Very good to see the Buntingford Monday Market looking so healthy. Several new stalls have appeared and the Market now offers a good range of products. I would urge you all to give it a try - the traders will only continue to turn up if the footfall merits it.

Several instances have been recorded of huge HGVs using Norfolk Road to gain access to the northern end of Buntingford High Street. This is a patently ridiculous route for them to take and something must be done to prevent it. Discussions with Herts Highways will, I trust, be forthcoming.

We think we are in a better position with regards the Christmas lights. It looks like the remedial work to the light fixings will allow us to install the lights from St Peter's Church up to just past Church Street. Not ideal but certainly better than we thought possible.

Very nearly a nasty accident in the High Street recently which was captured on CCTV. A car illegally reversing out of Church Street into the High Street lost control and ploughed into the tables outside the coffee shop. The tables were all occupied but thankfully no one was seriously hurt. It could have been so much worse. Police attended the scene.

Many of you will have already heard the very sad news recently regarding the passing of Trevor Reedman. Trevor was Chair of the Twinning Association for many years and a valued and very active member of the U3A. He was also a great supporter of BASH where he served on the committee and had been a driver for many years. Trevor will be sadly missed and our thoughts and condolences go to his wife Val and family.

Finally, the Civic Society has lost one of it's longest serving and most valued committee members - Ken Durrant, who first joined the Society in the late 1970s, has decided it is time to step down. Over the years, Ken has done everything from installing the Town's Christmas lights to delivering the Journals into the shops and to BCS members, all as a willing and cheerful volunteer. At our meeting in October I was delighted to offer Ken a small token of our appreciation and we wish him well.

Graham Bonner, Chairman, Buntingford Civic Society

If you have any queries about Buntingford Civic Society or issues you would like to raise, you can email the Chairman direct at chairman@buntingfordcivic.org.uk.

The October issue of the Buntingford Journal will be available from the usual retailers from 29th October.

More information about the Buntingford Civic Society can be found here and membership forms can be found here.