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Good Morning {{first_name | Reader}},
This is the last Broxtown of September. October starts on Thursday, so get ready for shorter evenings and a lot more leaves on the pavement.
It's been a busy week. The council's cabinet met and agreed how to spend a big pot of developer money on things you'll actually use. I also went down to the Laura Trott Leisure Centre to see the new proposals for Cheshunt Lakeside for myself. It's good to see that there’s a plan to get the site finally moving again.
I've got some news of my own too. The Broxtown Supper Club is going ahead. I can't wait to put faces to names and talk about what's happening in our community over a proper meal, in a much more relaxed setting than an inbox.
And yes, AI and restaurants have made it into the news this week. I'll admit I have a stake in that one, and it's all explained further down.
Please share your feedback with the poll at the end of this edition.
If you value this kind of local reporting and want to help keep it going, you can support the newsletter by buying me a coffee using the link below. This token support helps pay for the tools I work with. Thanks in advance 😊
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The Broxtown Supper Club is on: pull up a chair
The Broxtown Supper Club is going ahead, and there's a seat for you at the table. We'll sit down together over dinner and talk about the issues that matter most here, from planning and new housing to our high streets and what's changing at the council, and most importantly Artificial Intelligence. We can’t miss discussing AI, it’s 2026.
Places are limited, so reserve yours now.
📍 Cheshunt Restaurant
🗓️ 19th October, 2026
⏰ 6:30 PM
💷 £30.00
🏛️ HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Your say on Hertfordshire's buses, roads and cycle routes until 2050: six weeks to respond
Hertfordshire County Council wants to know which transport improvements would make the biggest difference to your journeys. Its draft Local Transport Plan will steer where transport money goes for the next 25 years. The draft covers better bus and rail services, safer roads and better road surfaces, more electric vehicle charging, easier walking and cycling, and stronger east-west public transport links across the county. You have until Monday 9 November 2026 to say whether the council has picked the right priorities.
What it means for you: If your school run is hard work, your bus doesn't turn up or you've given up getting across the county without a car, this is your chance to say so while the plan is still a draft. Once it's adopted, it shapes where the money goes until 2050.
Anyone born after 2008 will never legally buy tobacco from January, and free help to quit is open now
From 1 January 2027, it will be illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. The age of sale then rises by one year every year. Hertfordshire is already ahead of the curve. Only 8% of adults here smoke, below the national average, and 66% of people in the East of England back the change. With just over three months to go, the council is working with local shops to get ready, and adults who want to stop can get up to 12 weeks of free, personal support.
What it means for you: If you have children at secondary school, they will never legally be sold cigarettes. If you smoke and want to stop, the free support is available now, in person or by phone.
Read more → Or call 0800 389 3998, or text SMOKEFREE to 80818.
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COMMUNITY UPDATES
£640,000 of developer money for changing rooms, skills and a riverside path: what Broxbourne's cabinet decided
On Tuesday 22 September, Broxbourne's cabinet approved £640,732 for five local projects. All of it comes from developers' Section 106 payments, not your council tax.
£120,797 towards new changing rooms at Haileybury Turnford School, on condition they are opened to the public
£210,931 to clear and secure the derelict Hope Nursery glasshouse site on Barrow Lane
£104,380 for new toilets and drainage at the Hammondstreet Road changing rooms
£120,624 to reopen the Broxbourne skills fund, with grants of £500 to £10,000 for projects that help residents into work
£84,000 to widen and resurface the New River Path at Wormley Playing Fields for walkers and cyclists
The cabinet also renewed BEST's contract to run bin collections and street cleaning for another seven years. Only 0.1% of collections were missed last year. From Saturday 31 October, officers will decide more of the smaller planning applications without a committee hearing, subject to full council approval.
What it means for you: Developer money is being spent on pitches, paths and jobs close to home. If your group helps people into work, the skills fund is about to open. And from 31 October, check the weekly planning list, because fewer applications will get a public hearing.
Independent café and restaurant owners invited to see what AI can do for a small business
TablePulse, a new AI tool built in Broxbourne to help independent restaurants fill empty tables, launches in Cheshunt on Tuesday 3 November 2026. It was developed through Google Data Centre Community AI Fellowship and is designed to take bookings around the clock, win back customers who haven't visited in a while, and help fill quiet midweek evenings. The launch is aimed at café, restaurant and hospitality owners, with speakers expected from Google, Watson Institute, Hertfordshire County Council and Broxbourne Council.
What it means for you: If you run a local food business, this is a chance to see what AI can realistically do for a small team without a big-chain budget. If you just like eating out, independents with busier midweeks are the ones that stay open, and they keep our high streets local rather than all chains.
Disclosure: TablePulse was built by Emeka Ogbonnaya, who also publishes Broxtown.
Cheshunt Lakeside could be moving again as a new developer asks residents what they think
After a long stall, there are signs of life at Cheshunt Lakeside. Galliard Homes has started a public consultation on its plans for the next phase. Its proposals include 400 new houses and flats, space for businesses, a village green and a western park, play areas, walking and cycling routes, a proposed bus route and better links to Cheshunt station. At a drop-in event at the Laura Trott Leisure Centre, the developer took questions from residents, local councillors, the Mayor of Broxbourne and the local MP.
What it means for you: If you bought at Lakeside and have been living next to a stalled site, this is the first real movement in a long time. At this stage, residents' views can still change the plans. If you live nearby, now is the time to raise your questions about traffic, flooding and the station.
For more information > OR 0800 148 8911 (FREEPHONE) Mon- Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm.
21 signatures could buy Cheshunt Free Church time before it is sold
The historic Cheshunt Free Church at 27 High Street is under offer, and residents are working to keep it in community use. They are asking Broxbourne Council to list the building as an Asset of Community Value, which needs the support of at least 21 people from the borough. Listing wouldn't stop a sale outright. It would pause the sale, giving local groups time to put together a bid to buy it themselves.
What it means for you: It only takes 21 local people to give this building a fighting chance. If you live in the borough and want it kept for community use, adding your name takes a few minutes.
Your business can put its name on Broxbourne's Christmas lights this year
Broxbourne Council is asking local businesses to help pay for this year's Christmas trees, lights and festive events. It has put together a range of sponsorship packages for the season. To find out what's available, email [email protected].
What it means for you: Brighter high streets at Christmas bring shoppers in, and sponsoring puts your business's name in front of the whole borough when footfall is highest.
Five CHEXS runners took on London's 10K for local children and families
Naomi, Charlene, Stewart, Judy and Steve recently ran the Vitality London 10,000 to raise money for CHEXS. The local charity supports children, young people and families across the borough. The 10K route took them past some of the capital's best-known landmarks, and CHEXS has thanked every one of them for their time and effort.
What it means for you: Money raised this way goes straight back into support for local families. If you fancy a challenge next year, or want to back the runners, CHEXS is the place to start.
📅 UPCOMING EVENTS
🏡 Local & in-person
Romeo and Juliet
📍 Beam, Hertford
🗓️ Wed 30 Sep - Thu 1 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
Manhattan Short Film Festival
📍 Hertfordshire Studios, Brewery Road, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Wed 30 Sep, 7.30pm
⏰ 19:30
🎟️ £12.50
👉 Details / Book
The Manfreds: Get Your Kicks On Tour 2026
📍 The Spotlight, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Thu 1 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
International Day of Older People
📍 Healthy Hub East Herts, Fore Street, Hertford
🗓️ Thu 1 Oct, 1.00pm
⏰ 13:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Details / Book
Totally Tina!
📍 The Spotlight, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Fri 2 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
The Gruffalo
📍 Beam, Hertford
🗓️ Fri 2 - Sun 4 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
☕ Health and Wellness Drop-In
📍 Hoddesdon Library, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Friday 2 October 2026
⏰ 10:00am–12:00pm
🎟️ Free entry
☕ Macmillan Big Coffee Morning and Open House
📍 Halsey Masonic Hall, Cheshunt
🗓️ Saturday 3 October 2026
⏰ 10:00am–2:00pm
🎟️ Free entry
👉 Learn more
Forever Jackson
📍 The Spotlight, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Sat 3 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
You Are African First Before Anything
📍 Beam, Hertford
🗓️ Sat 3 - Sun 4 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
Blackout
📍 The Spotlight, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Wed 7 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
A Brief Case of Crazy
📍 Beam, Hertford
🗓️ Wed 7 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
125 years of Jazz Piano with James Pearson
📍 Beam, Hertford
🗓️ Wed 7 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
NOVA Creative Launch, Waltham Cross
🗓️ Wednesday 7 October 2026
⏰ 10:00am to 12:00pm
🎟️ Free entry
👉 Book via Eventbrite
A Tribute to The Carpenters
📍 The Spotlight, Hoddesdon
🗓️ Thu 8 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
Hannah East: Express Yourself
📍 Beam, Hertford
🗓️ Thu 8 Oct
⏰ See booking
🎟️ See booking
👉 Details / Book
Free Warm Homes Workshop (save money, stay warm, reduce damp)
📍 Wormley Community Centre, Fairfield Drive, EN10 6DX
🗓️ Thu 8 Oct, 3.30-5pm
⏰ 15:30
🎟️ Free
👉 Details / Book
🏃 Netball Now: Women’s Social League
📍 Broxbourne School, Broxbourne
🗓️ Every Wednesday
⏰ Games between 7:00pm and 9:00pm
All abilities welcome. Come alone or bring friends.
For AI Investors Who Do Their Homework Before They Buy.
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💼 Business & enterprise
💼 How AI can help your restaurant get more customers: TablePulse launch
📍 Fishy Delishy Cheshunt
🗓️ Tuesday 3 November 2026
⏰ 11:00AM - 2:00PM
🎟️ Free entry
👉 Learn more and book
How to set up your business - Skills Webinar
📍 Online
🗓️ Tue 29 Sep, 14:00
⏰ 14:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
Content Marketing Skills Webinar
📍 Online
🗓️ Wed 30 Sep, 10:00
⏰ 10:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
Online small business meet-up: Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire
📍 Online
🗓️ Wed 30 Sep, 10:00
⏰ 10:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
AI for Business Growth
📍 Hoddesdon Enterprise Centre
🗓️ Thu 1 Oct, 10:00
⏰ 10:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
A Beginner's Guide to AI and Prompt Generation
🗓️ Fri 2 Oct, 10:00
⏰ 10:00
🎟️ From £25
👉 Register
Website Development for your small Business
📍 Online
🗓️ Mon 5 Oct, 10:00
⏰ 10:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
Coaching not Criticising
📍 Online - Live Streamed
🗓️ Tue 6 Oct, 9:30am
⏰ 09:30
🎟️ From £95
👉 Register
Social Media Skills Webinar
📍 Online
🗓️ Tue 6 Oct, 14:00
⏰ 14:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
Online small business meet-up: Essex
📍 Online
🗓️ Tue 6 Oct, 12:00
⏰ 12:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
Business Planning Skills Webinar
📍 Online
🗓️ Wed 7 Oct, 14:00
⏰ 14:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
From Project Idea to Funded Reality: Planning, Pitching & Partner Workshop
📍 Nigel Copping Community Building
🗓️ Thu 8 Oct, 10:00
⏰ 10:00
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
Social Media and Digital Marketing Surgery - October 2026
📍 Ambition Broxbourne
🗓️ Thu 8 Oct (slots 09:30-15:00)
⏰ 09:30
🎟️ Free
👉 Register
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HEALTH & WELLBEING TIPS
Book your free flu jab now if you're eligible. It takes two weeks to kick in, so don't leave it late.
Wash your hands often, 20 seconds with soap. Flu spreads on hands and surfaces, not just in the air.
Catch it, bin it, kill it. Cover coughs and sneezes, bin the tissue, wash your hands.
Feeling ill? Stay home, rest and drink plenty. Call 111 if it gets worse or you're worried.
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🎨 TUESDAY MOTIVATION
Your subconscious mind does not argue with you. It accepts what your conscious mind decrees.
— Joseph Murphy
The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.
— Ludwig Wittgenstein
Thanks to Ray Lowe
Weather ☀ Tuesday - Sunday
Tuesday 29 September 26°C 🌡️ 13°C | ☁️ Overcast, dry | ☀️ Sunrise 06:57 | Sunset 18:42
Wednesday 30 September 22°C 🌡️ 18°C | 🌦️ Light drizzle, cloudy | ☀️ Sunrise 06:59 | Sunset 18:40
Thursday 1 October 20°C 🌡️ 13°C | 🌦️ Light drizzle, cloudy | ☀️ Sunrise 07:00 | Sunset 18:37
Friday 2 October 20°C 🌡️ 10°C | ☁️ Overcast, dry | ☀️ Sunrise 07:02 | Sunset 18:35
Saturday 3 October 19°C 🌡️ 12°C | 🌦️ Light drizzle, cloudy | ☀️ Sunrise 07:04 | Sunset 18:33
Sunday 4 October 15°C 🌡️ 10°C | 🌦️ Scattered showers | ☀️ Sunrise 07:05 | Sunset 18:30
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Thanks for Reading!
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Wishing you a fantastic rest of your day!
Cheers,
Editor-in-chief | Emeka Ogbonnaya
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