The first phase of a £277,000 transformation of the Alban Arena’s seating has been completed.
A total of 385 seats in the circle have been replaced, bringing a fresh look and greater comfort to the auditorium.
Some of the furnishings dated back 57 years from the time the venue was known as the City Hall and hosted Mayoral dinners.
The work is part of a joint project by the Council which owns the building and Everyone Active which manages it. The second phase will see the remaining 500 stalls seats replaced next summer.
Photo: Panto star Bob Golding (front), Alban Arena Patron, Cllr Helen Campbell (back row, left), Lead for Leisure, Steve Cox (back row, centre), Everyone Active’s Area Contracts Manager, and Stuart Fitzsimmons, the Council’s Assistant Director, try out the new seats.
Thousands of people are expected to attend our fabulous Christmas Cracker – the event that launches the festive season in St Albans District.
This year, the Cracker will be held on Sunday 16 November, noon to 6pm, with the City Centre closed to traffic.
Among the attractions will be scores of food, drink and gift stalls, street entertainers, a funfair and live music.
There will be a Santa's grotto provided by St Albans City Centre BID and a seating zone for your Christmas catch ups, sponsored by Costa Coffee in St Albans.
The Christmas lights will include the illuminated installations that have proved so popular in recent years.
The Council is transferring ownership of an ageing tower block in St Albans to Hightown Housing Association.
Telford Court was built more than 50 years ago and would cost many millions of pounds to refurbish.
The building will now be demolished and the site redeveloped with Hightown committed to maximising the amount of new social housing.
The Council will retain the right to nominate all future tenants for the social rent properties from its Housing Register.
 Our housing repairs contractor Morgan Sindall Property Services is hosting a free advice session on energy saving at home.
Everyone is invited to the event where you can find out about energy efficiency works such as solar panels, insulation and air source heat pumps.
There will be opportunities to ask experts questions and to hear from people who have had their homes improved.
The event takes place on Wednesday 29 October at the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Upper Lattimore Road, St Albans.
 We are organising a series of drop-in events across the District to mark International Day of Older People.
Everyone is welcome to attend the sessions where you can find out more information about issues such as safety, well-being and making connections with others.
Representatives from the Council, the Police, Age UK, Citizens Advice, Communities 1st and other organisations will be there to offer help and advice.
There will also be fun activities such as digital skills sessions, seated yoga and 'music for my mind'.
The events are on at the Alban Arena, 10am to 2pm, Wednesday 22 October; the Caledon Community Centre, London Colney, Monday 3 November, 10am to 2pm; and Redbourn Village Hall, Thursday 13 November, 9.30am to 11.30am.
The Council is always looking for talented and motivated individuals to join our welcoming workforce.
We currently have a range of full and part-time positions being advertised with more added throughout the year. Our casual work applications are open all year.
We offer a range of benefits including flexible working, a generous pension scheme, development and training, and access to discounted memberships.
Click on the button below for more information and to view current vacancies.
 The Eric Morecambe Centre is showcasing the work of the Harpenden Photographic Society throughout October.
More than 30 images will be on display ranging from wildlife and landscapes to street life shots.
Among the striking photographs is I'm A Gonna by Steve Tanner who captured a Kingfisher with a fish snack in its mouth.
The free exhibition is open throughout the month of October during box office hours, 10am to 2pm daily.
Over 1,900 responses were received during the initial consultation into parish and town council arrangements in St Albans District. Many thanks to everyone who responded.
The consultation was part of a Community Governance Review we are undertaking following Government plans to restructure local government.
Under the plans, Hertfordshire's county and district councils are set to be replaced with new unitary authorities from May 2028.
Before this happens, we want to know whether any changes should be made to parish and town council arrangements. This might include the creation of a new parish council in the unparished area of the City.
Our Strategy and Resources Committee will consider the feedback at its meeting next month and decide on recommendations to be put forward to a second public consultation later this year.
A £730,000 programme of improvements is underway at our three St Albans District cemeteries.
The enhancements include new gardens of rest at Westfield Road, Harpenden, and London Road, St Albans.
Other changes will include a new meadow burial area and woodland walk at Hatfield Road, St Albans.
The presentation of all three sites will be improved with new benches and litter bins as well as alternative memorials including bird and bat boxes.
Photo: Cemeteries manager Kate Mercer (right) shows Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the Public Realm Committee, around Westfield Road Cemetery.
 St Albans Mayor, Councillor Teresa Heritage, has shown her support for bus services by launching a new community shelter at the Quadrant in Marshalswick.
Hertfordshire County Council's community shelters project is a part of its wider Bus Services Improvement Plan.
Through working with local communities, the project aims to improve shelters and the space around them, making them more aesthetically pleasing and engaging.
Cllr Heritage (pictured centre) said: "Providing better shelters can only make people more aware of bus services and more likely to use them."
 We are providing the walled Vintry Garden as a spectacular venue for a festive theatre production.
OVO are to stage its critically-acclaimed version of Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol at the site.
This open-air promenade experience promises to immerse audiences in the spirit of Christmas past, present and yet to come.
Performances will run from Friday 5 to Tuesday 30 December and you can book tickets on the OVO website below.
 St Albans Cathedral is hosting its Community Showcase 2025 on Saturday 25 October.
This gathering features over 60 charities and community organisations that work to make a difference to communities across the District.
The drop-in event, which runs from 11am to 3pm, gives people the chance to learn and support these worthy causes.
With stands throughout the Nave, representatives from each organisation will be on hand to share their missions and stories.
Exhibition - Our Stories: Tracing Black Histories in Hertfordshire, St Albans Museum + Gallery, Assembly Room, until Sunday 2 November 2025, Free
Explore the Black Histories of Hertfordshire in this exhibition by the Black History Research Group. The group will share their findings, with stories spanning 2000 years from Roman Verulamium to the experiences of the community today. The exhibition will also preview six new artworks, bringing these local histories to life.
Copies of the exhibition zine (booklet) will be available to purchase in our shop for £6.
Artwork detail: Baraka Carberry aka Bokiba,‘To fight for the future even when hope seems lost.’
Hidden History of the Countryside, St Albans Museum + Gallery, Wednesday 15 October, 7pm, Tickets £10 in person, £6 online
Professor Corinne Fowler demonstrates how the booming profits of overseas colonial activities directly transformed the nation’s beautiful landscapes from Welsh sheep farms to Cornish copper mines.
Exhibition - Worlds Connected, Friday 24 October to Sunday 22 February, St Albans Museum + Gallery, Weston Gallery, Free
A multi-sensory exhibition exploring the many connections between St Albans and the Islamic World - from scientific discoveries to a fondness for coffee.
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October Half-Term Events and Activities
Visit St Albans Museum + Gallery, the Clock Tower and Verulamium Museum this October half-term for activities and events for all the family!
Among the activities are cooking with kids, colourful crafts, a mosaic making workshop and archaeology for families.
Click on the picture above for details about dates, venues and ticket prices.
 St Albans Healthy Hub is your local centre for health and wellbeing information, advice and support.
You can get help with many issues including how to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, become more active and manage money.
The organisations involved include Citizens Advice, Communities 1st, Mind in Mid Herts and many more. You can find more information on the Healthy Hub webpages.
 Healthwatch Hertfordshire want to hear about your experiences of using community pharmacies.
This is for a report that will look into the value of this service and how it can better meet people's needs.
Please give your views by taking part in a short survey by clicking the button below.
 Our partners at Communities 1st have organised a volunteers fair where you can learn about opportunities to make the District's communities stronger.
The drop-in event takes place on Wednesday 9 October, 10am to noon, at the Trestle Theatre, Russet Drive, St Albans.
You can find out more information by clicking on the button below.
 The NHS in Hertfordshire is running a campaign to provide emotional support for people living with Type 2 Diabetes.
People living with this long-term condition face various challenges across many areas of their life and may suffer stress and anxiety.
The campaign is encouraging sufferers to seek help through NHS Talking Therapies services. Find out more by clicking the button below.
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