I’ve been enjoying the lovely photos of our neighbourhood posted by members on the popular Facebook group, Park Street People and Places. One such member who’s been generous with his photos is Philip Woodcock, a retired screen printer, who grew up in the Village.

Philip started his artistic career at the age of 7 or 8 while attending Park Street School. As a young boy, he enjoyed drawing, and exploring nature up on the embankment beside The Rec. He learnt to swim at The Pits [Simpler times, don’t try this now! – Editor], and “when not fishing in the Ver by the Old Red Lion with a net bought in the village shop, I’d spend many a summer day sitting in an inflated old patched up tractor tyre inner tube obtained from Honours farm and float down the from the cress beds behind the junk yard, all the way to the mill. Every day was an adventure.”

Before moving to Tring, Philip lived above Watling Joinery offices, in Frogmore Homes Park and Drakes Drive. These days Philip spends his days out on walks, and “continuing to love the world I live in, taking photos with my phone”. He’s recently taken up painting as well, as his time is now his wealth, he told me.

Enjoy a few of his photos and paintings below.

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Happy New Year, one and all, in our first blog post of 2020!

You may have received a flyer from Hertfordshire.gov.uk advising of upcoming road closures, but for those of you who didn’t, here’s some more information compiled by a local resident, Gary Broadbent.

• Whitebeams closed for resurfacing between 07:30 and 18:00 on Friday 17th January.
• Park Street Lane closed for “Preparation works for Surface dressing” between the bottom of Maplefield and Tippendell Lane between 09:30 and 16:00 on Wednesday 29th to Friday 31st January.
• Hazel Road closed for “Preparation works for Micro Surfacing” between 07:30 and 18:00 on Saturday 1st February to Monday 3rd February.
• “The flyer only gives the dates above, but the One Network website also shows the Tuesday 4th February to Thursday 6th February as closure dates. Hopefully that’s a mistake.
• The map below, which is a screenshot from the One Network website, shows the areas affected.The Park Street Lane closure has a diversion route, but Hazel Road, being a cul-de-sac, doesn’t, and the flyers say that anyone wishing to use their vehicles during the closure times must move them outside the closure area at least 30 minutes before the closure time, so that’ll be fun for the surrounding area.”

Thanks to Park Street People & Places Facebook group administrator Gary Broadbent for this concise update on road works impacting some of us. The group is a great resource for all of us who live in the area. Highly recommended!

Keep abreast of all changes by bookmarking Herts Highways’ site here.

Cover photo by Zoi Palla on Unsplash

From time to time we like to share interviews with area residents and businesses. Second in our series of advertiser spotlights is Mark Zimmermann of Crown Carpet Care.

Mark is a local Chiswell Green man. His career began in the pathology department of the NHS, moving on to scientific sales and marketing, and for the last 5 years of his medical life he procured human tissue for research tissue banks.

When he was made redundant he worked for a friend’s carpet cleaning business and then decided to set up on his own.

Mark has a varied list of clients from a retired national DJ to management companies and even a Thames pleasure boat.

It takes less than half a day to clean all the carpets in an average 3 bedroom home, leaving them ready to walk on, as Mark uses the dry cleaning system.
There are no solvents and it is an environmentally friendly method using an organic matrix offering a deep and penetrating clean with longer lasting results.

Mark will happily give a free quotation and advice-he won’t do a job if he feels it’s not in the client’s best interest-that way his conscience is clear and he can sleep well at night!!

Crown Carpet Care: 07542 935525 Email

Header Photo by Simone Impei on Unsplash