Good Morning, locals!

October lands on Thursday, and the forecast is already dropping hints: the first 10°C mornings of the season are pencilled in for later this week, so dig out the puffer coat for the school run. The good news? The afternoons are still a golden 20-21°C, and the fortnight ahead is a cracker.

There's a full-blown Oktoberfest at Tewinbury, The Gruffalo stomping into BEAM, a late-night shopping party on Market Street and a lovely run of free wellbeing evenings over in Ware. Property of the Week is a turreted townhouse on a street named after Hertford's brewing past. And right at the bottom, we're trying something brand new: the Great Hertford Debate, where you get the final say.

👇 Here’s what we’ve got for you this week:

• What’s On

• Town Talk: Have your say on the south of town

• Kiddies Scoop: The Gruffalo + last call for Song of the Sea

• Eye Catching Deal: Pizza after school club

• Property Of The Week: A turret in the town centre

• Weather

• Mind, Health & Fitness

• Extra Sprinkles

What’s On

🎭 Arts + Entertainment

Rising Rooted
Now - Sat 17 Oct | Courtyard Arts, Hertford
Two Hertford artists and long-time friends share their first joint exhibition. Colour-soaked abstracts inspired by wild meadows and vintage textiles hang next to expressive, energy-led landscapes. 🎟️ Have a look

Autumn Wreath Workshop
Sat 3 Oct | 15:30-17:00 | Tewinbury Farm
Hertford's Flowered Up shows you how to make a textured autumn wreath from dried seed heads, grasses and foraged foliage. All materials are included, and you keep the willow base. 🎟️ £65pp, limited spaces | Book here

Wrong Jovi
Fri 2 Oct | 19:30-23:00 | Corn Exchange, Hertford
The UK's leading Bon Jovi tribute, and winners of Best Tribute Artist at the National Entertainment Awards. Expect big hair, bigger choruses and a room full of people who know every word to Livin' on a Prayer. 🎟️ Grab tickets

Ware Poets Open Mic & Poetry Evening
Fri 9 Oct | 20:00-22:00 | Southern Maltings, Ware
A friendly monthly night with an open mic and a guest poet. Read something of your own, or just sit back with a drink from the bar. 🎟️ £5, £3 students under 24, free for 18s and under | More here

🏰 Community + Family

International Day of Older People
Thu 1 Oct | 13:00-15:00 | Community Alliance Hub, Hertford
A cuppa, a snack and lots of useful local help in one room: an NHS App workshop, seated exercise, cyber safety tips and the Community Car Scheme. One to forward to a parent or neighbour. 🎟️ FREE | Info here

Phoenix Autumn Late-Night Shopping
Fri 2 Oct | 17:00-19:00 | Phoenix, Market Street, Hertford
An after-hours browse of Phoenix's best autumn fashion, with a raffle full of prizes from local businesses. 🎟️ £5 pp.

Oktoberfest at the Farm Yard
Sat 3 Oct | From 18:00 | Tewinbury Farm
Long tables, glowing lights and clinking steins. Hosen Brass play live before the DJs take over, and there's a German-inspired menu to soak it all up. 🎟️ £20pp | Grab a table

Makers & Bakers Farmers & Craft Market
Sun 4 Oct | 10:00-15:00 | BEAM
A hall full of local makers and bakers selling handcrafted goods and homemade treats. Early Christmas shopping, anyone? 🎟️ Free entry

Hertford Farmers Market
Sat 10 Oct | 08:30-13:00 | Market Place & Salisbury Square, Hertford
Local honey, cheese, preserves and fresh bakes on the second Saturday of the month.

Ware Gamers
Sat 10 Oct | 13:00-17:30 | Ware Priory, Ware
A board games afternoon run by Tabletop Realms, with Ticket to Ride, Azul, King of Tokyo and more. You're welcome to bring your own games too. 🎟️ FREE, ages 14+ | Save your spot

🌱 Health + Wellbeing

Fellas
Wed 30 Sep | The Hadsley Room, Ware Priory, Ware
A relaxed five-week course for men with life coach Stuart Mullins. Talk through everyday challenges and build confidence alongside other blokes who get it. 🎟️ More here

Create & Connect
Mon 5 Oct | 10:15-12:15 | Artshed Arts, Westmill Farm
A brand-new free monthly creative wellbeing morning hosted by Ellen of Els Craft Emporium. This month it's card making, but there's no pressure to craft: come for a cuppa, a chat or just some company. Some of what gets made will go to a charity stall at Westmill Farm's Christmas Makers Market. 🎟️ FREE, no booking, just turn up | Say hello

Kindness Within
Tue 6 Oct | 19:00-21:00 | Ware Priory, Ware
Psychotherapist Louise Southwell from The Joyful Sprout on building self-esteem and a gentler inner voice. 🎟️ FREE | Reserve a place

Rest and Reset
Thu 8 Oct | 18:30-20:00 | Fletcher's Lea, Ware Priory
Wellness professional Melanie Pitman shares calming techniques to help you get proper sleep. Well timed for the darker evenings. 🎟️ FREE | Get a ticket

📣 Town Talk

Have your say on the south of town. The draft Castle Plus Neighbourhood Plan is now out for public consultation. It covers a big slice of Hertford, including Mead Lane, both stations, Hertingfordbury, Foxholes Farm, Balls Park, Horns Mill, Sele Road and the County Hospital area, and sets out policies on green spaces, community facilities, new homes, heritage and local business. Bengeo, Kingsmead and Sele already have their plans, so this is the last piece of the jigsaw. Consultation closes at midnight on Mon 26 Oct. Take part here | Full story

The Dog and Whistle could be going old-school. Plans have gone in to take the Grade II listed Fore Street pub (there's been a pub on the site since 1621) back to "a more traditional feel". The modern 2013 tiling would come out, the counters would return to stained timber and the kitchen would make way for more drinking space. No decision yet. Full story

Diary it now: Sat 17 - Sun 25 Oct: No trains from Hertford East, Ware, St Margarets or Rye House. Sun 25 Oct: The clocks go back, so enjoy that extra hour in bed. It's also Hertford Castle's Open Day with guided tours, and the first Haunted Hertford Ghost Walk of the season.

Kiddies Scoop

The Gruffalo
Fri 2 - Sun 4 Oct | BEAM, Hertford
Tall Stories' much-loved stage show brings Mouse, Fox, Owl and Snake to life with songs, laughs and plenty of mischief. Made for ages 3+ and their grown-ups. 🎟️ Book here

The Faery Trail
Sat 3 - Sun 4 Oct & Sat 10 - Sun 11 Oct | 10:00-16:00 | Celtic Harmony Camp, Brickendon
Little explorers follow riddles and clues through the woods to find the fairies' secret village. Everyone who finishes the quest takes home a lucky crystal. 🎟️ £5 per child, adults free | Book now

Archery & Axe Throwing Experience
Sat 10 Oct | 10:00-16:00 | Celtic Harmony Camp, Brickendon
A 90-minute session with 45 minutes of archery and 45 minutes of axe throwing, all with qualified instructors. Great for the whole family. 🎟️ Find out more

Song of the Sea: Last Chance
Now - Sun 11 Oct | Museum opening hours | Hertford Museum, Bull Plain
The last fortnight to explore an underwater world of sea creatures past and present, plus stories of Hertford folk who went to sea. 🎟️ FREE | More here

🔥 Eye Catching Deals

After School Club at PizzaExpress
Mon-Fri | 15:00-17:00 | PizzaExpress, Hertford
Swap the post-school-run snack scramble for a proper sit-down. PizzaExpress has launched a new £5 menu for the 3-5pm slot, and the best bit is that parents are included too, so everyone gets their favourites for a fiver each. Wind down, catch up on the day, and let someone else do the washing up. 🎟️ £5pp | Pull up a chair

(T&Cs apply, so check the website before you go.)

🏡 Property Of The Week

Brewhouse Lane, Hertford, SG14

Ever fancied living in a turret? This chain-free, three-bedroom end of terrace sits in an award-winning development, tucked into a quiet enclave just moments from the town centre, and yes, it comes with its own turret.

It's spread over three floors and 1,248 sq ft. Downstairs you've got the hallway, kitchen, dining room and cloakroom. The first floor has a generous 13ft lounge, two bedrooms and a shower room. Then the entire top floor is given over to the principal suite, with a walk-in wardrobe and en-suite: a proper grown-up retreat at the top of the stairs.

Outside there's a south-west facing courtyard garden for evening sun, plus a garage and an allocated space right behind the house. In central Hertford, that's basically gold dust. Freehold.

🔗 Take a peak here

🌦 Hertford Weather: 29 Sept - 5 Oct 2026

A warm send-off for September today, with morning cloud giving way to afternoon sun and a high of 25°C. Enjoy it, because Wednesday is the washout of the week: an 83% chance of morning rain, so brollies and wellies for the school run.

From Thursday it settles into lovely crisp autumn. Mornings drop to around 10-11°C (hello, coat season), but the afternoons stay sunny and mild at 20-22°C.

Best days: Friday and Saturday

✨ Mind, Health + Fitness

We've got one question for you today: When did you last do something just because it made you feel calm?

…think about it, and then pencil something in this week. 🫶🏽

If you'd like a little company while you practise, the next fortnight has some lovely free ways to start:

• Mon 5 Oct: Create & Connect at Artshed Arts. Cards, cuppas and friendly faces, no booking needed.

• Tue 6 Oct: Kindness Within at Ware Priory, all about building a gentler inner voice.

• Thu 8 Oct: Rest and Reset at Fletcher's Lea, with calming techniques for better sleep.

🧁 Extra Sprinkles

The Great Hertford Debate

This week we pit a few local favourites against each other, you vote with one click, and we'll reveal the winner (plus the best arguments from your replies) in the next issue.

You’re now fully up to date, Hertford.

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