End of the road for Marchmont Fields

August 2027
Dacorum Council has signed the death warrant for Marchmont Fields. The land adjoining Grovehill to halfway down Link Road has been ‘released’ from the Green belt and a massive housing programme will begin shortly. Despite representations from PERA (pictured here) and other organisations the council has taken the easy option of digging up acres of green space to fulfil part of the Government’s housing programme. Some 350 houses and a traveller site will be built on the land where the weekly car boot sale currently takes place.

School’s out for summer & the drive’s a breeze!

August 2017
I’m savouring these last few weeks of the school holidays on our rural roads. August is a month when you don’t have to stop every few minutes, squeeze up to the hedgerow and let a fellow traveller pass.  My pick of the sights on my way to work are often floral, for example the flowers under the signs at the Marchmont end of the village and at Mill Close. At the other end of the beauty spectrum is the Link Road roundabout, pictured above.  I’m sure that the wild flower plantation was created with

Goodbye to heavy lorries, we hope!

August 2017
The Leighton Buzzard road, notorious for the number of HGVs thundering through each day, is soon to have a weight limit imposed. Herts County Highways have confirmed that a section of the A4146 is to be downgraded from an A road to a B road, the B440, and will  have a limit of 7.5 tonnes (your medium sized lorry) between Water End and the Link Road roundabout.

St Within

St Swithin strikes again but the Garden Party is already home and dry!

July 2017
So here we are, another summer washout! Sounds familiar? Looking back at my July blog of a couple of years back I noted that the day the schools broke up the sun stopped shining. Same story this year. The first two weeks of July promised a Summer of 76. But then came July 15th, St Swithin’s Day, and it rained. Now we’re all paying the price! I

piccotts end garden party

Summer BBQ is music to our ears!

July 2017
The summer BBQ was blessed with music and sunshine. It was a warm and sunny 1st of July as villagers were welcomed with a glass of Pimms, kindly provided by our hostess Miriam Smith at her home Gone to Ground. Then it was the turn of village musicians to entertain with a recital of chamber music.

piccotts end village sign

It’s a sign of the times!

May 2017
No we’re not talking Harry Styles but the smart new village sign welcoming  visitors and residents! It’s the handiwork of Riverbank’s Paul Harrison, who dismantled the old sign outside the Marchmont Arms and gave it a good clean and a lick of paint. Thanks Paul! Great job.

Deer on the loose in Piccotts End

Deer oh deer!

May 2017
PE resident John Baldwin captured the moment a deer ran past his house this week.   John, who has CCTV installed on his property, said: ‘It was 10.45am Thursday morning a deer was recorded running through Piccotts End towards the Marchmont Arms.’ It’s not clear if the deer called in for a beer but if it wants to survive life on the road it needs to brush up on the Highway Code!

Brunch is a big hit!

May 2017
Residents enjoyed a sunny morning with coffee and croissants at the summer brunch at the Marchmont Arms. ‘It was lovely to see many people come along to chat and exchange family news,’ said social secretary Annette Harrison. Guests included Holly Cross from Piccotts End Farm, pictured here with young handful Hector!

AGM update

April 2017
PERA extends a very warm welcome to our newest resident, Melanie Mackney. Melanie, who works in Cabin Crew for British Airways, has just moved to Riverbank from Wigginton Bottom, where she lived for the last ten years. She said she had been lured to Piccotts End by the river! ‘I’m looking forward to being a part of the residents association & am keen to learn more about the village and surrounding area.’ Melanie added: ‘ I like walking so you may see me around followed by a little black & white cat who likes walking too.’

Melanie Mackney

Welcome Melanie!

April 2017
PERA extends a very warm welcome to our newest resident, Melanie Mackney. Melanie, who works in Cabin Crew for British Airways, has just moved to Riverbank from Wigginton Bottom, where she lived for the last ten years. She said she had been lured to Piccotts End by the river! ‘I’m looking forward to being a part of the residents association & am keen to learn more about the village and surrounding area.’ Melanie added: ‘ I like walking so you may see me around followed by a little black & white cat who likes walking too.’