A prosperous area with multi-million pound homes aplenty, Radlett is a large Hertfordshire village with a lot going on. We found out more about it.
Situated between St Albans and Elstree, Radlett is one of the most affluent parts of Hertfordshire and regularly features in 'the best places to live' lists for the county.
In fact, earlier this year readers of popular lifestyle blog Muddy Stilettos voted Radlett eighth in its Hertfordshire's best places to live poll. Muddy Stilettos said "the rural village of Radlett packs a big punch".
Population
According to UK Office for National Statistics figures, Radlett had a population of 8,108 in 2019.
Part of Hertsmere Borough Council, Radlett had an official Jewish population of 28.3 per cent in the 2011 census.
The needs of the Jewish community are well catered for on Watling Street, the main road running through Radlett, with a kosher butcher, Silvermans, as well as a Jewish-style bagel bakery, patisserie and delicatessen, and a kosher deli.
There are also a couple of synagogues, the Radlett United Synagogue and Radlett Reform Synagogue.
Radlett also boasts a number of churches – Christ Church & St John's Radlett, St Anthony of Padua, and the United Free Church.
Famous former Radlett residents include Simon Cowell, who went to school in the village, and ex-Girls Aloud star Cheryl, who left her luxury pad just off Watling Street in 2017 for a new life in Surrey with One Direction’s Liam Payne. They've since split up.
When they lived down the road in Elstree, celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo and wife Jessica frequented a gym in Radlett, and a number of Arsenal and Tottenham players have made the area home over the years, due to the close proximity to the clubs' respective training grounds.
Jeff Wayne, composer of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War Of The Worlds, also lives in the Radlett area.
History
In Roman times, the road from Londinium (London) to Verulamium (St Albans), now known as Watling Street, passed through the site of present day Radlett.
Radlett is thought to derive its name from the Old English word for junction.
There has been a settlement known as Radlett as far back as 1453.
However, although there were clusters of dwellings and farms, the area as it stands today has been largely created since the 19th century.
As with most places, the village became a real community with the arrival of the railway. In 1860, the Midland Railway service was extended from Bedford into London and a station was built in Radlett.
The 20th century saw Handley Page build aircraft at what was then the Radlett Aerodrome. The airfield site is now subject to a long-running fight over a proposed massive rail freight depot.
The London Olympics even came to Radlett in 1948 when the out-and-back marathon course from Wembley Stadium went through the main high street.
Property
A quick glance at Rightmove confirms that living in Radlett is far from cheap – but despite the cost, it's still a sought-after area.
There are dozens of high value homes currently listed for sale priced at over £1 million.
At the very top end is a luxury six-bedroom property in Theobald Street with a guide price just £5,000 short of a cool £12 million.
The high-spec home comes complete with a self-contained annexe, a luxurious cinema room, and a home gym which flows through to an indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi.
It's near £12m price tag makes Apple Hatch, in The Warren, which sold for £3,575,000 in 2019, a mere snip!
The Warren is arguably Radlett’s most prestigious address. In 2019 it topped Lloyds Bank’s list of Hertfordshire’s most expensive streets, with an average price of £1,945,000 recorded there between 2014 and 2019.
Apple Hatch was also the third most expensive home sold in Herts that year.
According to Rightmove, properties in Radlett had an overall average price of £1,375,088 over the last year.
Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £1,257,654, with flats fetching £581,688.
Zoopla put detached properties going for an average price of £1,709,232 over the last 12 months.
Schools
There are three state schools in Radlett – Newberries Primary, Fair Field Junior School, and St John's Church of England Infant and Nursery School, which were all rated ‘good’ by Ofsted at their last full inspections.
There's also the Hertsmere Jewish Primary School (HJPS), a member of the Jewish Community Academy Trust, in Watling Street.
Fee-paying options include Edge Grove, an independent day school for boys and girls aged three to 13 in Aldenham, and Radlett Preparatory, a day school for children aged four to 11.
Simon Cowell is an alumnus of Radlett Prep.
Transport links
The commuter hotspot has excellent transport links, with close access to the M25 and M1 motorways, while the rail service from Radlett to St Pancras takes less than half an hour.
Sport and leisure
There are cricket, rugby and golf clubs in Radlett.
Cobden Hill is home to Radlett CC's ground, which is occasionally used by Middlesex for first class matches and has previously hosted the Australian tourists.
Next door is Radlett's rugby club Tabard, while Porters Park Golf Club is in Shenley Hill. Famous former golf club members include Samuel Ryder, the brainchild of the Ryder Cup, and former Walker Cup captain Peter Townsend.
If racket sports is more your thing, become a member at Radlett Lawn Tennis & Squash Club.
The Radlett Centre in Aldenham Avenue is the village's main entertainment venue.
The auditorium shows a wide range of performances throughout the year, from theatre to comedy and musicals to children's shows, as well as Radlett's pantomime, which is Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas.
The cultural hub also hosts regular art exhibitions.
Radlett has a variety of restaurants and bars, ranging from popular chains such as Pizza Express to unique independently owned outlets.
For Italian/Mediterranean cuisine, try Storia Radlett, which has glowing reviews on Tripadvisor.
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