New Letchworth BID manager Tom Hardy working to bring blockbuster events into town

The new manager of the Letchworth BID believes that being born and bred in the town will put him in good stead to drive the organisation forward.

Tom Hardy, who lives in the Pixmore area of the town, took up the position full time on Monday, having been working in the temporary Love Letchworth office in The Arcade for the past few months.

As well as putting his designs on a packed roster of events for the town for the upcoming year, the 25-year-old is also looking forward to moving his headquarters into the Letchworth Tourist Information Centre nearby.

Love Letchworth has seen a string of personnel changes in the past two years, but the former Fearnhill School student is hoping for a period of stability, having spent almost six years running the events at Hertford Castle for Hertford Town Council.

Tom said: “We want to have more communication between everyone involved in the BID and we want to bring income into the BID.

“Every penny needs to be considered and we need to know where it is going.

“I was born and bred here so I have seen the changes in the town over the past few years, we’ve lost some businesses but we’ve also gained some as well.

“But I think we are seeing more people supporting their local butchers and independent shops these days.

“There is a huge potential in Letchworth and I think these are exciting times.”

As well as having weekly markets, installing footfall counters and music in the town centre every Saturday, Tom hopes an enhanced quartet of events this year will please the punters.

Although all dates are in the provisional stage, the first earmarked event is the Letchworth Food and Drink Festival on May 28 and 29, which will see the food demonstration stages of old replaced with a music stage and busking acoustic areas.

There will also be the chance for Letchworth BID restaurants, pubs and food shops to become part of the festival’s Taste Trail, with the aim of showcasing the best of the town.

Next up will be the Town Centre Takeover on July 23 which will see the BID team working in partnership with System Restore from The Wynd to install double decker gaming buses in the town centre.

Aside from the usual Christmas Lights Switch On in November, Tom also hopes to hold a beer festival outside The Platform in October.

To get in touch with Tom about the BID or any events going on in the town you can email him at events@loveletchworth.com.