The truth is that Waltham Cross is one of the most deprived areas in Hertfordshire, with income and education levels far below the county average. The Google data campus might be part of a brighter future for the town, but for now there are no flat-white parlours, no whole-food delis. Silicon is here, sure, but only in the form that is implanted into breasts and bottoms at its numerous cosmetic surgeries. So I am thankful to learn, after a quick Google search, that I would do well to travel just two miles east, across the Hertfordshire/Essex border to Waltham Abbey, to find a richer visitor experience.
The sacred heart of Waltham Abbey
I began, as any visit to Waltham Abbey should, with a visit to the town’s most sacred site: Tony’s Pie and Mash Shop.
Tony Lane, originally from Mile End, moved to the Waltham Abbey area aged 12. “When I first moved here, it was like moving out into the country,” he laughs. “My dad had an old Zodiac. When they were building the estate, we used to come and visit, and we’d take a packed lunch. My mum would get the flask out.”
Despite its proximity to London, Waltham Abbey does have the feel of a stand-alone town. “Not just part of the London suburb splurge,” in the words of local estate agent Peter Roffey. Perhaps it’s because you’re just beyond the M25, or maybe the cut-off feel is due to the absence of a train station, something local campaign groups have long wanted to introduce (neighbouring Waltham Cross has connections to Liverpool Street).
Source link : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/hertfordshire/roaming-silicon-valley-hertfordshire/
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Publish date : 2024-02-08 03:00:00
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