more widely.
“I now deliver leaflets and I also go out knocking on doors locally, canvassing and talking to residents in the area. ”
Finally, we have 19-year-old Bristol University student Leo Godbee, who lives in the Roundwood area of Harpenden
“I have been involved with the Lib Dems since 2023 when I undertook some word experience with Cllr Paul de Kort Brexit was the main issue that politicised me, with the Lib Dems’ strong pro-EU stance pushing me to join, but the fact that the local party is so large and well organised has helped me to get really involved This includes campaigning for them during the last general election, only a few days after my A levels finished ”
Having controlled the district council since 2021, the Lib Dems obviously haven’t got it right all of the time So what do they think were the party’s successes and mistakes along the way?
Jack said: “I think our work on the high streets has been pretty fantastic We hear about the high street dying in the news all the time and I don't think that’s
monolith and we ' re capable of serving as a check on ourselves as necessary, the actual mechanisms that are in place give a good, healthy voice to the parties in opposition as well through committees and the like When it comes to the wishes of the electorate we enjoy the trust of over half of the electorate in most of the seats we hold, and strong majorities in most of the others, and that's been true even in elections after we secured that majority on the council ”
Jennifer suggested other parties should take some responsibility: “Even though the Greens have councillors in central St Albans they seem to be opposition in name only as they haven't provided any criticism to Lib Dem policies Why fix it if it's working?”
Mihir thought the party has always been rooted in local government, and this is demonstrated here in St Albans: “Strong scrutiny, active local campaigns, and engaged residents all play an important role - but ultimately the most important check is the culture of the party itself
Lib Dem councillors tend to be deeply embedded in their communities, and that creates a level of accountability you don't always see elsewhere
“People sometimes joke about the Lib Dems being the party that fixes the church roof -but I think that’s something to be proud of It means you ’ re focused on the real, practical things that make people’s lives better ”
Kate suggested it was down to the electorate to keep the party accountable:
“With regards to checks and balances, the primary mechanism for ensuring that all councillors, Lib Dem or otherwise, are held accountable to the electorate are elections, with at least one councillor in each ward up for reelection each year
“In addition, as a party we stay engaged by canvassing throughout the year, not just before elections, which means that we are visible in the community and on the doorstep and we ’ re up to date on local issues and concerns. ”
light at the end of the tunnel though, the reality is the majority of voters do find both the Green and Reform flavour of populism distasteful We have to harness that energy more and restore a more serious, more trustworthy sense of politics, and I like to be an optimist with these things.”
Jennifer said she was worried about the rise in extremist politics in the UK: “I'm American and can't even vote here but I'll do whatever I can to prevent this country from mirroring mine and electing someone like Nigel Farage!”
Mihir said: “Reform are not just a threat locally, they're a threat to the country. Their brand of divisive politics, placing blame on others rather than attempting to solve real problems hurts communities and creates a toxic political environment
“By contrast, the Liberal Democrats are focused on practical solutions, community cohesion, and evidencebased policy That's the kind of politics I think people in St Albans respond to “Extremism from the left or the right might make a small group of people feel better while they're chanting slogans, but it doesn't solve any problems Politicians who magic up ways to solve all of your problems are not to be trusted. I wish there were a wand to wave but there isn't and we certainly don't get there by targeting particular groups of people.
“I am a second generation immigrant My children are mixed race I was born in St Albans City Hospital before the Conservatives closed the maternity ward, and my youngest son was born at home here in Marshalwick I have lived in St Albans almost all of my life Yet extremists would argue that we somehow don't belong or aren't as equal as they are because we look a little different to them.
“Britain is at its best when it celebrates diversity and multiculturalism and the right wing extremist approach of blaming people who are different makes me concerned for the future of my family ”
New NBS head wants to prepare his old school for a new and challenging future
“We need to work together to rise to that new challenge The most important aspects of NBS are the student bond, atmosphere and values, the strength of the messaging of Catholic social teaching, and the staff, who have done such a good job, for them to continue that journey they’re on. I’m not coming in to throw all of that away, I’m just here to enhance and build on that ” He explained how he came to apply for the role: “Declan had made an indication last summer to staff and parents that he was leaving - a few different people sent me the advert and said they thought I might be interested ” Andrew was subsequently appointed on February 4 following a stringent interview process, but had to keep it quiet until he could tell the staff at his current school, and subsequently the students
“I felt it was important to come from me and not elsewhere So I held three big assemblies where I told them all, which was quite emotional as I’d been there for 16 years For some of them, they have only known me as their deputy or headteacher for their whole school careers. ”
Nicholas Breakspear’s acting head of school Melanie Green left at the end of the spring term, with Anne Atkinson stepping into the role for the summer, but Andrew will be taking advantage of different holiday dates to come in during the first week back to
City’s long-awaited chicken eatery prepares to take flight
What you can do to help the work of Centre 33 charity?
FOUNDED IN 1977, HOMELESS CHARITY CENTRE 33 TAKES ITS NAME FROM ITS EARLY PREMISES AT 33 HATFIELD ROAD, ST ALBANS. FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP ITS VITAL WORK ACROSS THE CITY...
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Yesterday Once More: pictures from the archives
Folk dancing at Gorhambury House features in the first of this week’s photos, which is believed to date to 1962
Then we have motorcyclist Nigel Deans on his Honda 750CC in a picture from 1975. It could very well be the British cycling road star of the 1970s and 1980s, who won 10 UCI races during his career, but although there is a facial resemblance we cannot confirm this as fact Both images were taken by Tony “Greg” Gregory
Celebrate World Malbec Day
shows layers of dark chocolate and succulent berry richness. Smooth, fresh and beautifully balanced, with finely textured tannins and a juicy finish
Food pairing: Perfect with lamb chops, beef burgers, or a rich mushroom and lentil stew
Journey’s End Spekboom Malbec 2024, South Africa (£10 50 Sainsbury’s)
Journey’s End has long been recognised for its commitment to sustainability, and this Spekboom Malbec forms part of that story Named after the indigenous Spekboom plant – prized for its ability to absorb carbon – the wine reflects the estate’s environmentally focused ethos.
Sourced from the Coastal Region, this is a fresh, modern Malbec that leans into elegance rather than power
Bright plum and raspberry fruit take centre stage, with a lively freshness and subtle spice on the finish
Approachable, vibrant and very drinkable
Food pairing: Ideal with chargrilled sausages, tomatobased pasta dishes or a mezze-style spread.
This is a Malbec with serious pedigree On its debut vintage, J Opi Malbec was crowned Best Malbec of Argentina – no small feat in such a competitive field
The man behind the magic is Rodolfo “Opi” Sadler, affectionately known among fellow winemakers as “The Malbec Magician”. Warm, humble and endlessly passionate, Opi has an uncanny ability to judge balance and purity, producing wines that charm both critics and everyday drinkers alike
Intense blueberry, plum and blackcurrant flavours flow across a velvety-smooth palate Juicy, ripe and beautifully poised, with a fresh lift that speaks of vineyards near the Andes foothills
Food pairing: A natural partner for grilled steak or slow-cooked casseroles, though just as enjoyable on its own
World Malbec Day is the perfect excuse to explore how one grape can express itself so differently across continents – from community-driven South Africa to the sun-drenched vineyards of Argentina Whether you’re new to Malbec or already a devotee been a better moment to raise a glass
Flashback: 1958
STORIES MAKING THE
Following our acquisition of a bound volume of the Herts Ad from 1957-1958, we are presenting a unique 52part series looking at the stories, ads and photographs featured in the corresponding week 68 years ago, reflecting a period of 20th century history which saw major changes both in St Albans and across the wider district...
NEWS IN THE HERTS ADVERTISER DATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1958
LOST RING FOUND AFTER 15 YEARS
engagement ring that was lost fifteen years ago has turned up again, and its now-widowed
a change of fortune for her.
It was 35 years ago that bricklayer Arthur Paul proposed to his young fiancee and placed a gold and sapphire ring on her finger. The ring disappeared in 1943, and afterwards everything seemed to go wrong for the family. Mr Paul died a few months later, and his wife was left to bring up their two young children.
It was found, nestling beneath a lettuce patch, by next-door neighbour Mr G Hall, while digging his garden Mrs Paul is pictured showing the ring to her grandchildren.
Refuse Collectors See Pre-View Crimes of the “Rolling Stone”
LEAD STORY: A FILM GAVE MEN IDEAS ABOUT SAFEBREAKING, AND THEY STOLE MORE THAN £1,400 IN TWO SAFE RAIDS, ONE IN ST ALBANS AND THE OTHER IN ENFIELD, MIDDLESEX SESSIONS WAS TOLD.
An
owner, Mrs Florence Paul, of 35 White Horse Lane, London Colney, wonders if this means
Anne said that as she had missed that bus she would walk to Church Field and would catch a bus there She said as she left them: “I will see you on Friday,” that being the date of the next dancing class They did not see her get on the bus
SPOTLIGHT STORY: ANNE NOBLETT MURDER MYSTERY STILL UNSOLVED
Shirley Edwards, of Robbery Bottom House, Welwyn, employed by Mr TJ Noblett as a poultry girl at Marshall’s Heath Poultry Farm, said that after leaving work at 6pm on December 30 she came straight down Marshall’s Heath Lane on her scooter, and as she approached the junction with the main road she saw Anne,
Sir - After two football matches at North Mymms on Saturday the groundsman and I left the ground about 6 30pm, and everything was in order On Sunday the groundsman came to inform me that the goalposts had been interfered with. On inspection I found that the iron supports which are bolted to the uprights had been wrenched out of the ground and used as levers to turn the posts in their sockets, smashing the crossbar of the top goal
It was obviously the work of “not-so-young” hooligans and I sincerely hope the culprits will be caught and made to recompense the club for damage done
It makes one wonder if it is worth the while of the few, spending so much time and money on the ptich which is there for those who wish to enjoy it, if those responsible for the damage do not get caught and can repeat their destructive behaviour.
SJ King, Hon Secretary, North Mymms Football Club
Sir - In her county council election manifesto, Mrs Jacobson (St Albans) states that local government cannot be divorced from national politics In so far as it goes the statement is true The Government of the day must exercise control in varying degrees upon all local councils if its own policy is not to be stultified. But there is nothing that could be done by local Tory or Labour councillors that could also not be done by Independents, if the latter were prepared to govern on a class basis It is of course, hardly to be expected that the two big political parties will be prepared to admit that as far as local government is concerned they are redundant
JA Willmott, 18 Alban Avenue, St Albans
The Teddy Boy Problem
Harpenden’s biggest photography exhibition returns for 90 anniversary th
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first week of Tulleys Tulip Fields
Things are really blooming at Willows Activity Farm this spring, as Tulleys Tulip Fields welcomes visitors for a second year
The venue, just outside London Colney, features more than 750,000 bulbs that will be flowering between now and mid-May
Shankar, Anika, Divya, Aradhya, Aditya, Ajith and Deepthy - all from St Albans and pictured above - were one of the first families to visit the fields when they opened
Stuart Beare, owner of Tulleys Farm who operate Tulleys Tulip Fest, the UK’s number one tulip festival, said: “We are back for a second year in St Albans and thrilled to be even bigger this year ”
The site is one-and-a-half times the size of last year’s attraction and features more than 100 different varieties of tulip
“All the bulbs were planted back in autumn 2025 and are specially selected to ensure they bloom at different times so that our visitors will always be able to enjoy the flowers in their peak condition ”
Tulleys signature planting style includes early, mid and late bloomers and means that no two visits are ever the same
Stuart added: “And there’s more than just tulips! We have 15 different photo opportunities throughout the fields including traditional farm tractors, a giant clog to sit in and a huge ornamental windmill providing visitors with a multitude of different views and the perfect backdrop for selfies and group photos.”
Hungry visitors can also enjoy street food including authentic Dutch poffertjes. The Tulip Coffee House will also be serving hot and cold drinks and there will be live acoustic music for guests to enjoy.
For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.tulipfields.co.uk, or like and follow @TulleysTulipFields on Instagram for all the latest news and updates.
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Orange tulips in bloom again in St Albans Civic Rose Garden
St Albans City 0 Aveley 1 (Isthmian League Premier Division)
Report by Jess Unwin, photos by Jim Standen
it s just that they re two very good players and a real part of our identity To have both of them not available to you is a big loss to us and we ’ re a lesser side without those two in it That is a fact and the proof is in the outcome today ”
Next up for St Albans City is the club’s final home match of the 2025-26 campaign. They take on Canvey Island, who currently sit in bottom place in the Premier Division table and have already been relegated Kick-off at Clarence Park is 3pm.
4pm
The second is on Wednesday May 20 between 5- 8pm The third is on Saturday May 23 between 10am and 4pm All are welcome, whether or not they have bowled before Turn up at any time and we will try to accommodate you
To avoid disappointment and especially if coming in a group of four or more please contact Richard Hall to book a slot, on 07429 407365 or richardatsabcrecruitment@gmail com
Please also contact Richard if none of the above dates are convenient but you would like to try bowls anyway
All equipment will be provided free of charge but please wear flat-soled shoes such as trainers Light refreshments will also be available
