Summer has truly arrived in Hitchin, as families have enjoyed a trip to the beach in their own town centre.
The Gatwards Beach week has been held jointly by Hitchin BID and Market Place-based Gatwards, the oldest family jewellers in Britain, to celebrate the firm welcoming its eighth generation in the shape of Charlotte Gatward.
Charlotte told the Comet they were delighted with how the beach has been received since it opened yesterday.
“The weather has been very kind to us, and the beach has been full of children making sandcastles,” she said.
“Lots of people have been solving the clues in our ‘pieces of eight’ treasure trail, to win a family day out for four.”
Hitchin BID manager Tom Hardy said he loved seeing the town centre full of families having fun, and that he was very much looking forward to the arrival of a surf machine on Saturday.
Asked if he would be having a go at surfing himself, he told us: “Absolutely!”
In addition to the sand, there are Hitchin BID deckchairs and a helter skelter in Market Place until Sunday. The surf machine will be there all weekend.
The beach will be open from 10am to 4pm each day until Sunday afternoon.
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