3. SW Herts today: (d) Playing

Strong sporting community

• SW Herts has one of the highest sports participation rates in the country, helping to keep obesity levels below the national average.
• Teams such as Watford, Arsenal, Boreham Wood, Kings Langley and other grassroots football clubs provide local outreach to people of all ages.

High quality visitor attractions

• The area is home to nine registered parks and gardens and six National Trust sites.
• Warner Bros. Studio and St Albans Cathedral attract local, national and international tourists.
• Most visitors only stay for the day, and more can be done to celebrate and promote SW Herts as a destination where visitors spend more time.

Shopping and socialising

• A number of well-established town centres, with Watford providing the largest range of leisure and shopping facilities.
• A better night-time and entertainment offer would attract a more diverse and younger range of people, but must be supported by improved public transport.
• Scope to provide new leisure, cultural and recreational facilities and to improve the accessibility of existing facilities for those who do not have access to a car.

High quality cycle networks

• There are a number of high quality cycle networks in the area that are predominantly used for leisure and recreation, including the Nickey Line that follows the route of the former Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead Railway and the Ebury Way connecting Watford and Rickmansworth and other routes along the Grand Union Canal.
• These networks form important green corridors, providing wildlife links as well as pleasant traffic free routes.

Streets and public spaces

• There are opportunities for the well-planned regeneration of some town centres, which can boost local trade and improve the experience for those shopping there

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