Has Watford become 'soulless'? Here's what you said

Reader G Crowe recently wrote to the Watford Observer fearing that the borough was becoming another part of the “London spillover” due to building work and also claimed the town now has “no culture, no outstanding art work or features and any trace of history has been erased”.

His letter has attracted a lot of opinion since it was published online yesterday and people have not held back in leaving comments with their thoughts on our Facebook page.

Some thought the removal of John Lewis was a blow for the town, while others miss the old Watford Market in Charter Place, which was redeveloped.

The Charter Place redevelopment (photo Holly Cant)

Bill Brosnan felt the town was in a “decline”.

He said: “I lived in Watford for over 50 years and enjoyed every minute of it, Watford was a wonderful place to live met some lovely people.

“Sadly now it’s in decline, town centres throughout the country are in decline.

“When you see stores like John Lewis closing that’s a worry the lockdown hasn’t helped, online shopping has played a big part in the demise, it’s so sad to see.”

Sitwat Asad added: “When we open up we can make a judgement: but I would say that the removal of John Lewis will have knocked the heart out of the town centre.”

The shutters down at John Lewis at Atria Watford. Credit: Stephen Danzig

Adie Kitachi said: "It’s sterile and has shops you can find anywhere. I shop 90 per cent online now.

"The town died the day the Market went."

Ian Lamont said he felt Watford was becoming “characterless rather than soulless”.

He said: “The recent reconstruction of the High Street has taken the previous character of the town and replaced it with a generic facade that makes it look bland and uninteresting and left any historic looking buildings few and far between.”

Jeremy Worth, who was born in Watford but now lives in Canada and visits the town every few years, felt central Watford had “lost its character”.

He said: “The High Street in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s felt like a real town centre. Watford overall is still a brilliant place and has lost nothing of its inspiring diversity - indeed, that side of things is better than ever - but none of this is perceptible on the High Street any more.

Readers have also been voting in our poll, which has gathered more than 600 responses so far. You can still vote in the poll below:

“Once one felt surrounded by the town's multiple communities. Now, one could be anywhere (ie. one is "nowhere") while shopping on the High Street; everyone's just a consumer lost in the lustre. I was sad enough about Clements, and things have gone steadily from bad to worse since the day the cupola came off.

“By 2015 I had lost most of the old sense of "home" on the High Street. The pond (once so nice to sit by, now execrable) has become an unfortunate symbol of all this new tackiness. Nearly everywhere else in the area is still "home", but the High Street is gone. These days I just run in, restock on pants at Marks & Spencers, and get out again.”

However, John Whatling felt Watford does have a "great future".

He said: "A lot of work needed post Covid.....I still believe Watford have a great future.The loss of the Croxley rail link was a big blow."

• Do you think Watford has become soulless? Let us know in the comments below.