Businesses based in or near the historic city of St Albans not only have the advantages of a strong local economy – with excellent transport links to London – but also the proximity of Thames Contracts. We carry out high-end office design projects in St Albans and across Hertfordshire, as well as shop and restaurant fitouts, and also work in the leisure sector. Here we take a closer look at the city.
The History of St Albans
The city takes its name from the first British saint, Alban. He lived in Verulamium – which is roughly on the site of the modern St Albans – in the 3rd-4th century when Christians were being persecuted. Alban gave sanctuary to a Christian priest in his home and was so impressed by his piety that he converted to the faith himself (and was later executed).
In more recent times, St Albans was a market town and an important stopping-off point for travellers on their way to and from London. It was granted city status by Queen Victoria in 1877 and cathedral status was granted to the Abbey Church (which is believed to be where St Alban is buried).
The Transport Links
St Albans is around 20 miles (32km) north-west of London and it has excellent transport connections with both the capital and the rest of the country. The M1 and M25 motorways both run through the district, while there are regular rail services to St Pancras from St
Albans City station. There are also local services to nearby Watford from St Albans Abbey station.
The Commercial Picture
While large numbers of St Albans residents commute to London for work, several big commercial names have offices in the city or the surrounding district. Between the First and Second World Wars St Albans became a home for the electronics industry. Computer firm Viglen – which is used as a filming location for the BBC TV series The Apprentice – is based in Colney Street, close to the city.
Other major employers in the area include Premier Foods, who make well-known brands including Mr Kipling (cakes), Ambrosia (rice pudding), Bird’s Custard and Angel Delight, Oxo and Bisto (gravy), and Batchelors (soup). Two of the so-called ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte, are also based in the district.
There are three major shopping centres in the city – The Maltings in Victoria Street (pictured above), Christopher Place in Upper Dagnall Street, and Abbey View retail park in Griffiths Way.
St Albans City and District Council is confident enough in the strength of the local economy to commit to its Jubilee Square project on the site of the city’s former police station. This will see 893 new homes built (including 33 social housing flats) and provide 6,000m2 of commercial space for businesses and other organisations.
Office Design in St Albans from Thames Contracts
If you are looking to move your business to St Albans, or are already based there, then Thames Contracts are the people to call if you are interested in high-end office, shop and restaurant design, as well as bar refurbishment and renovation in and around London. We can either fit out a new space or refurbish an existing one.
Following our initial meeting with you, we will create a design brief with 3D-generated images. We will also give you a detailed quote at an early stage as we appreciate this could affect your decisions, particularly if we offer you several alternative designs. Once the budget has been agreed, we will then put together a timescale for the work, which will be carried out by tradespeople with a commitment to quality. At Thames Contracts we have an excellent reputation for completing projects on time and on budget.
You can kickstart the whole process by following this link and filling in the online form. At Thames Contracts we offer free, no-obligation quotations.
You can also call us on 020 8368 0045.
