IT'S been almost two years since the launch of St Albans Into The 21st Century and plans to turn the city into a tourist magnet are well underway.

The non-profit making company was set up in September 2000 to market the city as a popular tourist destination and an ideal location for retailers and other businesses.

Headed by MP Kerry Pollard, the company directors met this week to discuss their progress and future plans to plant St Albans firmly on the map.

Mr Pollard said: "There's no other city in the land with such a diversity of history as we have here in St Albans.

"The one thing that I've been trying to promote is St Alban as the patron saint of England. We will keep on badgering away to get support for this idea."

Following the success of St Alban's Day on Saturday, June 22, the company announced plans to make it part of the annual calendar by holding a festival of events and activities.

Mr Pollard called for secondary school pupils to embrace the city's wealth of history, with historical reconstructions of the Civil War, Wars of the Roses and St Alban's martyrdom.

As well as historical plays, the company also plans to book Legion XIII Roman legionnaires to stage one of their demonstrations on St Alban's Day next year.

The company also plans to work with St Albans District Council, museums, tourist board and transport companies to promote the event and lay on concessionary fares for tourists.

St Albans Into The 21st Century promised to build bricked signs on the eight gateways into St Albans to replace the tin signs.

This week, Mr Pollard announced that the first bricked signs had been built on London Road and Harpenden Road.

Mr Melvyn Teare, city centre manager, said a "cleaning and greening" scheme had been run throughout the city centre with particular attention being paid to "grot spots".

Landlords had co-operated by bringing planning applications forward and within the last week more than 30 litter bins in the city had been re-painted black and gold.

Future plans include building a prestigious conference centre to enhance the retail attractiveness of St Albans and boost local economy.

Three developers had shown interest in the project but no site had been identified.

June 25, 2002 14:00