'''Welwyn Garden City''' is a town (not as the name implies, a city) in Hertfordshire, England. Welwyn Garden City is also known as '''WGC''' or, somewhat incorrectly, '''Welwyn''', although this can cause confusion with the village called Welwyn which lies a few miles to the northwest of WGC.

Understand

Welwyn Garden City, as its name suggests, is a "garden city", founded by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the 1920s following his previous experiments in Hampstead Garden Suburb and Letchworth Garden City. Howard had called for the creation of new towns of limited size, planned in advance, and surrounded by a permanent belt of agricultural land, as a role model for lower-density suburban development. Howard believed that such Garden Cities were the perfect blend of city and nature.

The BBC TV series ''Superstars'' was famously filmed in Welwyn Garden City throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Famous Welwyn Garden City former and current residents include S*M*A*S*H (Band), The Subways, David James (footballer), Artist Damien Hirst, Nick Faldo (golfer), Lisa Snowdon (model) and Rolling Stones' Mick Taylor.

Welwyn Garden City is well known by avid readers of the side of breakfast cereal boxes in Britain as the town where Shredded Wheat and Shreddies were made, at the former Nabisco factory (now part of Nestle).

Get in

By train

Trains run roughly every twenty minutes to WGC from London. Taking approximately 30 minutes from London Kings Cross, and 50 minutes from London Moorgate station. Trains also run to and from Hatfield, Stevenage, Cambridge and Peterborough.

By bus

The bus station is serviced by local buses only - no national express services. Local buses run to and from Hatfield, St Albans, Stevenage, Hitchin, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford and Watford.

Get around

WGC is small enough to walk around for any able-bodied person. Taxis are available from the rank at the front of the Howard Centre if required.

See

  • The '''Shredded Wheat Factory''' can be seen from the train. No tours. Thats about as much as you can do save walk across the (now listed) footbridge. The Factory sadly closed in April 2008.
  • '''Parkway''' - the attractive avenues of Parkway and Howardsgate are worth a visit, with the coronation fountain at their intersection.
  • '''Mill Green Museum''', Mill Green. Open Tu-Fr 10AM-5PM; Sa,Su, Bank Holidays 2PM-5PM.
  • Do

  • '''Stanborough Lakes''', [http://www.welhat.gov.uk/community/default.asp?step=4&pid=325]. A pleasant recreational area offering fishing, boating, swimming as well as wide open spaces for dog walking and sun bathing. It is 30 minutes walk from the town centre or 5 minutes in a taxi.
  • '''Campus West''' cinema and theatre, (01707) 357117, [http://www.campuswest.co.uk/theatre/]. Shows a range of productions and offers a bar serving alcoholic drinks which is open for the duration of the entertainment.
  • Buy

  • '''John Lewis''', Bridge Road, 08456 049 049, [http://www.johnlewis.com/Shops/DSShop.aspx?Id=13]. Took over Welwyn Department Stores in the 1980's and offers a grand shopping experience without the hussle and bustle of a london store. Now open 7 days a week.
  • Eat

    There are several good cafes on Howardsgate (the main avenue leading up to the howard's centre).

    Drink

  • '''The Doctor's Tonic''', Church Road. Has a lively and young crowd most days of the week as well as live music upstairs.
  • '''O'Neills''', Parkway. An irish theme pub (although not part of the chain) just off Howardsgate. This is small however on nights when London Derby matches are played, it can get quite raucous.
  • '''The Cork''', Howardsgate. Right in the town centre it's the place to go if you want a lively pub.
  • If you want something a bit more relaxed, go to '''The Sun''' or '''The Long Arm And Short Arm''' which are right next to each other in '''Lemsford''' which is 5 minutes taxi ride or 30 minutes walk from town.

    Bobbies cafe

    Sleep

  • '''Premier Travel Inn''', Stanborough Road, 01707 393789 [http://www.premiertravelinn.com/pti/hotelInformation.do?hotelId=24007&rw.cm=,PPC]. Standard budget business hotel.
  • '''Best Western Homestead Court Hotel''' Homestead Lane
  • '''Tewin Bury Farm''', Tewin, 01438 717793, [http://www.tewinbury.co.uk/]. Attractive hotel, popular for weddings.
  • '''Quality Hotel''', next to Junction 6 of the A1(M) in Welwyn village, [http://www.infotel.co.uk/15170]
  • Get out