World Famous for being the birthplace of radio, Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England. It lies 30 miles (48.5 km) northeast of Charing Cross London, approximately halfway between there and Colchester. It is almost exactly in the centre of the county and it has been the county town of Essex since 1215. It is also the seat of the Borough of Chelmsford, which covers a wider area than the town, including the new (ca. 1970s) settlement of South Woodham Ferrers on the banks of the River Crouch. The Borough Council celebrated its centenary in 1988 (it had been incorporated as a municipal borough in 1888 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1882), and the town its 800th anniversary in 1999.
Snow is sometimes seen in the winter months because the town is near to the east coast where cold, moist air is brought in from the North Sea. In recent years there has been up to three inches of snow on days in January and February which has resulted in minor disruption to transport and caused some schools to close. However, the snow tends not to persist for a significant length of time in any noticeable quantity.
The town centre is easily navigated on foot. The highstreet is fully pedestrianised and the two largest shopping malls have no vehicle access. Chelmsford benefits from being fairly flat and there are also good provisions for the disabled.
Access into Chelmsford is very good although be prepared to wait in queues in the centre of town, particularly along Victoria Road and Parkway. Rush Hour is between 7-10AM and again from 4.30 - 7PM. The Park and Ride service has helped things, although on occasion it can take a while, especially in the late afternoon, to leave the town. There are pleanty of car parks, costing between __2 and __8 for a day, however be careful about parking in some areas as traffic wardens are notorious in the town. If in doubt ask a local the best areas to get free parking.
The internal Bus service is very good although schedules are rarely stuck too. Most of the stops have electronic displays to show when the next bus is due so it is best to just turn up and see how long the wait is. Bear in mind that inside the Town limits most locations can be walked to inside an hour, however most shelters are pleasant enough and nearly all have seats. Average bus prices are between __1 and __3 for a return inside of the Town. Bus services can also take travellers as far as Stanstead Airport and Colchester, although services are very slow and infrequent.
There are many taxi firms available in the town and all are clearly marked, so never accept a ride from one that isn't. Nearly all are saloon cars although there are an increasing amount of black cabs available. Cars can be pre-booked or found at locations or 'ranks'. These are located at the station and along Market Road. In the evenings more surface, the most easily located being the Baddow Road rank, located outside Pizza Express at the bottom of the High Street. Cabs are rarely hailed from the street, as you are never too far from a rank and cars will generally be full if seen on the roads.
The Town Centre is not particularly bike-friendly and you will often be told of this by a local if you try and weave in and out of pedestrians! However there are many cycle routes too and from the town and council initiatives have lead to more and more cycle racks installed in the town.
The V Festival is an annual music festival, the first to be held simultaneously at two sites - currently Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex and Weston Park in Staffordshire. Originally, the festival took the name of the current year, with the first festival "V96" including a Warrington leg. It discarded its year specific name in 2003 since it has been known as simply the V Festival.
The "V" represents the Virgin Group, and began as another means of promoting Richard Branson's companies. The event is sponsored by Virgin Mobile, with Virgin Radio the official radio station.
The festival generally takes place during the penultimate weekend of August. Its critics dislike its corporate sponsorship and reputation for being the most "posh" of the major British music festivals. However its weekend format, low queuing times and professional organisation have given it a loyal audience. The festival sold out in record time in 2006.
Although predominantly rock music, the festival books a wide range of music and is probably the most likely amongst UK festivals to book some pop acts each year. Mel C, Dido, and N.E.R.D. have all performed at the festival, and both Razorlight and Faithless performed in 2006. V showcases a mix of British and international musicians, from up-and-coming bands such as Coldplay in 2000 and the Kaiser Chiefs in 2003, and glam rockers El Presidente in 2005, to veteran crooner Tony Christie. Girls Aloud also performed at the 2006 show, and received rave reviews for their performance. Pop artist Sophie Ellis-Bextor will perform at the 2007 show.
The line-up for V Festival 2007 was revealed on Virgin Radio on Monday February 26th 2007. Tickets went on sale on the 1st of March and some tickets sold out quickly.
The line-up so far is as follows:
'''V Stage''': Foo Fighters,The Killers, Kasabian, Snow Patrol, James, Pink_(singer), The Fratellis, Kanye West, KT Tunstall, Paolo Nutini, James Morrison, Editors, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Proclaimers, Just Jack
'''Channel 4 Stage''': The Kooks, Manic Street Preachers, Lily Allen, Mika, Guillemots, Basement Jaxx, Amy Winehouse, The Coral, Babyshambles, Jet, The Fray, The Cribs
'''JJB/Puma Arena''': Damien Rice, Corinne Bailey Rae, Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Jarvis Cocker, Ocean Colour Scene and Beverley Knight
Other confirmed artists include Willy Mason and The Wombats. Dizzee Rascal is also expected to play after a follow-up to his 2005 V Festival appearance. [2]
Located directly behind The Shire Hall. The church of St Mary the Virgin in Chelmsford was probably first built along with the town 800 years ago. It was rebuilt in the 15th and early 16th centuries, with walls of flint rubble, stone and brick. There is also a tower and spire with a ring of thirteen bells. The nave was again rebuilt in the early 19th century, after it had partially collapsed.
Enclosed in beautiful gardens which offer a haven for the local populace, especially summer lunchtimes, the Cathedral is open year-round and entry is free.
Hylands House and Park just to the west of the town is a country house and parkland, saved from dereliction and purchased by the local council in 1966 after the death of the last private owner. Much damaged by fire and vandalism by the time of the sale, the house has now been completely restored by Chelmsford Borough Council. The house dates originally from 1730, and the park (currently 574 acres or 232 ha) was landscaped by Humphry Repton. Open to the public and used for a wide range of community events, it is also available for weddings and other private hires including conferences etc. The park has in recent years been the site of annual music festivals, such as the V Festival and the ill-fated Council-run Chelmsford Spectacular. It has been chosen as the site for the 21st World Scout Jamboree in 2007 and has already hosted Eurojam in the summer of 2005.
The Shire Hall Chelmsford.The Shire Hall is situated at the top of the High Street. Opened in July 1791 and built by local Architect and County Surveyor John Johnson which features a Portland Stone facade. One of the oldest and most prominent buildings in Chelmsford, it was built as a Court house, which it has remained to this day.
Chelmsford does not offer the traveller much in the way of unique gifts or products, but the town does feature enough for the passer through to stock up on essentials.
The high street is dominated by the Debenhams department store, which offers the latest fashion, fragrance and electronics. Opposite this is the Marks and Spencer store, offering food and fashion for the older generation. There are numerous other shops, most notably Waterstones Books, Jessop cameras, Comet Digital, Next and GAP. The 'quadrant' located just over the stone bridge, is Chelmsfords only independent department store. It has three floors and sells fashions for the 30+ customer including East,Kalico,Jane Shilton and Brook Taverner for men. It is also the only store in the town centre stocking leading furniture brands.
Meadows is the newest mall in the town and was completed in the late 1990's, it is built on ground floor level and includes Waterstones (another one), Boots, BHS department store, Burtons Menswear and many more. Despite its status as the newer and better mall, Chelmsford already had its fill of good retailers when it was built, and as such it is normally fairly quiet and serves best as a car park.
The older of the two malls, retailers include HMV, River Island, Boots (a bigger one!), JJB Sports, Millets and many more. Expect a crush at Christmas time, and teens sitting outside HMV at all other times.
Chelmsford is also served by 2 large retail parks offering warehouse-style shopping and big car parking queues on bank holidays.
Chelmsford's situation means that there are not any foods considered 'local cuisine', however there are countless restaurants and food outlets from street vendors and take away shops to Michelin Star restaurants to satisfy any gastro-hungry traveller.
'''The Alma''', off springfield Road currently has one Michelin Star and should satisfy all tastes, there is also a large garden and bar area which caters for unbooked guests to enjoy the extensive bar menue, where a steak and chips will set you back around __15, in the restaurant however this can be as much as __26.
'''Strada''', part of the franchise, has recently opened in Baddow Road, meunes are relatively predictable, but a good carbonara should set you back under __10. '''Pizza Express''', also on Baddow Road offeres a fine seletion of italian style pizza and pasta at good prices and far better quality than the nearby Pizza Hut. Expect to pay about __12 for a meal.
There are plenty of options for Indian in the town, again, most of these are located around Baddow Road towards the South of the Town Centre. '''TM2''' is a good option, light, airy and with a good menu, expect to pay around __8-10 for a curry.
Most of the pubs and bars in the town offer some sort of food menu. The pick for quality is '''Baroosh''', located on the high street where food is excellently prepared and presented, expect to pay around __12 for a burger and chips. The best for location is the '''Riverside Inn''', located off Victoria Road next to Riverside Leasure Centre, were its waterside location makes for excellent outdoor dining in splendid gardens.
The best restaurant is the '''Empire''' on Springfield Road, meals are rarely under __30 a head but the quality is worth it. Nearly all the other Chinese offerings are 'all you can eat' and the quality, and clientele are reflected by the __10 asking price. Be prepared to be asked for ID also, however old you claim to be!
Chelmsford is overrun by takeaway options, from fish and chips to Chinese its all available late night and for pocket change. None of which can really be recommended as serious dining options, however, for after a night on the town, they are always a welcome sight. '''Mrs Cod''' on Moulsham Street does a roaring trade on Friday and Saturday night, but watch out for the hygine, its not great. '''''China China''''' on Moulsham Street, is one of the most favored takeaways in Chelmsford, meals there are of the cheapest and teamed with great quality food, what more can you ask for?! '''Ming Ming's''' at 140 Springfield Road is a little off the beaten track, but serves good chinese food and is often open very late - although Mr Ming has been known to chase away customers with a broom if he is locking up early!
All the usual suspects such as McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Starbucks etc can be found on the High Street teeming with teenagers.
Chelmsford has a vibrant nightlife scene with many nightclubs, pubs, wine bars and restaurants in the town centre area, particularly in Duke Street and Moulsham Street. Its central Essex location and good public transport links make the town ideal for revellers to visit from surrounding areas. Though there is a wide range of bars and pubs in the town center, there is a large antisocial behavior problem as the only form of entertainment in Chelmsford is cheap drinks and loud music, resulting in the town center becoming a No-Go area after 10PM on the weekend.
Chelmsford lacks any form of alternative nightlife which is seen as a problem, there is no longer an under 18 club night on the weekend, and no live music venue for touring bands. Many people have to travel out of Chelmsford to either southend/Colchester or Romford and on into London if they are to find any other form of entertainment outside of what is on offer in chelmsford. This includes even the cinema where people will drive to Romford or Braintree to see a film as it offers a higher level of comfort.
Chelmsford is split by the Parkway Ringroad, and as well as dividing prime and secondary retail, this road also divides the nightlife of the town.
South of parkway tends to attract a younger, trendier, and often more volatile crowd. You have the cheap chain bars, alcopops, girls in short skirts and guys out 'on the pull', all accompanied by a commercial 'pop' soundtrack and lengthy queues for a drink.
North of parkway attracts a more bohemian crowd and is littered with traditional pubs rather than the clubs and bars of the high street. You will rarely see the guy checking his hair or the girl in her makeup bag but there are possibly more fun options at this end of town for a relaxed drink or night out with friends.
The most popular destination is Moulsham Street, the former High Street of the Town but now more reliant on the nightlife than anything else. Hardcore revelers often attempt a 'pub crawl' of the entire length, usually called the 'Moulsham 9' although technically the 'Rising Sun' is on New London Road, and Moulsham Street carries on past Parkway, so there are several more pubs and bars on the other side. Often this pub crawl is attempted in fancy dress so don't be surprised to be stnding at the bar next to Scooby Doo at some point!
Generally everyone this side of town just wants to have fun so there is much less 'attitude' than in the town centre, just don't expect luxury bathrooms, Stella on tap or a roaring dance floor.
Out of all of the large towns in Essex, Chelmsford is probably the safest and easiest for the traveller to feel comfortable in. The majority of the locals will be helpful and happy to point out directions or places of interest. While violent crime is fairly low, walking the streets at night should be done with great caution, and it is ill-advised to confront gangs of youths however insulting they may be.
Central Park should be avoided at night, it is big, dark, fairly deserted and the only other people around will probably be the sort you don't want to meet like burberry wearing chavs, and also avoid any large groups. Since the pathways are fairly long and straight, these can easily be avoided by choosing an alternative route.
The Melbourne and Springfield areas of the town have got a bad reputation amongst locals, although perhaps, certainly with Springfield, it is a case of a few bad apples spoiling the crop. Melbourne should be avoided at night on foot and its pubs should be avoided all together by non-locals (they get very rough) with the exception of the Athletic Stadium and Park, which surprisingly is safe at night, mainly due to the various sports clubs who use it for training.
Dukes Nightclub has seen increasing levels of violence over the past five years as its popularity has grown. Drink-fueled violence is by far the main problem here and violent crime is rare. Best advice is to stay with your group and avoid dancing with anyone's girl, however with such a large choice of easy lays, this should not be an issue.