I’m a North Londoner in Saint A.
I’ve lived here for just over 7 years and what’s not to like?
Yes, like my fellow contributor (
see To be or not St A), I am not a native.I’ve lived here for just over 7 years and what’s not to like?
The journey from North London to South Hertfordshire is not too far as the crow flies but believe you me, St. Albans is, in nearly every aspect, a world away from Edmonton.
Yes, Edmonton, London N9, not all bad, but not much good these days either.
Anyway, in case you never get the opportunity to visit (and I can’t imagine why you would bar a court summons) here is what you’re not missing. Trees
St Albans has them. And, as if you don’t already have enough, you are building a forest down the road just so you can have some more.
‘Building a forest’?
Edmonton had a huge space just out of town suitable for a forestation project. There, by the river in the valley, nestling between the reservoirs, they did plant. Edmonton Solid Waste Incineration Plant.
St. Albans has tree-lined avenues and parks brimming with dozens of mature trees.
Even Edmonton’s municipal golf course didn’t bother with them. After all, the electricity pylons that cross the fairways and the discarded supermarket trolleys in bunkers provide all the “natural” hazards an aspiring golfer could wish for.
St Albans actually has competitions to name things. My better half (St. Albans ‘born and bred I tell ya’) informs me that ‘The Maltings’ shopping centre was named by an old school chum of hers. I imagine there wasn’t a competition to name Edmonton Green’s shopping centre which is called Edmonton Green Shopping Centre. Pubs
There’s a plethora of pubs and restaurants in St Albans and a coffee shop explosion (which this tea lover will ignore). In Edmonton there were two pubs you went to. Your ‘local’ and your football match pub. However, etiquette dictated that you didn’t go to the latter on non-football days as it then reverted back to being someone else’s local and your welcome would consist of stares, grunts, disapproving looks and foul-mouthed mutterings. The barmaids are pretty mean in N9. Conversely, the pubs in St. Albans are varied as are the ales and clientele and you can pretty much feel welcome in any of them. And amusingly, you have two within a stone’s throw of a place called ‘Temperance Street’, what happened there then? That’s like having two ‘saunas’ near Angel Road!
Now there are a couple of good, nay, very good schools, in my home town but St Albans is dripping with them and I am not aware of any of the Junior schools having their surrounding fences topped off with barbed wire as I was dismayed to see at my old school the last time I passed by. I did wonder if it was there to keep intruders at bay or to stop the teachers from escaping?
Another, minor observation (although AL3 WTF would like to point out that ‘minor observation’ is frowned upon nowadays. We like trees, just not Project Yewtrees!) is this. There are a high proportion of St Albans schoolboys all seemingly coiffured by a boy band’s tonsorial artiste. Nothing wrong with that though, just sayin’.
As for famous pupils, I’ll trump your Stephen Hawking with Sir Bruce Forsyth. Yeah, Theory of Everything, but can he remember all the items on the conveyor belt? City Centre
The centre of the city is nice. St. Peter’s Street. Trees, more trees! Mind you, beware ye the brightly coloured bank and hotel lights for they pave the way for massage parlours and a 98p shop.
One big plus of the City centre is that, should I ever wish to recreate some of the atmosphere of my old stomping ground, I just have to stroll along St. Peters Street early on a Sunday morning. Avoiding the herd of MAMILs* as they prepare for their weekly cycle ride, walk past the 99p and quid shops and there it is. The unmistakable scent of Eau du Wee by Chav Pour Homme, still lingering from the previous night’s Waterend Barn hordes who have marked their territory (presumably so they can find their way back to the taxi rank after Veeda – or is it Adelaides?).
*MAMIL – Middle Aged Man In Lycra
Wait, are the tables turned? Is St Alban the patron saint of potholes, parking restrictions and penalty charge notices? St Albans doesn’t do cars really does it? A couple of weeks ago my morning commute was bliss. I quickly realised that this was because I was travelling unhindered by the usual stream of Jeep Rover Q7s and their drivers apparent lack of girth awareness. Seriously school runners, you can get a bus through there. Yes, you Mrs Oversized SUV, in fact, a bus did get through just before you but your lack of width perception prevented movement. Half term was too short.
Edmonton traffic is, of course, constantly moving. Admittedly, fear is the key. Keep moving or get car-jacked. Only joking (or am I?) but, if the traffic does stop, you can be pretty sure there’s a road rage and/or police incident ahead.
Yes, Edmonton, London N9, not all bad, but not much good these days either.
Anyway, in case you never get the opportunity to visit (and I can’t imagine why you would bar a court summons) here is what you’re not missing. Trees
St Albans has them. And, as if you don’t already have enough, you are building a forest down the road just so you can have some more.
‘Building a forest’?
Edmonton had a huge space just out of town suitable for a forestation project. There, by the river in the valley, nestling between the reservoirs, they did plant. Edmonton Solid Waste Incineration Plant.
St. Albans has tree-lined avenues and parks brimming with dozens of mature trees.
Even Edmonton’s municipal golf course didn’t bother with them. After all, the electricity pylons that cross the fairways and the discarded supermarket trolleys in bunkers provide all the “natural” hazards an aspiring golfer could wish for.
Enough nature for now.
CommunitySt Albans actually has competitions to name things. My better half (St. Albans ‘born and bred I tell ya’) informs me that ‘The Maltings’ shopping centre was named by an old school chum of hers. I imagine there wasn’t a competition to name Edmonton Green’s shopping centre which is called Edmonton Green Shopping Centre. Pubs
There’s a plethora of pubs and restaurants in St Albans and a coffee shop explosion (which this tea lover will ignore). In Edmonton there were two pubs you went to. Your ‘local’ and your football match pub. However, etiquette dictated that you didn’t go to the latter on non-football days as it then reverted back to being someone else’s local and your welcome would consist of stares, grunts, disapproving looks and foul-mouthed mutterings. The barmaids are pretty mean in N9. Conversely, the pubs in St. Albans are varied as are the ales and clientele and you can pretty much feel welcome in any of them. And amusingly, you have two within a stone’s throw of a place called ‘Temperance Street’, what happened there then? That’s like having two ‘saunas’ near Angel Road!
Now, I’ve dined in a few of the restaurants in St Albans. Some really good ones and a couple of not so good ones but everything is catered for from breakfast through to dinner (or do you call it supper?). Recommendations on request. Edmonton has restaurants, mostly of the takeaway variety. No recommendations but, to my knowledge, no restaurant of any kind in St Albans has been closed due to (nature alert) the discovery of cats in the freezer. But
please let me know if I’m wrong. SchoolsNow there are a couple of good, nay, very good schools, in my home town but St Albans is dripping with them and I am not aware of any of the Junior schools having their surrounding fences topped off with barbed wire as I was dismayed to see at my old school the last time I passed by. I did wonder if it was there to keep intruders at bay or to stop the teachers from escaping?
Another, minor observation (although AL3 WTF would like to point out that ‘minor observation’ is frowned upon nowadays. We like trees, just not Project Yewtrees!) is this. There are a high proportion of St Albans schoolboys all seemingly coiffured by a boy band’s tonsorial artiste. Nothing wrong with that though, just sayin’.
As for famous pupils, I’ll trump your Stephen Hawking with Sir Bruce Forsyth. Yeah, Theory of Everything, but can he remember all the items on the conveyor belt? City Centre
The centre of the city is nice. St. Peter’s Street. Trees, more trees! Mind you, beware ye the brightly coloured bank and hotel lights for they pave the way for massage parlours and a 98p shop.
One big plus of the City centre is that, should I ever wish to recreate some of the atmosphere of my old stomping ground, I just have to stroll along St. Peters Street early on a Sunday morning. Avoiding the herd of MAMILs* as they prepare for their weekly cycle ride, walk past the 99p and quid shops and there it is. The unmistakable scent of Eau du Wee by Chav Pour Homme, still lingering from the previous night’s Waterend Barn hordes who have marked their territory (presumably so they can find their way back to the taxi rank after Veeda – or is it Adelaides?).
*MAMIL – Middle Aged Man In Lycra
There’s the clock tower and its views. The only towers in Edmonton are of the block kind and the views are industrial parks and concrete. St Albans Industrial parks are away from the city centre. I’m hoping the concrete crop circles left behind by the removal of the gasometers near Homebase will be turned into ice rinks for Christmas. A quick skate, walk up Holywell Hill (though for some reason pronounced Hollywell – why?!) to see the lights, night cap at the top end of town and home before anyone has sprayed their trail.
TrafficWait, are the tables turned? Is St Alban the patron saint of potholes, parking restrictions and penalty charge notices? St Albans doesn’t do cars really does it? A couple of weeks ago my morning commute was bliss. I quickly realised that this was because I was travelling unhindered by the usual stream of Jeep Rover Q7s and their drivers apparent lack of girth awareness. Seriously school runners, you can get a bus through there. Yes, you Mrs Oversized SUV, in fact, a bus did get through just before you but your lack of width perception prevented movement. Half term was too short.
Edmonton traffic is, of course, constantly moving. Admittedly, fear is the key. Keep moving or get car-jacked. Only joking (or am I?) but, if the traffic does stop, you can be pretty sure there’s a road rage and/or police incident ahead.
Central locking on. Avoid eye contact.
You did go to the posh school in Edmonton though. My cousins went to the clever school too. I didn’t.
Am an Enfield girl myself. My aunt does live in N9 (borders).