Watford Observer

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:40:47 +0000
'Intense' blaze engulfs property as car catches fire in garage
Firefighters were called to a Watford house last night (November 5) to tackle an "intense" blaze.

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 07:18:25 +0000
Controversial 700-home plan REFUSED over green belt fears
Controversial plans for 700 homes in Bushey have been rejected by the planning committee.

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000
You Garden offers five roses for £14.95 and three lavenders for £9.97
Two garden classics are taking centre stage in You Garden’s offers this week.

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 05:30:00 +0000
'All good things must come to an end' - family business closing after 25 years
“All good things must come to an end,” a 25-year Watford family business has said as it prepares to close.

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 05:30:00 +0000
Nature-focussed nursery prepares kids 'extremely well' for school, says Ofsted
An Ofsted report has praised nature-focused nursery Woodland Wanderers Montessori Forest School for preparing children “extremely well” for school.

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:24:56 +0000
Memorial appeal for heroic World War II 'Ghost Patrol' soldiers
They were known as the ‘Ghost Patrol’ by opposing Italian forces because the unit often appeared suddenly out of nowhere in the deep desert

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 17:23:42 +0000
Hertfordshire Dunelm evacuated after vehicle crashes into building
Stevenage's Dunelm store was evacuated after a vehicle crashed into the building at Roebuck Retail Park, with two people taken to hospital.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:35:17 +0000
Everything we know so far as 'man with weapons' forces school closure
A "weapons manhunt" is underway following the closure of a school in Hemel Hempstead.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:16:18 +0000
'Man with weapons' forces school closure - recap
A school in Hemel Hempstead is closed amid reports of a man with weapons

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:31:18 +0000
Man suffers serious head injuries in Hemel attack
A man has been left with serious head injuries following an assault in Hemel Hempstead.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 13:25:00 +0000
Major 250-home plan collapses amid row that could cost taxpayer £400k
Taxpayers could face a £400,000 bill after plans to redevelop Bushey Golf and Country Club collapsed over “fundamental mistakes”.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:55:00 +0000
The Batman: Part II filming 'halted after cast member hit by Batmobile' in Leavesden
Filming of The Batman: Part II was reportedly halted after a cast member was run over by the Batmobile at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:25:00 +0000
Demolition of 'eyesore' garages for three-storey homes approved
“Eyesore” Watford garages can be demolished to make way for three-storey homes after updated plans were approved.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000
Riviera Travel’s latest Black Friday offer goes off with a bang
Riviera Travel’s Black Friday sale (Black Friday: Save up to 20% on Selected 2027 Holidays | Riviera Travel) has landed and right now, you can save up to 20% on selected 2027 holidays.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 05:30:00 +0000
Police share statement as another wave of 'X' vandalism reported in road
Herts Police have shared a statement over the X symbols being cut into cars in Chester Road, Watford amid another wave of reports.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 05:30:00 +0000
Plans for 700 homes and £2.5bn data centre to be decided TONIGHT
Decisions loom for two major planning applications that could bring 700 new homes and a £2.5 billion data centre to the Watford area.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:35:11 +0000
Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault
Russell Brand has been found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a court trial

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 17:00:00 +0000
Jailed Watford pair 'hoped to make millions selling cocaine across UK'
Two criminals from Watford who "hoped to make millions selling cocaine" have been jailed after an £80 million cocaine haul was recovered by police.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 16:00:00 +0000
'Simply not good enough' - one in four trains through station cancelled or delayed
Performance data revealing a quarter of trains through Kings Langley are delayed or cancelled has been slammed as “simply not good enough”.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 15:25:00 +0000
Recycling sites to close after becoming magnets for dumping
A recycling site in Kings Langley is among 21 in Dacorum which will shut down next month after dumping around the bins.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 15:17:00 +0000
Watford house eyed for new HMO for up to six people
A Watford house could be turned into a HMO for up to six people under new plans.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:30:00 +0000
Herts Police officer 'sexually assaulted colleague on Watford night out'
A Herts Police officer put his hands down his colleague’s trousers and sexually assaulted him after a night out Watford, a court has heard.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 13:12:00 +0000
Teacher employed in Watford banned after 'racial comments and threats' made to pupils
A supply teacher who taught at schools in Watford has been banned from the classroom after making racial and threatening comments to pupils.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 12:30:00 +0000
Jailed fraudster lived 'luxurious lifestyle' on bogus investment scam victims' money
Jailed Bushey fraudster Mahendra Sarvendra funded “a luxurious lifestyle” with a £230,000 “bogus investments” scam.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:50:00 +0000
New operator for 'local institution' pub after 20 years under same manager
Hemel Hempstead pub Greenacres II has a new operator after more than 20 years as a “thriving local institution” under the same manager.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:15:00 +0000
Weekend engineering work to close Watford to London railway line
Weekend engineering works will close The Lioness Line between Watford Junction and London Euston, with no trains to run.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 10:33:54 +0000
280 homes to be built on 'crucial' green belt site after developer wins appeal
Controversial plans for 280 homes on a green belt site in Bushey have been approved on appeal.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 09:43:58 +0000
M1 car fire causes traffic misery near Watford as driver left 'in shock'
Traffic was brought to a "standstill" following a car fire on the Watford M1 this morning (November 4).

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 07:55:55 +0000
Traffic recap after Watford M1 car fire
Follow live updates amid heavy traffic on the M1 in the Watford and St Albans areas of Hertfordshire following an "accident"

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 07:13:43 +0000
Historic pub to reopen this month after £500k investment
A historic Hertfordshire pub is set to reopen this month after a £500,000 investment.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:00 +0000
FabFinds has cleaning bundles from £10.99 for a Christmas-ready home
Cleaning just got Christmassy.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 05:30:00 +0000
'Pride and excitement' as family-run restaurant celebrates 30 years
Kings Langley's Oscars Pizza Co is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month.

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 15:38:34 +0000
37,140 Watford homes to receive £100 council tax payment for energy costs
Watford homes to receive £100 energy support as Labour budget freezes fuel duty, cuts bus fares and extends help for shops, pubs and self-employed dads.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 13:01:55 +0000
£1.295m Northwood home with 4 bedroom and 4 reception rooms hits the market
Four-bedroom detached house in Grove Farm Park, Northwood, priced at £1,295,000, with 2,000 sq ft, garden, garage and Metropolitan Line access.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 12:33:06 +0000
Six-bedroom bungalow with self-contained annexe up for £1.695m in Sarratt
Six-bedroom detached bungalow with self-contained annexe, 0.6-acre grounds and double garage on sale in Poleshill, Sarratt, near Rickmansworth, for £1,695,000.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:46:19 +0000
New Croxley Green plans among latest planning applications
Here are the latest planning applications submitted to Three Rivers District Council this week.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:31:49 +0000
Hemel Hempstead tennis club could get two new padel courts
Here are the latest planning applications submitted to Dacorum Borough Council this week.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:19:22 +0000
Plans to turn Watford home into six-person HMO
Here are the latest planning applications submitted to Watford Borough Council this week.

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:10:09 +0000
Plans submitted for extensions to Battle Axes Inn in Elstree
Here are the latest planning applications submitted to Hertsmere Borough Council this week.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 19:25:34 +0000
Primary school set to close after nearly 200 years
A primary school is set to close after nearly 200 years of serving the community.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 19:33:06 +0000
M1 crash near Watford shuts two lanes with long delays
A crash on the M1 southbound near Watford has closed two of three lanes, with long delays and congestion stretching back towards J6A for the M25.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:32:00 +0000
Harlequin's JD Gyms confirms opening date and offers an inside look
JD Gyms has confirmed that its new flagship gym at Harlequin Watford will officially open on 22 December and has released photos of the new facility.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 15:26:32 +0000
Hemel Hempstead takeaway gets damning 1/5 food hygiene rating
A Hemel Hempstead takeaway has received a damning 1/5 food hygiene rating.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 15:10:41 +0000
Police 'increasingly concerned' for missing teenager last seen in Watford
Police are appealing for help to trace a missing 14-year-old boy from Maple Cross, last seen in Watford.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:24:35 +0000
Watford Monopoly board release date brought forward 'by popular demand'
The release date for Watford's Monopoly board has been brought forward to November 13.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 13:26:00 +0000
New Watford Town Hall café from Tasty Bean owners set to open in spring 2027
A new café offering fresh food and a community atmosphere will open at Watford Town Hall in spring 2027.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:01:49 +0000
71 Hertfordshire officers barred from policing since 2020, new figures reveal
New figures have revealed that 71 Hertfordshire Police officers have been barred from the profession since the start of the decade.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 11:34:17 +0000
Prominent Watford pub shut for refurb from today
Prominent Watford pub O'Neil's has closed for a two-week refurbishment and is set to reopen later this month.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:24:23 +0000
'Talented liar' jailed over Watford county lines drug dealing
A man has been jailed over a county lines operation running between Watford and Exeter.

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:52:51 +0000
Hertfordshire pubs among Britain's top 100 in new list
Four Hertfordshire pubs have been named among Britain's top 100 by the Good Food Guide.

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