Luton

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Borough of Luton
Geography
Status:	Unitary, Borough
Region:	East of England
Ceremonial County:	Bedfordshire
Area: - Total	Ranked 311th 43.35 km²
Admin. HQ:	Luton
ONS code:	00KA
Demographics
Population: - Total (2005 est.) - Density	Ranked 79th 184,900 4,265 / km²
Ethnicity:	71.9% White 18.3% S.Asian 6.3% Afro-Carib.
Politics
Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
Executive:	Liberal Democrats (council NOC)
MPs:	Kelvin Hopkins, Margaret Moran
Luton Borough Council http://www.luton.gov.uk/

Luton is a large town and local government district situated in the south of England, located 51 kilometres (32 miles) north of London. Historically Luton was within the county of Bedfordshire, although 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.^[1]

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 hatmaking and was home to a large Vauxhall factory for many years, Vauxhall head office is situated within the town.

Contents 1 Geography and Geology 2 History 2.1 Early History 2.2 19th century 2.3 20th century 2.4 21st Century 3 Places within Luton 4 Politics 5 Demographics 5.1 Ethnicity 5.2 Religion 5.3 Economic Activity 6 Economy 6.1 History 6.2 Shopping 6.3 Food and Drink 7 Education 8 Culture 8.1 Luton Town Football Club 8.2 Parks 8.3 Luton Carnival 8.4 Local attractions 9 Transport 9.1 Air 9.2 Rail 9.3 Road 10 Twin towns 11 Famous people from Luton 12 Media 13 References 14 External links

[edit] Geography and Geology

Luton (51°54′N 0°26′W) is located in a gap in the eastern part of the Chiltern Hills. The Chilterns themselves are a mixture of chalk from the Cretaceous period^[2] (about 65-146 million years ago) and are thought to be the southernmost points of the ice sheet from the last ice age. Towards the east of Luton in the Warden Hill area, there are clay deposits, hence in Stopsley, there used to be a brickworks,^[3] Bedfordshire had a reputation for brickmaking which is now significantly reduced. Warden Hill (195m above sea level) is the reported to be the highest point between Bedfordshire and Norway.^{[citation needed]} 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 lead 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.

[edit] History

Main article: History of Luton

[edit] Early History

Settlements have existed in the area since the Paleolithic era, most notably the henge monument now called Waulud's Bank, which dates from 3000 BC. The Roman settlement in the area was concentrated at Durocobrivis and Verulamium. The foundation of Luton is usually dated to the 6th century when a Saxon outpost was founded on the river Lea, Lea tun.^[4]

Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as Loitone and also as Lintone;^[5] when the towns population was around 700-800. Agriculture dominated the local economy at this time.

In 1121 Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester started work on St Mary's Church in the centre of the town, which was completed by 1137.^[6] A motte and bailey type castle which gives its name to 'Castle Street' was built in 1139. The castle was demolished in 1154.^[7] The site is now home to Matalan. During the middle ages Luton is recorded as being home to six water mills. 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.^[8]

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 brickmaking 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 hatmaking that became synonymous with the town began. By the 18th century the hatmaking 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.

[edit] 19th century

The town grew strongly in the 19th century; in 1801 the population was 3,095.^[9] By 1850 it was over 10,000 and by 1901 it was almost 39,000. This rapid growth was fuelled by the arrival of the railway in 1858,^[10] which bypassed Dunstable, the nearby market town, which until then had overshadowed Luton.

Luton had a gas supply in 1834, and the gas street lights were erected and the first town hall opened in 1847.

Newspaper printing arrived in the town in 1854, coincidentally the year the first public cemetry was opened. Following a cholera epidemic in 1848 Luton formed a water company and had a complete water and sewerage system by the late 1860s. The first covered market was built (the Plait Halls - now demolished) in 1869. Luton was made a borough in 1876^[11] and the football club was founded in 1885 following the passing of a resolution at the Town Hall that the 'Luton Town Club be formed' .^[12]

[edit] 20th century

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.

The town had a tram system from 1908 until 1932 and the first cinema was opened in 1909. By 1914, the population reached had 50,000.

The original town hall was destroyed in 1919 during the Peace Day celebrations at the end of the First World War; local people including many ex-servicemen were unhappy with unemployement 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. Luton Airport opened in 1938, owned and operated by the council.

In World War II, the Vauxhall Factory built Churchill tanks^[13] as part of the war effort and was heavily camaflaged. The Vauxhall factory made Luton a target for the Luftwaffe and the town suffered a number of air raids, although only 107 people died^[14] there was extensive damage to the town and over 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed. Other industry in the town such as SKF (producing ball bearings), made a vital contribution to the war effort. Although a bomb landed at the SKF Factory^[15] 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 Carneige 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.^[16] 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.^[17] At its peak it had employed in excess of 30,000 people.

[edit] 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 Georges square is currently undergoing a rebuild^[18] which is due to be completed by the end of 2007. Planning applications for an extension to the existing Arndale Shopping Centre^[19] and also for a new centre in Power Court^[20] (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.

[edit] Places within Luton

Main article: 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

[edit] Politics

Main article: 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 councilors. Elections are held for all seats every four years, with the next local elections due to be held in May 2007.

[edit] 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.^[21]

In total, 80.7% of Luton's population claim to be born in the UK.^[22]

Local inhabitants are known as Lutonians.

[edit] 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 decent and 2.28% claim to be White Other. 18.27% of Luton's population claim to be Asian or of Asian decent, and of this, the largest majority is those of Pakistani decent at 9.23%. In total, 6.34% claim to be Black or of Black decent, and of this, the largest majority is those of Caribbean decent at 4.15%.^[23]

[edit] Religion

The stated religions, in order of prevalence, are:

• Christian 59.6%
• Muslim 14.6%
• No Religion 14.1%
• None Stated 7.2%
• Hindu 2.7%
• Sikh 0.8%
• Other Religion 0.3%
• Jewish 0.3%
• Buddhist 0.2%^[24]

[edit] Economic Activity

Of all the working population (classified 16-74 years of age by National Office Of 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.^[25]

[edit] Economy

Main article: Economy of 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 vistitors from outside into the town.

[edit] 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 brickmaking. 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. 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.

[edit] 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, the shopping centre demolished a lot of the older buildings in the town centre including the Carnegie Library and the Corn Exchange. Today, shops in the centre include Debenhams, Marks and Spencers, Next, Woolworths and Boots as well as many other shops, totalling 118 stores.^[26]

Another major shopping area is Bury Park, where a lot of ethnic shops including grocers, clothes, jewelers and newsagents have developed together to serve the local communities

[edit] 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.

[edit] Education

Main article: 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 is based on the edge of town in Putteridge Bury, an old Victorian manor house. Campuses also exist in Bedford.

The University came 108th out of 109 in the Times Top Universities 2007 League Table,^[27] however, in 2004, The Sunday Times awarded the university the Title of 'Best New University'^[28] and the university is ranked fourth in the country for courses in Nursing and Midwifery.^[29]

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.^[30][31]

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.^[32]

[edit] Culture

Main article: 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.

[edit] Luton Town Football Club

Main article: Luton Town

Luton is the home town of Luton Town Football Club who currently play in the Coca-Cola Football League Championship,^[33] the 2nd Flight of the English league structure. Their nickname, "The Hatters", dates back to when Luton had a substantial millinery industry.

Their only piece of major silverware to date is the League Cup, which they won in 1988 under the management of Ray Harford.

[edit] Parks

The town has several large parks, Wardown houses the museum^[34] and is located near the town centre. Stockwood houses a craft museum and the Mossman Collection. Wardown Park and the museum were a gift to the town from the then Mayor Asher Hucklesby.^[35] Luton has a Site of Special Scientific Interest at Warden Hills on its outskirts.

[edit] Luton Carnival

Main article: Luton Carnival

Luton Carnival is the largest one-day carnival in Europe, which usually takes place on the late May Bank Holiday. Crowds usually top 150,000^[36] on each occasion, with it being a huge multicultural event attended by people from all over the country. The procession starts at Wardown Park 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.

[edit] Local attractions

Dunstable Downs Chiltern Hills Galley and Warden Hills Nature Reserve Leighton Buzzard Light Railway Luton Museum & Art Gallery the hat Factory Luton Hoo Mossman Collection Someries castle Stockwood Craft Museum Wardown Park Waulud's Bank Whipsnade Tree Cathedral Whipsnade Wildlife Park Woodside Farm and Wildfowl Park Wrest Park Gardens

[edit] Transport

Main article: Transport in Luton

Luton is well connected by transport links and is less than 30 miles from the centre of London.

[edit] Air

Main article: London Luton Airport

The town is famous for its airport, London Luton Airport, which is currently the fastest-growing airport in the United Kingdom.^[37] The airport is renowned for being a hub for budget airlines offering cheap flights.

An airport was first opened on the current airport site as Luton Municipal Airport on the 16 July 1938^[38] by the Secretary of State for Air, Kingsley Wood.The airport was owned by the local council. During the Second World War Luton Airport was a base for the Royal Air Force 264 Fighter Squadron.^[39]

Flights from the airport increased substantially from the 1960s as new charter airlines (e.g. Court Line) flew from there rather than the London airports. Despite problems in the 1970s, a new terminal was added in 1985 by the Prince of Wales.^[40] The airport was renamed London Luton Airport in 1990, just before Ryanair 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.^[41]

The England football team regularly fly from the airport^[42] when playing matches abroad. The airport was mentioned in a 1970s advert for Campari featuring Lorraine Chase^[43] when asked "Were you truly wafted here from paradise?" she replied "Nah, Luton Airport!" which became a catchphase for her for many years.

[edit] 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 Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield 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.^[44]

[edit] 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.^[45]

In 2003, an Office of Fair Trading study identified Luton Airport as having the highest daytime fare for a 2-mile taxi journey in the UK.^[46]

[edit] Twin towns

Luton participates in international town twinning; its current partners are:^[47]

• Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, since 1956
• Bourgoin-Jallieu, France, since 1956
• Eskilstuna, Sweden, since 1949
• Spandau, Germany, since 1959
• Wolfsburg, Germany, since 1950

[edit] Famous people from Luton

People born in or had a strong connection with Luton.

• David Arnold, Composer
• Mick Abrahams, Rock guitarist of Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig
• John Badham, American film director
• Stefan Bailey, footballer for QPR went to Halyard High School
• Kevin Blackwell, former goalkeeper and now manager of Luton Town F.C..
• Charles Bronson, infamous prisoner
• Ian Cashmore, actor, radio and tv presenter of Ghosthunters, born in Luton & Dunstable hospital
• Martin Dimery, Writer and performer
• Kerry Dixon, footballer with Chelsea and England
• Diana Dors was a barmaid in "The Rabbit" pub in Old Bedford Road
• Ian Dury, Singer In the early 1970s, Worked as a freelance illustrator and taught at Luton and Canterbury colleges of art.
• Sean Gallagher, Actor Coronation Street (Paul), Also, Linda Green, Border Cafe, Ella and the Mothers and Holding On. He's also appeared in Under the Sun, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Touching Evil. Born and raised in Luton.
• John Gosling, former member of the pop group The Kinks
• Arthur Hailey Novelist (1920-2004)
• John Hegley, Poet
• Sir Alec Jeffreys, a British geneticist, developed techniques for DNA fingerprinting
• Steven Munn, Rock guitarist
• Monty Panesar, England cricketer
• Phil Read, multi-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion
• David Renwick, BBC scriptwriter (One Foot in the Grave)
• Lee Ross, Actor who played Owen Turner in EastEnders
• Colin Salmon, actor, in films such as Resident Evil, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator and The World Is Not Enough
• Vaughan Savidge, BBC announcer
• Billy Schwer, champion boxer
• Andy Selway, drummer for KMFDM and Pig
• Edward Tudor-Pole, Singer/Actor of band Tenpole Tudor
• Kenneth Williams (1926-1988) went to school in Luton during World War II evacuation
• Paul Young, Singer
• Punk rock band UK Decay
• Metalcore band Elements of Refusal
• Si Phili, MC Life, and DJ Nappa from the rap group Phi Life Cypher

[edit] Media

Newspapers Two weekly newspapers are delivered free to all the houses in Luton. They are:

• Herald and Post^[48] - Delivered every Thursday
• The Luton on Sunday^[49] - Delivered every Sunday

There is also a weekly sister paper of the Herald and post which is not free.

• Luton News^[50] - Published every Wednesday

Additionally once a month there is a council produced newspaper called LutonLine,^[51] usually delivered with Luton on Sunday.

Radio

The local BBC station, Three Counties Radio broadcasts from its office in Hastings Street, Luton to Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.^[52]

Chiltern Radio is the local independent station and broadcasts from Chiltern Road in Dunstable.

The university's radio station, Luton FM, runs for 28 days during May In addition, Ramadan FM broadcasts during the month of Ramadan. Diverse FM,^[53] another local radio station, has recently been awarded a community radio license from Ofcom and hopes to start broadcasting full-time in April 2007.

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 Space: 1999 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.^[54] In the episode, the planet of Luton is portrayed as a hostile world of living plants.

Luton is 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 Monty Python sketch Election Night Special.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Luton Borough Council
• Luton - 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article
• A defence of Luton, the crappiest city in England in The Guardian
• Luton pubs Customer ratings and reviews of pubs in Luton

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Coordinates: 51°54′N 0°26′W