About Luton

The market town of Luton originally made its name on the back of the hat trade - in fact, there are still many working milliners and the local football team are nicknamed "The Hatters" - but, in more recent times, both light and heavy industry have become more of a mainstay in the local economy.

This took something of a blow a few years ago with the closure of one of Luton's major employers, the Vauxhall Motors factory, which had upwards of 30,000 employees at the height of production.

Thankfully the local airport, London Luton, has flourished since the boom in low-cost air travel and, as such, has provided much employment to make up for some of those job losses. The airport's steady expansion looks assured.

Luton has grown in recent decades as a commuter town, partly because of its proximity to the M1 motorway and that it has no less than three railway stations, but it also has much else to offer.

Many visitors to the area with a bit of retail therapy in mind are attracted to the Arndale Centre, which was one of Britain's first mall-style shopping centres and was starting to show its age.

However, the Arndale has recently had a multi-million pound facelift, including a stunning new glass roof, that has given it the modernisation it needed. Other parts of the town are also in the process of regeneration.

For those budding ramblers out there, it is worth noting that Luton is not only situated astride the picturesque river Lea, but also to the north lie the rolling Chiltern Hills - a haven for walkers.