Browse the siteHemel Hempstead has many modern high street stores and two shopping centres - Marlowes Shopping Centre and Riverside. There’s also the old high street referred to as the Old Town which contains many antique and speciality shops alongside pubs and café’s.
The Marlowes Shopping Centre is an indoor mall and features a range of independent and well-known high street shops, as well as cafes, seasonal pop-up outlets, covered parking and comfort facilities. You can find the main Post Office, which is open daily, in The Marlowes.
Riverside, the newest addition to the shopping area, has been attractively landscaped around the River Gade and features many favourite high street stores. There is a bustling, cafe society feel with a wide range of eateries, many with outdoor seating facilities.
On Wednesdays, the town plays host to an antiques market, while on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays the market stalls cover everything from fruit and veg to handbags and clothes.
Jarman Park is Hemel Hempstead’s biggest leisure destination, hosting restaurants, the cinema, ice skating, soft play, athletics track and the XC centre as well as a large Tesco. All of these activites can be found separately on our Things to do page.
The Forum is Hemel Hempstead's council, library and voluntary services hub, and is situated in the town centre on the corner of Combe Street and Marlowes. together with Hertfordshire Register Service. Newly opened in 2017, it’s a lovely building with a large open atrium with a café at the centre. It’s a great place to visit as a resident as it has lots of services all under one roof.
Library
The borough’s new central library makes full use of the bigger space it now occupies, providing more books and resources, including public computers, Wi-Fi, and reading and study areas – as well as being designed flexibly to allow for community events. They run a variety of activities for babies, toddlers and young people and regularly run library challenges through the year. Regular groups include Baby Rhyme Time and Toddler Tales.
Opening hours of the library are:
Monday - 9am to 6pm
Tuesday - Midday to 6pm
Wednesday - 9am to 6pm
Thursday - 9am to 7pm
Friday - 9am to 6pm
Saturday - 9.30am to 4pm
Sunday - Midday to 4pm
Dacorum’s Family Centre Service covers Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Kings Langley and the surrounding areas. It is a good service to know about when you are pregnant, just had a baby or new to the area. They offer a range of different support groups, activities and services for families and their child/children from pregnancy to age 19. You can access services or attend classes and groups at any of the centres across the district, but our local centre is the Windmill Family Centre. You must register on their website to access the services. Please note that outside of the times of classes, groups and other timetabled services these centres are not staffed.
Broadfield Primary School
Broadfield Road
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 4DW
Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm
Hemel Hempstead Police Station is located on Combe Street in the town centre. It does not have a front counter service but has a free outside public telephone to Police Control Room
Hemel Hempstead Train Station is based on London Road in the Boxmoor area of Hemel Hempstead and offers a direct train into London Euston which takes around 25 minutes which many commuters use on a daily basis. It also serves Milton Keynes, Northampton and destinations on the West London Route. Access to the four platforms is via a subway from the ticket hall, with lifts for step-free access. There is a coffee shop on platform 4 (trains towards London) and waiting rooms on platform 1 and between platforms 2 and 3 (trains towards Milton Keynes and Northampton). Bus stops for onward travel are outside the station building on London Road. There is also a carpark which holds 496 cars.
If you have reached the door-slamming and life being "so unfair" stage then you will probably be ready for YC Hertfordshire. This service, for 13 -19 year olds (up to 25 years for young people with disabilities), parents and carers allows you to access advice, information and support in all areas of teenage life from education and career paths to guidance for those with anxieties about life\'s challenges. YC Hertfordshire provides youth work projects and programmes, information, advice, guidance, work related learning, outdoor education and support for young people aged 13-19 (to 24 for young people with learning disabilities). For young people leaving care, support is provided to the age of 21. YC Hertfordshire Hemel Hempstead Access Point is located at the XC Centre, Jarman Park First Floor, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4JS
Hours:
Monday 2–5pm
Tuesday 2–5pm
Thursday 2–5pm
Friday 2–5pm
Hemel Hempstead is blessed with a variety of good schools and childcare providers the details of which you can also find listed on the website.
I also couldn’t not mention one of the most famous features of Hemel Hempstead - Plough Roundabout, known as the ‘Magic Roundabout’, consists of six small roundabouts arranged in a circle, and was the first such system in Britain. You can always get to any part of Hemel from here!
Cant see what you need on our website? Please do feel free to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.
