Information AboutLuton |
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Luton is a large town and Local Government District located in the south of England , 32 miles (51 kilometres) north of London . Historically, Luton was within the county of Bedfordshire . However, since 1997, the town has been a Unitary Authority . Luton, along with its near neighbours of Dunstable and Houghton Regis form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area , with a population over 230,000. Local Transport Plan: The Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis Conurbation Luton is home to Luton Town Football Club , London Luton Airport , and the University Of Bedfordshire . The Luton Carnival , held on the late May Bank Holiday , is the largest one-day Carnival in Europe . The town is famous for hat-making and was home to a large Vauxhall Motors factory for many years: the head office of Vauxhall Motors is still situated in the town. GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY Luton is located in a gap in the eastern part of the from the last Ice Age . Towards the east of Luton in the Warden Hills area, there are clay deposits, hence in Stopsley , there used to be a Brickworks , ISBN 1-871199-94-8 Bedfordshire had a reputation for brick making which is now significantly reduced. The River Lea starts in the Leagrave area of the town and is part of the Thames Valley Drainage Basin . Also, the Great Bramingham Wood , surrounding the source, is classified to be Ancient Woodland , records mention the wood at least 400 years ago. Due to the position of Luton in the gap of the Chiltern Hills, the opportunity to develop has been high for the town across the centuries, as there are few other passes through the hilly area for some miles. This has led to several major roads, including the M1 and the A5 and a major rail-link to run through and boost the town in its growth and development from very early on. The railway by-passed nearby Dunstable which had been a more prosperous town, with the good transport links industry quickly developed. HISTORY See Also: History of Luton Early history The earliest settlements in the Luton area were at Round Green and Mixes Hill, where (4500-2500 BC in this area) are much more common. A particular concentration of Neolithic burials is at Galley HillDyer ''ibid'', p 23. The most prominent Neolithic structure is Waulud's Bank - a Henge dating from around 3000 BC. From the Neolithic onwards, the area seems to have been fairly thickly populated, but without any single large settlement. The first urban settlement nearby was the small Roman town of ''Durocobrivis'' at Dunstable , but Roman remains in Luton itself consist only of scattered farmsteadsDyer ''ibid'', p 31. The foundation of Luton is usually dated to the 6th century when a Saxon outpost was founded on the River Lea , Lea tun. Early history of Luton Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as ''Loitone'' and also as ''Lintone''; Doomsday book record when the town's population was around 700-800. Agriculture dominated the local economy at this time. , Luton town centre, founded in 1121 by Robert, 1st Earl Of Gloucester .]] In 1121 . During the Middle Ages Luton is recorded as being home to six Watermill s. Mill Street, in the Town Centre , takes its name from one of them. King John (1166-1216) had hired a Mercenary soldier, Falkes De Breauté , to act on his behalf. (Breauté is a small town near Le Havre in France.) When he married, he acquired his wife, Margaret's London house which came to be known as "Fawkes Hall", subsequently corrupted over the years to "Foxhall", then "Vauxhall". In return for his services, King John granted Falkes the manor of Luton. He was also granted the right to bear his own Coat Of Arms and chose the mythical Griffin as his Heraldic emblem. The griffin thus became associated with both Vauxhall and Luton in the early 13th century. Vauxhall history By 1240 the town is recorded as Leueton. The town had an annual market for surrounding villages in August each year, and with the growth of the town a second Fair was granted each October from 1338. In 1336, much of Luton was destroyed by a great fire, however the town was soon rebuilt. The Agriculture base of the town changed in the 16th century with a Brick Making industry developing around Luton, many of the older wooden houses were rebuilt in brick. During the English Civil War of the 17th century there were two incidents in Luton. The first of which took place in 1645 when Royalists entered the town and demanded money and goods. Parliamentary Forces arrived and during the fighting four royalist soldiers were killed and a further 22 were captured. A second skirmish occurred three years later in 1648 when a royalist army passed through Luton. A small number of which were attacked by parliamentary soldiers at an inn on the corner of Bridge Street. Most of the group of royalists escaped but nine were killed. It was in the 17th century when the Hat Making that became synonymous with the town began. By the 18th century the hat making industry, especially Straw Hat manufacture, dominated the town as its only significant industry. Hats are still produced in the town on a smaller scale. Luton Hoo , a nearby large Country House , little of the original house remains as much of it was rebuilt after a fire in 1843. 19th century The town grew strongly in the 19th century; in 1801 the population was 3,095. Population figures for 1801, 1901 and 1901 By 1850 it was over 10,000 and by 1901 it was almost 39,000. A railway connection was essential for this growth, and there was a long delay before this was provided. The London And Birmingham Railway (L&BR) had been built through Tring in 1838, and the Great Northern Railway was built through Hitchin in 1852, both bypassing Luton, the largest town in the area. A branch line connecting with the L&BR at Leighton Buzzard was proposed, but because of objections to release of land, the branch only reached Luton's much smaller rival, Dunstable, in 1848. It was another ten years before the branch was extended to Bute Street Station , and the first train to Dunstable ran on 3rd May, 1858 Dyer, ''ibid'', p 141. The line was later extended to Welwyn and from 1860 direct trains to King's Cross ran. The Midland Railway was extended from Bedford to St Pancras through Leagrave and Midland Road Station and opened on 9th September 1867 Dyer, ''ibid'', p 142. Luton had a gas supply in 1834, and the Gas Street Lights were erected and the first Town Hall opened in 1847. that the 'Luton Town Club be formed' . Formation of Luton Town In 1876 the town was granted its own coat of arms, (see illustration above). The Wheat sheaf was used on the crest to represent Agriculture and the supply of wheat straw used in the local hatting industry, the straw-plaiting industry was brought to Luton by a group of Scots under the protection of Sir John Napier of Luton Hoo .The bee is traditionally the emblem of industry and the hive represents the straw-plaiting industry of which Luton was famous. The rose is from the arms of the Napier family, whereas the Thistle is a symbol for Scotland . The crest also includes a hand holding a bunch of wheat, either taken again as a symbol of the Straw-plaiting industry, or from the arms of John Whethamsteade, Abbott of St Albans who rebuilt in the 15th century the chancel of St Mary's Church . 20th century , Wardown Park , Luton.]] In the 20th century, the Hat Trade severely declined and was replaced by more modern industries. In 1905, Vauxhall Motors opened the largest car plant in the United Kingdom in Luton. Electrolux built a household appliances plant which was followed by other light engineering businesses. In 1904 councillors Asher Hucklesby and Edwin Oakley purchased the estate that became Wardown Park , and then donated the property to the people of Luton. Hucklesby went on to be Mayor of Luton. The main house in the park became Luton Museum & Art Gallery . The town had a Tram system from 1908 until 1932 and the first Cinema was opened in 1909. By 1914, the population had reached 50,000. The original town hall was destroyed in 1919 during the Peace Day celebrations at the end of World War I ; local people including many ex-servicemen were unhappy with unemployment and had been refused the use of a local park to hold celebratory events, and so stormed the town hall setting it on fire. (''See Luton Town Hall '') A replacement town hall was completed in 1936. London Luton Airport opened in 1938, owned and operated by the council. In (producing Ball Bearing s), made a vital contribution to the war effort. Although a bomb landed at the SKF FactorySee book ''Luton at War volume II'',compiled by The Luton News, 2001, ISBN 1-871199-49-2 no major damage was inflicted. Post-war, the Slum Clearance continued and a number of substantial estates of Council Housing were built, notably at Farley Hill , Stopsley , Limbury , Marsh Farm and Leagrave , ( Hockwell Ring ). The M1 passed just to the west of the town in 1959. In 1962 a new library (to replace the Carnegie Library) was opened by the Queen in the corner of St Georges Square. In the late 1960s a large part of the town centre was cleared to build a large covered shopping centre, the Arndale Centre , which was opened in 1972. tant-car-hire.co.uk/england/luton.html Arndale opened in 1972 The Arndale Centre has had a major refurbishment, including a new glass roof, which has transformed the area. In 2000, Vauxhall announced the end of car production in Luton; the plant closed in March 2002. Vauxhall closure At its peak it had employed in excess of 30,000 people. 21st Century A major regeneration programme for the town centre is planned, which will include upgrades to the town's bus and train stations as well as general improvements the town's streetscape. St George's Square has been transformed into a modern town square St Georges Square on Luton Council Site with its new look being completed in Spring 2007. Planning applications for a £15million extension to The Mall Arndale shopping centre Luton Council website with Arndale plans News of planning application and also for a new centre in Power Court Website for the development of Power Court (near to St Marys Church ) have been submitted. It is hoped this will breathe life into the town, which has been flagging with the decades of decline of the manufacturing industry in Great Britain, which Luton once thrived upon. On the edge of Luton, near to Putteridge Bury a new high-technology office park is under construction called Butterfield Green . The former Vauxhall site is also to be re-developed as a mixed use site called Napier Park, this is to feature housing, retail and entertainment use, including a new Casino . PLACES WITHIN LUTON See Also: Places within Luton Over the years Luton has expanded, taking in former neighbouring villages and hamlets, as well as by the construction of new estates and localities. Former villages and hamlets: Biscot , Crawley Green , Leagrave , Limbury , Round Green , Stopsley Early expansion of Luton: Bury Park , High Town , New Town New estates: Bramingham , Bushmead , Farley Hill , Hockwell Ring , Lewsey , Marsh Farm , Sundon Park , Warden Hills , Wigmore POLITICS See Also: Politics in Luton Luton is represented by two Members Of Parliament . The constituency of Luton North has been held by Kelvin Hopkins since 1997 and Luton South by Margaret Moran also since 1997. Luton is within the East Of England (European Parliament Constituency) . Historically Luton was part of the county of Bedfordshire , but since 1997 the town has been an administratively independent Unitary Authority . The town remains part of Bedfordshire for Ceremonial purposes and is in the East Of England region, but was formerly in South East England region, and in common usage is still often considered to be in the South East. The local authority is Luton Borough Council (see www.luton.gov.uk local council website). The town is split into 19 Wards , represented by 48 councillors. Elections are held for all seats every four years, with the most recent local elections held in May 2007 and the next due in May 2011. DEMOGRAPHICS The United Kingdom Census 2001 showed that Luton had a population of 184,371, a 5.8% increase from the last census. Of this, 43,324 were under 15, 131,660 were between 16 and 74 and 9387 were over 74. 2001 Census In total, 80.7% of Luton's population claim to be born in the UK . National Office for Statistics Local inhabitants are known as ''Lutonians''. Ethnicity Overall, 71.9% of the inhabitants in Luton are White , and of that 64.97% claim to be White British, 4.65% claim to be of Irish descent and 2.28% claim to be White Other. 18.27% of Luton's population claim to be Asian or of Asian descent, and of this, the largest majority is those of Pakistani descent at 9.23%. In total, 6.34% claim to be Black or of Black descent, and of this, the largest majority is those of Caribbean descent at 4.15%. Ethnic groups % Religion The stated religions, in order of prevalence, are:
Economic activity Of all the working population (classified 16-74 years of age by the Office For National Statistics ), 63.3% is currently employed, including self-employed, students and part-time employment. 10.9% are retired, 7.6% look after the family/take care of the home and 4.9% are unemployed, including long term unemployment. Employment statistics Crime In common with many urban areas Luton has higher crime levels that the national average in particular vehicle related crime (theft of and from motor vehicles which are both approximately twice the national average). Luton Crime Statistics 2001/2002 ECONOMY See Also: Economy of Luton , George Street, Luton]] Historically, Luton's economy has focused on several different areas of industry including Car Manufacture and Millinery . However, today, Luton is moving towards a service based economy mainly in the Retail and the Airport sectors, although there is still a focus of light industry in the town. The Central Business District and the surrounding areas are currently going through a regeneration project to boost and redevelop the area to attract new businesses and to attract visitors from outside into the town. History Luton's economy has changed focus several times across the centuries, but has always primarily been an industrial town. The first major change in the towns economy was in the 16th century when the predominant industry of agriculture changed to brick making. This lasted about 100 years before again it changed to the millinery, or hat making industry the town is renowned for in the 17th century. Over the 18th century, this industry became Luton's main focus, however, with the decline in the trade for hats by the end of the 19th century, the town's economic focus moved to car manufacturing for Vauxhall Motors. This lasted the town nearly a century, and at its peak, Vauxhall employed 35,000 people. However, this again began to decline, and in 2002, the plant shut down. The current regeneration of the economy in Luton is focused around its airport, London Luton Airport . There are plans for expansion and this shall boost the local economy, which has been flagging on the decline of manufacturing in the town. Today Luton is increasingly home to service sector organisations with specific office developments at business parks. Notable firms with offices in Luton include:
Shopping The main shopping area in Luton is situated in The Mall Arndale . Originally built in the 1960s/70's and opened as an Arndale Centre , construction of the shopping centre led to the demolition of a number of the older buildings in the town centre including the Carnegie Library and the Corn Exchange . Today, shops in the centre include Debenhams , Marks & Spencer , Next , Woolworths and Boots as well as many other shops, totalling 118 stores. The Mall Arndale Another major shopping area is Bury Park , where a lot of ethnic shops including grocers, clothes, jewellers and newsagents have developed together to serve the local communities Food and drink As an ethnically diverse town, Luton has a huge variety of restaurants and eateries from different cultures to offer inhabitants and visitors. To name a few include English , Italian , Chinese , Indian , Caribbean , Thai and Malaysian . There is no specific area in Luton that is restaurant orientated, but you will find that certain areas in the town with examples such as Bury Park have more specific cuisines than others. There has recently been an influx of clubs and pubs to the town centre, due to the increasing student population and demand for good nightlife skyrocketing. However, there are still many traditional Pubs across the whole town, each with its own unique background. EDUCATION See Also: Education in Luton Luton is home to the University Of Bedfordshire . The main campus of the University is in Luton town centre with a further campus based on the edge of town in Putteridge Bury , an old Victorian manor house. Campuses also exist in Bedford . The town is also home to several Further Educational Institutes including Luton Sixth Form College and Barnfield College , of which both are recognised as one of the best further education institutes in England having both being awarded the Learning & Skills Beacon Status by the Department For Education And Skills . Barnfield Newsletter Luton Sixth Form College In total, there are 98 educational institutes in Luton. Of these, there are 7 Nurseries , 70 Primary Schools (9 Voluntary-Aided , 2 Special Requirements ), 13 Secondary Schools (1 Voluntary-Aided, 1 Special Requirements), 4 Further Educational Institutes and 4 other Educational Institutes. Luton Borough LEA School List CULTURE See Also: Culture in Luton As a town, Luton has a large cultural base due to the many backgrounds that people who live there come from. This means that the culture in the town is rich and diverse, and this shows in many of the festivals, parks and nightlife of the town. Luton Town Football Club See Also: Luton Town F.C. Luton is the home town of , "The Hatters", dates back to when Luton had a substantial Millinery industry. Their only piece of major silverware to date is the Football League Cup , which they won in 1988 under the management of Ray Harford . Sport Motorcycle Speedway took place in Luton at the Greyhound Stadium in Skimpot Lane in 1935. It is reputed that Tommy Price, who went on to ride for Wembley Lions and win the Speedway World Championship in 1949, started out at the Luton track. Parks Wardown Park spans the boating lake in Wardown Park.]] See Also: Wardown Park Wardown Park is situated on the River Lea in Luton and is an oasis of calm within walking distance of the town centre offering everything from sporting facilities to museum, gallery and formal gardens. The park is situated between ''Old Bedford Road'' and the ''A6, New Bedford Road'' and houses the Museum . Wardown Park museum At the centre of the park is a lake, which is formed from the River Lea . The lake contains small island which is not accessible to the public, and is home to various waterfoul, swans, ducks and geese. Wardown Park and the museum were a gift to the town from the then Mayor Asher Hucklesby . History of Wardown Park and Hucklesby's gift Stockwood Park , Luton]] See Also: Stockwood Park Stockwood Park is a large municipal park near to Junction 10 of the M1 and is acclaimed for its period formal gardens, sporting and golfing facilities. The park also houses a Craft Museum and the Mossman Collection . The park was originally the estate and grounds to Stockwood house, which was demolished in 1964. Luton Carnival See Also: Luton Carnival in Luton before making it way down New Bedford Road, around the Town Centre via St George's Square, and back down New Bedford Road to finish up back in Wardown Park. In the park and around the town are various music stages and stalls. Local attractions TRANSPORT See Also: Transport in Luton Luton is well connected by transport links and is less than 30 miles from the centre of London . Air ]] See Also: London Luton Airport The town is famous for its airport, offering cheap flights. An airport was first opened on the current airport site as ''Luton Municipal Airport'' on the , Kingsley Wood . The airport is owned by the local council. (It is currently managed by an arms-length Spanish Airport Operator, on behalf on Luton Council.) During the Second World War Luton Airport was a base for the Royal Air Force 264 Fighter Squadron. Luton Airport - history Flights from the airport increased substantially from the 1960s as new took its business to Stansted . The growth of new low-cost flights rejuvenated the airport and passenger numbers more than doubled from 1992 to 1998. In 1999, a new terminal was added and a new railway station, Luton Airport Parkway , opened. Luton Airport Parkway opening The England National Football Team regularly fly from the airport England players leaving from Luton when playing matches abroad. The airport was mentioned in a 1970s advert for Campari featuring Lorraine Chase Lorraine Chase advert when asked "Were you truly wafted here from paradise?" she replied "Nah, Luton Airport!" which became a catchphrase for her for many years. Luton Airport's operator is proposing an expansion scheme, enlarging the apron (aircraft parking) and the realignment (and lengthening) of the single runway, away from the Luton Townsfolk. Luton Council is currently constructing a Dual Carriageway from junction 10A (of the M1) up to the airport. Rail ]] Luton enjoys good rail connections via its three stations ( Luton , Luton Airport Parkway and Leagrave ) to London and through to Brighton and Sutton on First Capital Connect 's Thameslink line and north to Leicester , Nottingham , Sheffield , Leeds and other cities on the Midland Main Line , provided by Midland Mainline . There are plans to introduce 24-hour rail services to Luton and Luton Airport Parkway. First Capital plans Road Luton is connected to the motorway network with two junctions onto the M1 Motorway , (Junctions 10 and 11). The M1 was built on the west of the town in 1959, and provides access to London and the North. The A6 passes through the town heading north to Bedford and south to St Albans (although south of the town the road has been re-numbered as the A1081). The A5 passes though nearby Dunstable , and the A505 provides a connection towards the East and the A1(M) . In 2006 work started on widening the M1 past Luton and to the South, and work also started on upgrading the access from the M1 to the Airport. Widening of the M1 TWIN TOWNS Luton participates in international Town Twinning ; its current partners are: Current town twinning
FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM LUTON People who are Luton-born or are strongly associated with the town. MEDIA Newspapers Two weekly Newspaper s are delivered free to all the houses in Luton. They are:
There is also a weekly sister paper of the Herald and Post which is not free.
Additionally once a month there is a council produced newspaper called LutonLine, Lutonline homepage usually delivered with Luton on Sunday. Radio The local BBC station, BBC Three Counties Radio broadcasts from its office in Hastings Street, Luton to Bedfordshire , Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire . Three Counties Radio Chiltern Radio is the local independent station and broadcasts from Chiltern Road in Dunstable . The university's radio station, license from Ofcom and hopes to start broadcasting full-time in April 2007. As well as these radio stations, Luton also has a few unlicensed Pirate Radio stations such as RAW 107.9 and LUR (Luton Underground Radio) Media references In the TV series One Foot In The Grave there are often references to places within Luton. The script-writer David Renwick was from Luton. One episode of the 1975 science fiction television series '''' was called ''The Rules of Luton''. Although the show was produced in the UK, that episode was written by US-born producer Fred Freiberger , who had seen the town's name on a road sign, and chose it for his fictional alien planet. Space: 1999 Episode Guide In the episode, the planet of Luton is portrayed as a hostile world of living plants. The town has been mentioned multiple times in the television show Monty Python's Flying Circus ; in one sketch where a rather half-hearted hijacker demands that a plane headed for Cuba be istead taken to Luton in addition to Luton being one of the constituencies returning a "Silly Party" victory (specifically Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel ) in the famous sketch '' Election Night Special ''. Comic book character Kev Hawkins is from Luton. He wanted to escape the town so much that he joined the army, and later the Special Air Service . REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
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