A time capsule reflecting life in February 2022 has been placed under the floor at Hitchin Town Hall as a memento for future generations.

The idea came when an old packet of Woodbine cigarettes was found during work to replace the flooring. It is impossible to accurately date the cigarettes, as the design remained the same from the 1880s through to the 1960s.

However, they were probably dropped - or even left behind deliberately - by one of the workers in the 1950s, when the floor was last replaced.

The capsule included a disposable face mask and notice asking people to wear one, a rainbow flag to signify February as LGBT+ History Month, a current issue of the Comet, as well as a plan of the museum and town hall, menu for the museum café, and a letter from museum curator Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews to the future curator.

Keith said: “We were excited to put together a time capsule for people to discover in years to come, a snippet of life in 2022, as well as a link to the past – we included a printout of the Facebook post about the cigarette packet from the 1950s.

“As a listed building, we had to apply to change the floor. It’s so important to preserve our heritage, but we also have to move along with the times. It’s a careful balance.”

Work is being completed this week, with the sprung dancefloor back in use for Common People - a 90's indie disco - on Saturday. A flyer for the event was also included in the time capsule.