Good Morning, Hertford! ☀️

Hope everyone survived the beast that was last week 🥵 and is now a little more prepared for Summer (paddling pool ✔️ fans ✔️ sunscreen ✔️ a good attitude ✔️).

This week’s issue is a stacked one. We've got a free Literary Festival with a live Clash drummer. A Beer and World Food Festival at the Castle on the sunniest Sunday of the year. An orchestra going full carnival mode in Ware. A gorgeous new coffee courtyard. And a Grade II listed barn conversion in Brickendon that might just melt your heart a little.

But it's not all events and ideas (we see you, scrollers). This week we're also checking in on how everyone's actually doing. Because July can be loud and brilliant and also, quietly, a lot. So we've got something for that too.

Whether your idea of the perfect week is front row at the symphony, a slow coffee in a sunny courtyard, or letting the kids loose at forest school while you toast a marshmallow - Hertford has genuinely got you covered (and we picked the best, as always 😉)

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

• What’s On

• Community Highlights

• Kiddies Scoop: Forest School + Dino’s

• Eye Catching Deal: World Cup Wings

• Property Of The Week: Barn Conversion (Reduced)

• Weather

• Mind, Health & Fitness

• Extra Sprinkles: Sticky Date Chia Seed Pudding

WHAT’S ON

🎭 ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Hertford Literary Festival 2026
📅 Fri. 4 Jul (18:00) - Sat. 5 Jul 📍 The Hertford Club
A weekend packed with fascinating authors, inspiring speakers, live music, and special guests including Dee Anderson and Terry Chimes, original drummer of The Clash. A brilliant event for book lovers and curious minds alike.
🎟 Free - view program

HSO - Carnival Fantastique
📅 Sat. 5 Jul | 19:30 📍 The Drill Hall, Ware
Hertford Symphony Orchestra presents an uplifting evening of orchestral favourites, featuring everything from Debussy to Offenbach's famous Can-Can. A joyful summer concert performed by around 60 talented local musicians.
🎟 Book here

Songs for a Summer Evening - The Blitz to the Beatles
📅 Sat. 5 Jul 📍 Courtyard Arts, Hertford
Enjoy an intimate evening of live music celebrating beloved classics from the wartime years through to the iconic hits of the 1960s. A relaxed summer night of nostalgia and great entertainment.
🎟 £10 pp - info here

The Government Inspector
📅 Wed. 9 Jul - Sat. 12 Jul 📍 The Studio Theatre, Hertford
HDOS brings Gogol's classic comedy to life as mistaken identity, corruption, and chaos unfold in this sharp and hilarious satire that's just as relevant today.
🎟 Book here

Watercolour Celebration Cards Workshop
📅 Fri. 10 Jul | 10:00–16:00 📍 Southern Maltings, Ware
Learn watercolour techniques and create a beautiful collection of handmade greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, thank yous and other special occasions in this fun, creative workshop.
🎟 Info here

🏰 COMMUNITY + FAMILY

Church on the Common
📅 Sun. 5 Jul | 10:30–12:30 📍 Hartham Common
Join Hertford Town Church for an outdoor all-age service, followed by crafts, games and a community picnic. Bring a blanket or chair, pack some lunch, and look out for the white marquee near the sand play area.
🎟 Free - more here

Presidents, Pilgrims & Puritans - The American Connection
📅 Sat. 5 Jul 📍 Hertford Town Centre
Discover Hertford's surprising links to the Pilgrim Fathers, the Puritans, and even American presidents on this fascinating guided walking tour through the historic town.
🎟 £8 pp - Book here

Makers & Bakers Farmers & Craft Market
📅 Sun. 5 Jul | 10:00-15:00 📍 BEAM, Hertford
Browse handmade crafts, artisan gifts and delicious baked treats from talented local makers. A wonderful way to support small businesses and enjoy a lively community atmosphere.
🎟 Free entry

Hertford Castle Grounds Tour
📅 Wed. 9 Jul 📍 Hertford Castle
Explore the beautiful castle grounds on a guided tour filled with fascinating local history. Proceeds support the Mayor of Hertford's Appeal Fund.
🎟 £5 per person - Book here

🌱 HEALTH + WELLBEING

Summer Golf Evening
📅 Fri. 10 Jul | From 16:00 📍 Whitehills Golf Club, Dane End
Gather a team of four for an enjoyable evening of golf in support of Future Living, helping local people affected by domestic abuse. Beginners are welcome too.
🎟 £50 per person | £200 per team - Info here

🍜 FOODIE

Italian Night - Cookery School
📅 Fri. 3 Jul | 18:30-20:30 📍 Cookery School
Discover the secrets of authentic Italian cooking, from fresh pasta and risotto to tiramisu, while learning how simple, quality ingredients create incredible flavours. Perfect for food lovers of all abilities.
🎟 £65 per person - Book here

Hertford Castle Beer & World Food Festival
📅 Sun. 6 Jul | 12:00-18:00 📍 Hertford Castle Grounds
Enjoy an afternoon of delicious world cuisine, local ales, ciders, live music, and free access to explore Hertford Castle. Donations on the day support Herts Young Homeless and the Hertford Scouts.
🎟 Free entry - more here

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

🪑 Chapter Thirteen: The Coffee Courtyard is officially open! The Book and Bottle has teamed up with Thirteen Artisan Bakery to launch a gorgeous new courtyard space - where you can sit in the sun with a coffee and something delicious. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm. Your new favourite summer spot sorted.

💙 Fellas: Turning Vulnerability into Strength
Starting today (30th June) - running fortnightly until 21st July | We really love this one. Fellas is a new safe space for men to talk openly and without judgement - a structured but informal group designed to help men process life's challenges and build resilience. Launching this week, sessions run every few weeks through July. No sign-up fuss. Just turn up. This is exactly the kind of community initiative Hertford should be proud of. More info

🎨 Family Affair Comes to Courtyard Arts
A new exhibition celebrating three generations of creativity opens at Courtyard Arts this week. Family Affair showcases the work of Kit Falstrup, Roger Dimond and Alex Dimond, bringing together textiles, painting, illustration and design in a fascinating exploration of one family's artistic legacy.
📅 30 Jun-25 Jul | 📍 Courtyard Arts, Hertford | 🎟 Free

💄 Showoff Beauty Salon Closes Suddenly | Showoff Beauty Salon has unexpectedly closed following a reported landlord dispute. Existing bookings have been cancelled while the team works through refunds, vouchers and future plans.

KIDDIES SCOOP

Forest School Stay & Play
📅 Fri. 3 Jul | 09:30-10:45 & 11:15-12:30 📍 Tewinbury Farm
A magical outdoor adventure for preschoolers and their grown-ups, featuring woodland play, nature crafts, mini discoveries, stories around the fire and toasted marshmallows. A wonderful way to explore, play and connect with nature.
🎟 Book here

Toddler Tuesday: Dinosaurs!
Tue. 7 July | 10:30–11:45am📍 Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain | Crafts, singing, stories and general chaos for the under-4s - in the very best way. A beloved weekly session that includes a drink and snack.
🎟 £5 per child | Book here

🔥 EYE CATCHING DEAL

🥅 World Cup Wings at Mad Squirrel Hertford

🏡 PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

If you've ever driven through Brickendon and thought "imagine living here" - well, here's your chance.

This gorgeous Grade II listed barn conversion ticks every box: vaulted ceilings with exposed beams, underfloor heating, a beautifully spec'd kitchen (Quooker tap, wine cooler, twin ovens - the works), three double bedrooms plus a mezzanine fourth, and a detached double garage with EV charger. At 2,572 sq ft it has real space, but it feels warm and lived-in rather than showy.

The village of Brickendon is award-winning for good reason - stunning green, the Farmers Boy pub on your doorstep, and Bayford station a short walk away for direct services into Moorgate. Three miles from Hertford town centre: far enough for countryside peace, close enough to not miss a thing.

This one is a rare find, and it's just been reduced. Worth a look - or at the very least, a daydream.

🌦 HERTFORD WEATHER: 30 - 6 JULY 2026

Partly cloudy skies, barely any rain, and a weekend that peaks at 29°C. Hertford, you absolute beauty. ☀️ 

The warmth builds all week and has it’s moment on the weekend - perfect timing for everything in this issue. Bring a sun hat, leave the umbrella at home.

✨ MIND, HEALTH + FITNESS

Real Talk: How Are You Actually Doing This Summer?

The sun's out, the calendar's packed, and everyone's Instagram looks incredible. But how are things really going? No pressure, no judgment - just a little check-in between friends.

How's your summer headspace looking?

☀️ Genuinely loving life right now - full send
😊 Pretty good, just a bit tired if I'm honest
😬 Overwhelmed - too much going on, not enough quiet
🛋️ Functioning on iced coffee and good intentions
🌊 Somewhere between all of the above depending on the hour

(Drop your answer by replying to this email or vote on our Instagram story @hertfordscoop)

Whatever you picked, here's your reminder that Hertford has some brilliant things happening this week for your actual wellbeing, not just the performative kind. The Fellas group launches Tuesday for men who want to talk openly. Coffee & Coping is free, weekly, and genuinely welcoming. And sometimes the best thing you can do is wander down to the Castle grounds, watch the ducks, and give yourself twenty minutes of nothing.

Summer doesn't have to look a certain way. It just has to work for you. 🌿

🧁 EXTRA SPRINKLES

If you've reached the point where you're sneaking the kids' ice lollies late at night for something sweet (please tell me it's not just me!), here's a delicious, easy dessert that's guaranteed to hit the spot.

Sticky Date Chia Seed Pudding

You’re now fully up to date, Hertford.

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