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Luton () is a town and unitary authority with
borough status Borough status is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district. In Scotland, s ...
, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2021 census, the Luton/Dunstable urban area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable and Houghton Regis, had a population of 286,450. The town is situated on the
River Lea The River Lea ( ) is in South East England. It originates in Bedfordshire, in the Chiltern Hills, and flows southeast through Hertfordshire, along the Essex border and into Greater London, to meet the River Thames at Bow Creek. It is one of t ...
, about north-north-west of London. It is north-west of
Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a ford on the River Lea, ne ...
, south of Bedford and south-east of
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
. The town's foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon settlement on the river, from which Luton derives its name. Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book as ''Loitone'' and ''Lintone'' and one of the largest churches in Bedfordshire, St Mary's Church, was built in the 12th century. There are local museums which explore Luton's history in Wardown Park and
Stockwood Park Stockwood Park is a large urban park in Luton, Bedfordshire, in the Farley Hill estate. With period formal gardens, leading crafts museums, Stockwood Park Rugby Club and extensive golfing facilities, it is about 100 hectares in area. Golf Cent ...
. Luton was, for many years, widely known for
hatmaking Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...
and also had a large Vauxhall Motors factory. Car production at the plant began in 1905 and continued until the plant's closure in 2002. Production of commercial vehicles continues and the head office of Vauxhall Motors was in the town for many years, but relocated in 2019 to the village of
Chalton, Bedfordshire Chalton is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England, immediately north of the Luton/Dunstable conurbation and bounded to the east by the M1 motorway and the Midland Main Line railway line. A foo ...
on the northern border of the Borough of Luton. Transport is provided by London Luton Airport, which opened in 1938 and is now one of Britain's major airports, with three railway stations also in the town. The University of Bedfordshire was created from a merger with the University of Luton; two of its campuses are in Luton.
Luton Town Football Club Luton Town Football Club () is a professional association football club based in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England, that competes in the EFL Championship, Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1 ...
, nicknamed the ''Hatters'', due to the town's connection to hatmaking, has had several spells in the top flight of the
English league The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Englan ...
as well as a
Football League Cup The EFL Cup (referred to historically, and colloquially, as the League Cup), currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout competition and major trophy in men's domestic football in England. Organised by the ...
triumph in 1988. They play at Kenilworth Road, their home since 1905; planning permission for a new larger stadium was approved in 2019.
Luton International Carnival Luton International Carnival is a large carnival in Luton, Bedfordshire. The carnival is commissioned by Luton Borough Council and is artistically produced by UK Centre for Carnival Arts, which is based in Luton town centre. Traditionally it t ...
, the largest one-day
carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
in Europe, is held on the day before the last Monday in May; the
Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
's festival is held on the weekend nearest to Saint Patrick's Day as there is a large Irish community in Luton. The town also has a large Pakistani community which, along with the Irish, were attracted to employment at the Vauxhall car plant. Luton Hoo is an
English country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...
,
estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representat ...
and Grade I listed building originally designed by Scottish architect Robert Adam but later transformed to the designs of Robert Smirke.


Toponymy

Luton's earliest recorded name is ''Lygea-Byrig'', where ''Lygea'' means 'a river in an open field' and ''Byrig'' means 'a town'. The name shown as gradually converting to Luton over the centuries with ''Lvton'' being the used in the charter of Charles I.


History

Luton is believed to have been founded by the Anglo-Saxons sometime in the 6th century. The Domesday Book records Luton as ''Loitone'' and as ''Lintone''. Agriculture dominated the local economy at that time, and the town's population was around 700 to 800. In 1121 Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester started work on St Mary's Church in the centre of the town. The work was completed by 1137. A
motte-and-bailey A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...
castle which gives its name to the modern Castle Street was built in 1139 but demolished by 1154. The
hat making Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...
industry began in the 17th century and became synonymous with the town. The town grew: in 1801 the population was 3,095, but by 1850 it was over 10,000 and by 1901 it was almost 39,000. Newspaper printing arrived in the town in 1854. The first public cemetery was opened in the same year and Luton was made a borough in 1876. Luton's hat trade reached its peak in the 1930s, but severely declined after the Second World War and was replaced by other industries. In 1907, Vauxhall Motors opened the largest car plant in the United Kingdom in Luton, during the Second World War, it built Churchill tanks as part of the war effort. Despite heavy camouflage, the factory made Luton a target for the Luftwaffe and the town suffered a number of
air raid Air raid may refer to: Attacks * Airstrike * Strategic bombing Other uses * ''Air Raid'' (album), by the improvisational collective Air * Air Raid ''(Transformers)'', the name of three characters in the Transformers universes * ''Air Raid'' ...
s. 107 died and there was extensive damage to the town (over 1,500 homes were damaged or destroyed). The original town hall was destroyed in 1919 during Peace Day celebrations at the end of the First World War. Dr. John G. Dony, author of The Flora of Bedfordshire told his history students (he taught at Luton Grammar, predecessor of
Luton Sixth Form College Luton Sixth Form College is a sixth form college in the Barnfield area of Luton, Bedfordshire, England. History In 1904 Luton Council acquired the Modern School, which was a mixed-sex secondary school. This school moved into new buildings in ...
), during the 1950s, that he had broken the last intact window of the old town hall during the 1919 riots. Local people, including many ex-servicemen, were unhappy with unemployment and had been refused the use of a local park to hold celebratory events. They stormed the town hall, setting it alight (''see Luton Town Hall''). A replacement building was completed in 1936. Luton Borough Corporation had provided the borough with electricity since the early twentieth century from Luton power station, located adjacent to the railway. Upon
nationalisation Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately-owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to pri ...
of the electricity industry in 1948 ownership passed to the
British Electricity Authority The British Electricity Authority (BEA) was established as the central British electricity authority in 1948 under the nationalisation of Great Britain's electricity supply industry enacted by the Electricity Act 1947. The BEA was responsible for ...
and later to the Central Electricity Generating Board. Electricity connections to the national grid rendered the 23 megawatt (MW) coal and latterly oil-fired power station redundant. The station had a single chimney and two reinforced concrete cooling towers. The power station closed in 1968; in its final year of operation it delivered 3,192
MWh A kilowatt-hour (unit symbol: kW⋅h or kW h; commonly written as kWh) is a unit of energy: one kilowatt of power for one hour. In terms of SI derived units with special names, it equals 3.6 megajoules (MJ). Kilowatt-hours are a common bil ...
of electricity to the borough.
Luton Airport London Luton Airport is an international airport located in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, situated east of the town centre, and north of Central London. The airport is owned by London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL), a company wholly owned by L ...
opened in 1938, owned and operated by the council. It's now one of the largest employers in the area. The pre-war years, were something of an economic boom for Luton, as new industries grew and prospered. New private and
council housing Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council estates, council housing, or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011 when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in so ...
was built in the 1920s and 1930s, with Luton starting to incorporate nearby villages Leagrave, Limbury and
Stopsley Stopsley is a suburb in the north-east of Luton, in the Luton district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The area is roughly bounded by the edge of Luton to the north, Vauxhall Way and Turners Road North to the south, Bradgers H ...
between 1928 and 1933. Post-war, a number of substantial estates of
council housing Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council estates, council housing, or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011 when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in so ...
were built, notably at Farley Hill,
Stopsley Stopsley is a suburb in the north-east of Luton, in the Luton district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The area is roughly bounded by the edge of Luton to the north, Vauxhall Way and Turners Road North to the south, Bradgers H ...
, Limbury,
Marsh Farm Marsh Farm is a suburb of Luton, in the Luton district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England, near to Leagrave and Limbury, mainly of council and social housing. The area is bounded by the edge of Luton to the north, Bramingham Roa ...
and Leagrave (
Hockwell Ring Hockwell Ring is a suburb of Luton in the north-west of the town, in Bedfordshire, England. The area is roughly bounded by Brickly Road to the north, High Street and Torquay Drive to the south, the M1 motorway to the west, and Vincent Road to th ...
). The
Marsh Farm Marsh Farm is a suburb of Luton, in the Luton district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England, near to Leagrave and Limbury, mainly of council and social housing. The area is bounded by the edge of Luton to the north, Bramingham Roa ...
area of the town was developed in the mid to late 1960s as a large council housing estate, mostly to house the overspill population from London. However, the estate gained a reputation for high levels of crime, poverty and unemployment, which culminated in a riot on the estate in July 1992 and another more serious riot three years later. The closure of the Vauxhall manufacturing plant in 2002 had negative effects for Luton, leading to increased unemployment and deprivation.


Governance

The town is situated within the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire but, since 1997, Luton has been an administratively independent unitary authority, administered by Luton Borough Council. There are 48 councillors on the Borough Council, representing 19
wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
. , Luton is represented in Parliament by Sarah Owen who holds Luton North and Rachel Hopkins who holds
Luton South Luton South is a constituency in Bedfordshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Rachel Hopkins, a member of the Labour Party. History This seat was created in 1983, primarily from the former seat of Luton ...
. In 1876 the town council was granted its own coat of arms. The wheatsheaf was used on the crest to represent agriculture and the supply of straw used in the local
hatmaking Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...
industry (the
straw plaiting Straw plaiting is a method of manufacturing textiles by braiding straw and the industry that surrounds the craft of producing these straw manufactures. Straw is plaited to produce products including straw hats and ornaments, and the process is ...
industry was brought to Luton by a group of Scots under the protection of Sir John Napier of Luton Hoo). The bee is traditionally the emblem of industry and the hive represents the straw plaiting industry for which Luton was famous. The rose is from the arms of the Napier family, whereas the thistle is a symbol for Scotland. An alternative suggestion is that the rose was a national emblem, and the thistle represents the
Marquess of Bute Marquess of the County of Bute, shortened in general usage to Marquess of Bute, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute, John Stuart, 4th Earl of Bute. Family history John Stuart ...
, who formerly owned the Manor of Luton Hoo.


Geography

Luton is situated 28 miles north of London and 39 miles southwest of Cambridge. The town forms the core part of the wider Luton/Dunstable Urban Area which includes the nearby towns of Dunstable and Houghton Regis in Central Bedfordshire. The town is the most populous settlement in Bedfordshire followed by Bedford. Luton is located in a break in the eastern part of the
Chiltern Hills The Chiltern Hills is a chalk escarpment in England. The area, northwest of London, covers stretching from Goring-on-Thames in the southwest to Hitchin in the northeast - across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire. ...
. The Chilterns are a mixture of chalk from the Cretaceous period (about 66 – 145 million years ago) and deposits laid at the southernmost points of the ice sheet during the last ice age (the Warden Hill area can be seen from much of the town). Bedfordshire had a reputation for brick making but the industry is now significantly reduced. The brickworks at
Stopsley Stopsley is a suburb in the north-east of Luton, in the Luton district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The area is roughly bounded by the edge of Luton to the north, Vauxhall Way and Turners Road North to the south, Bradgers H ...
took advantage of the clay deposits in the east of the town. The source of the
River Lea The River Lea ( ) is in South East England. It originates in Bedfordshire, in the Chiltern Hills, and flows southeast through Hertfordshire, along the Essex border and into Greater London, to meet the River Thames at Bow Creek. It is one of t ...
, part of the Thames Valley drainage basin, is in the Leagrave area of the town. The Great Bramingham Wood surrounds this area. It is classified as ancient woodland; records mention the wood at least 400 years ago. There are few routes through the hilly area for some miles, this has led to several major roads (including the M1 and the A6) and a major rail-link being constructed through the town.


Climate

Luton has a temperate
marine climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
, like much of the British Isles, with generally light precipitation throughout the year. The weather is very changeable from day to day and the warming influence of the
Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Current, North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida a ...
makes the region mild for its latitude. The average total annual rainfall is with rain falling on 117 days of the year. The local climate around Luton is differentiated somewhat from much of South East England due to its position in the
Chiltern Hills The Chiltern Hills is a chalk escarpment in England. The area, northwest of London, covers stretching from Goring-on-Thames in the southwest to Hitchin in the northeast - across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire. ...
, meaning it tends to be 1–2 degrees Celsius cooler than the surrounding towns – often flights at
Luton airport London Luton Airport is an international airport located in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, situated east of the town centre, and north of Central London. The airport is owned by London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL), a company wholly owned by L ...
, lying above sea level, will be suspended when marginal snow events occur, while airports at lower elevations, such as Heathrow, at above sea level, continue to function. An example of this is shown in the photograph to the right, the snowline being about
above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...
. Absolute temperature extremes recorded at Rothamsted Research Station, south south east of Luton town centre and at a similar elevation range from in December 1981 and in January 1963 to in July 2019 and in August 1990 and July 2006. Records for Rothamsted date back to 1901.


Demography

The United Kingdom Census 2011 showed that the borough had a population of 203,201, a 10.2% increase from the previous census in 2001, when Luton was the 27th largest settlement in the United Kingdom. In 2011, 46,756 were aged under 16, 145,208 were 16 to 74, and 11,237 were 75 or over. Local inhabitants are known as ''Lutonians''.


Ethnicity

Luton has seen several waves of immigration. In the early part of the 20th century, there was internal migration of Irish and
Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
people to the town. These were followed by South Asian and
Afro-Caribbean Afro-Caribbean people or African Caribbean are Caribbean people who trace their full or partial ancestry to Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of the modern African-Caribbeans descend from Africans taken as slaves to colonial Caribbean via the ...
immigrants. More recently immigrants from European countries such as Albania have made Luton their home. As a result of this Luton has a diverse ethnic mix, with a significant population of Asian descent, mainly Pakistani 29,353 (14.4%) and
Bangladeshi Bangladeshis ( bn, বাংলাদেশী ) are the citizens of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centered on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay. Bangladeshi citizenship was formed in 1971, when the ...
13,606 (6.7%). The latter two also make up most of the
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
religious population in Luton, which is the third highest for a town or city in England by proportion. Since the 2011 census, Luton has had a white British population less than 50%, one of three towns in the United Kingdom along with
Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...
and
Slough Slough () is a town and unparished area in the unitary authority of the same name in Berkshire, England, bordering west London. It lies in the Thames Valley, west of central London and north-east of Reading, at the intersection of the M4 ...
. Luton has a majority white population when non-British white people are included, such as the Irish and Eastern Europeans. 81% of the population of Luton define themselves as British.


Religion

At the 2011 census, the religious affiliation of Luton was as follows:


Economy

Luton's economy has traditionally been focused on several different areas of industry, including car manufacturing, engineering and millinery. However, today, Luton is moving towards a service based economy mainly in the retail and the airport sectors, although there is still a focus on light industry in the town. Notable firms with headquarters in Luton include: * EasyJet – head office (originally EasyLand, later moved into Hangar 89) and main base at London Luton Airport *
Impellam Group Impellam Group plc traded on the AIM ("IPEL") is a provider of Managed Services and Specialist Staffing and operates across the UK, North America, Australasia, Europe, and the Middle East. Impellam Group plc provides jobs at all levels, inc ...
– headquarters at Capability Green * TUI UK ( TUI Airways) – travel (Wigmore House) * Vauxhall Motors – headquarters (Chalton House) Notable firms with offices in Luton include: *
Anritsu is a Japanese multinational corporation in the telecommunications electronics equipment market. A global pioneer for producing the world's first wireless telephone network, Anritsu's revenue numbers near US$782 million. History In Japan, Anri ...
– electronics * AstraZeneca – pharmaceuticals * Selex ES – aerospace * Ernst & Young – accountants * Whitbread – hospitality * Stonegate Pub Company – hospitality Luton's post-war and more recent industrial decline has been compared to that of similar towns in northern England.


Employment

Of the town's working population (classified 16–74 years of age by the Office for National Statistics), 63% are employed. This figure includes students, the self-employed and those who are in part-time employment. 11% are retired, 8% look after the family or take care of the home and 5% are unemployed.


Transport

Luton is situated less than north of the centre of London, giving it good links with the
City A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and other parts of the country via rail and major roads such as the M1 (which serves the town from junctions 10 and 11) and the A6. The town has three railway stations: Luton, Leagrave and Luton Airport Parkway that are served by
East Midlands Railway Abellio East Midlands Limited, trading as East Midlands Railway (EMR), is a train operating company in England, owned by Abellio, and is the current operator of the East Midlands franchise. History In March 2017, the Department for Transport a ...
and Thameslink services. Luton is also home to London Luton Airport, one of the major feeder airports for London and the south-east. A light metro people mover track,
Luton DART The Luton DART is a forthcoming automated guided people mover (light metro) which will connect Luton Airport Parkway station and Luton Airport in Bedfordshire, England. DART is an acronym for Direct Air-Rail Transit. It is currently under co ...
, opened in 2023, linking the airport and Luton Airport Parkway railway station. A network of bus services run by
Arriva Shires & Essex Arriva Shires & Essex is a bus operator providing services in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire, with services extending to Oxfordshire and Greater London. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester. It is a subsidiary o ...
, Grant Palmer and
Centrebus Centrebus is a bus company based in Leicester operating services in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. Centrebus have a 51% shareholding in High Peak Buses and since December 2019 through c ...
serves the urban area of Luton and Dunstable. A
bus rapid transit Bus rapid transit (BRT), also called a busway or transitway, is a bus-based public transport system designed to have much more capacity, reliability and other quality features than a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT system includes ...
route opened in 2013, called the '' Luton to Dunstable Busway'', connecting the town with the airport, Dunstable and Houghton Regis. Hertfordshire-based bus operator Uno also run buses on their 'Dragonfly' 610 route to Hatfield, Potters Bar and Cockforsters Luton is also served by a large taxi network. As a unitary authority, Luton Borough Council is responsible for the local highways and public transport in the borough and licensing of taxis.


Education

Luton is one of the main locations of the University of Bedfordshire. A large campus of the university is in Luton town centre, with a smaller campus based on the edge of town in Putteridge Bury, an old
Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...
manor house. The other campuses of the university are located in Bedford,
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
and
Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery, David Tugwell`s house on Watermead and the Waterside Theatre. It is in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wy ...
. The town is home to
Luton Sixth Form College Luton Sixth Form College is a sixth form college in the Barnfield area of Luton, Bedfordshire, England. History In 1904 Luton Council acquired the Modern School, which was a mixed-sex secondary school. This school moved into new buildings in ...
and
Barnfield College Barnfield College is the largest further education college in Bedfordshire, England, with two campuses in Luton. Campus locations *New Bedford Road Campus, New Bedford Road, Luton, LU2 7BF *Technology Campus, Enterprise Way, Luton, LU3 4BU F ...
. Both have been awarded Learning & Skills Beacon Status by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Luton's schools and colleges had also been earmarked for major investment in the government scheme Building Schools for the Future programme, which intends to renew and refit buildings in institutes across the country. Luton is in the third wave of this long-term programme with work intending to start in 2009. Some schools were rebuilt before the programme was scrapped by the coalition government. There are 98 educational institutes in Luton – seven nurseries, 56 primary schools (9
voluntary-aided A voluntary aided school (VA school) is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust (usually a religious organisation), contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school. In mo ...
, 2 special requirements), 13 secondary schools (1 voluntary-aided, 1 special requirements), four further educational institutes and four other educational institutes.


Culture


Architecture

The town contains 92 listed buildings.


Leisure and entertainment


Luton International Carnival

Luton International Carnival Luton International Carnival is a large carnival in Luton, Bedfordshire. The carnival is commissioned by Luton Borough Council and is artistically produced by UK Centre for Carnival Arts, which is based in Luton town centre. Traditionally it t ...
is the largest one-day
carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
in Europe. It usually takes place on the late May Bank Holiday. Crowds can reach 150,000 on each occasion. The procession starts at Wardown Park and makes its way down New Bedford Road, around the town centre via St George's Square, back down New Bedford Road and finishes back at Wardown Park. There are music stages and stalls around the town centre and at Wardown Park. Luton is home to the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), the country's first purpose-built facility of its kind.


Luton St Patrick's Festival

The festival celebrating the patron saint of Ireland
St Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
and organised by Luton Irish Forum, is held on the weekend nearest to
17 March Events Pre-1600 *45 BC – In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda. * 180 – Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of eig ...
. In its 20th year in 2019, the festival includes a parade, market stalls and music stands as well as Irish themed events.


Luton Mela

The first Luton
Melā Mela ( sa, मेला) is a Sanskrit word meaning "gathering" or "to meet" or a "fair". It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gatherings and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sport-related. In rural traditions melas o ...
took place in August 2000 and has developed into one of the most significant and well attended South Asian cultural events in the eastern region.


City of Culture bid and pilot year

Luton Council's strategic vision for the Arts, and Cultural and Creative industries includes the plan to bid for City of Culture Status. This plan includes a pilot year with the theme of Peace Riots starting in Spring 2019. Events will be published on the Luton.Events website.


Theatre and performing arts

Luton is home to the Library Theatre, a 238-seat theatre located on the 3rd floor of the town's Central Library. The theatre's programme consists of local amateur dramatic societies, pantomime, children's theatre (on Saturday mornings) and one night shows of touring theatre companies. Luton is also home to the Hat Factory, originally as its name suggests, this arts centre was in fact a real hat factory. The Hat Factory is a combined arts venue in the centre of Luton. It opened in 2003 and since then has been the area's main provider of contemporary theatre, dance and music. The venue provides live music, club nights, theatre, dance, films, children's activities, workshops, classes and gallery exhibitions.


Media


Radio

* BBC Three Counties Radio, the local BBC station, broadcasts from its office in Dunstable to Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
. * Heart East, a formerly independent local station, broadcast from
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
. * Diverse FM began broadcasts in April 2007 having been awarded a community radio licence from
Ofcom The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...
. *
Radio LaB ''Radiolab'' is a radio program produced by WNYC, a public radio station in New York City, and broadcast on public radio stations in the United States. The show is nationally syndicated and is available as a podcast. Live shows were first offe ...
(formerly Luton FM), the university's radio station, began broadcasting full-time in 2010 having been awarded a community radio licence from
Ofcom The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...
. * In addition, Radio Ramadhan used to broadcast during the month of
Ramadan , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
until Inspire FM, a full-time community radio station, broadcasting on 105.1 FM, became available in 2010.


Television

* Luton is within the ITV London and BBC London region. However it can also pick up the broadcast area of ITV Anglia and BBC East.


Local attractions

* Dunstable Downs *
Leagrave Park Leagrave is a former village and now a suburb of Luton, in the Borough of Luton, Luton district, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England, in the northwest of the town. The area is roughly bounded by Vincent Road, Torquay Drive and High ...
* Leighton Buzzard Light Railway * The Hat Factory * Luton Hoo * Someries Castle * Stockwood Discovery Centre *
Stockwood Park Stockwood Park is a large urban park in Luton, Bedfordshire, in the Farley Hill estate. With period formal gardens, leading crafts museums, Stockwood Park Rugby Club and extensive golfing facilities, it is about 100 hectares in area. Golf Cent ...
* Wardown Park * Wardown Park Museum *
Waulud's Bank Waulud's Bank is a possible Neolithic henge in Leagrave, Luton dating from 3,000BC. The Waulud's Bank earthworks are in the North of Luton and are situated on the edge of Leagrave common, with Central Leagrave to the south east and Marsh Farm ...
* Whipsnade Tree Cathedral * Whipsnade Zoo * Woburn Safari Park * Woodside Farm and Wildfowl Park * Wrest Park


Recreation


Parks and open spaces

Luton has a variety of parks ranging from district parks, neighbourhood parks, local open space and leisure gardens.


Brantwood Park

In the 1880s, the land now known as Brantwood Park was an open field on the south side of
Dallow Dallow is an inner area of Luton about a half mile (0.8 km) west of the town centre and a ward of the Borough of Luton, in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The extended area along Dallow Road is roughly bounded by Hatters Way ...
. The site was purchased by the Town Council in 1894 for use as a recreation ground and there is reference to it as ‘West Ward Recreation Ground' in a 1911-year book. It is reported as being one of the first two recreation grounds in Luton; the other being East Ward Recreation Ground, now known as Manor Road Park.


Kidney Wood

Kidney Wood is ancient semi-natural woodland on the southern edge of Luton that has been identified as a County Wildlife Site. The wood was purchased by Luton Borough Council as an area of public open space. The council seeks to maintain and enhance the nature conservation interest of Kidney Wood, including its habitats while allowing public access for informal recreation including play. Kidney Wood includes a way marked nature trail and play dells.


Memorial Park

Sir Julius Wernher purchased the Luton Hoo Estate and the Manor of Luton from Madame de Falbe around 1903. He carried out substantial renovation works to the Manor and grounds. On his death in 1912 the estate passed to Lady Ludlow. Lady Ludlow presented the Park to the people of Luton on 12 June 1920, in memory of her son Alex Piggott Werner, who was killed in action during the First World War. The site is officially named Luton Hoo Memorial Park. Council records state that the area was purchased under the Statutory Powers of the Public Health Acts.


Stockwood Park

Stockwood Park is a large municipal park near Junction 10 of the M1. Located in the park is Stockwood Discovery Centre, a free museum that houses Luton local social history, archaeology and geology. The collection of rural crafts and trades held at Stockwood Discovery Centre was amassed by Thomas Wyatt Bagshawe, who was a notable local historian and a leading authority on folk life. The park has an athletics track, an 18-hole golf course, several rugby and football pitches and areas of open space. The park was originally the estate and grounds to Stockwood house, which was demolished in 1964. The museum includes the Mossman Collection of horse-drawn vehicles, which is the largest and most significant vehicle collection of its kind in the country, including originals from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.


Wardown Park

Wardown Park is situated on the
River Lea The River Lea ( ) is in South East England. It originates in Bedfordshire, in the Chiltern Hills, and flows southeast through Hertfordshire, along the Essex border and into Greater London, to meet the River Thames at Bow Creek. It is one of t ...
in Luton. The park has sporting facilities, is home to the Wardown Park Museum and contains formal gardens. The park is located between ''Old Bedford Road'' and the A6, ''New Bedford Road'' and is within walking distance of the town centre. The park houses Wardown House Museum and Gallery, previously known as Luton Museum and Art Gallery, in a large Victorian mansion. The museum collection focuses on the traditional crafts and industry of Luton and Bedfordshire, notably lace making and
hatmaking Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners, typically women shopkeepers, produced or imported an inventory of g ...
. There are samples of local lace from as early as the 17th century.


Shopping

The main shopping area in Luton is centred on
the Mall Luton The Mall Luton is in the centre of Luton, in Bedfordshire, England. It was formerly an Arndale Centre, until it was purchased by Capital & Regional in January 2006. It was temporarily called ''The Mall Arndale'', but is now referred to as ''The ...
. Built in the 1960s/1970s and opened as an Arndale Centre, construction of the shopping centre led to the demolition of a number of the older buildings in the town centre, including the Plait Halls (a Victorian covered market building with an iron and glass roof). Shops and businesses in the remaining streets, particularly in the roads around Cheapside and in High Town, have been in decline ever since. George Street, on the south side of the Arndale, was pedestrianised in the 1990s. The shopping centre had some construction and re-design work done to it over the 2011/12 period, with a new square built to be used for leisure events, as well as a number of new food restaurants. Contained within the main shopping centre is the market, which contains butchers, fishmongers, fruit and veg, hairdressers, tattoo parlours, ice cream, a flower stall, T-shirt printing and the market's original sewing shop for clothes alterations and repairs as well as eating places. Another major shopping area is Bury Park where there are shops catering to Luton's ethnic minorities.


Sport

Luton has a wide range of sports clubs. It is the home town of
Luton Town Football Club Luton Town Football Club () is a professional association football club based in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England, that competes in the EFL Championship, Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1 ...
which in May 2023 achieved promotion to the English Premier League for the first time in their history which also includes several spells in the top flight of the English league as well as a League Cup triumph in
1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
. They play at Kenilworth Road, their home since 1905, with a new larger capacity stadium known as Power Court under construction. Their nickname, 'The Hatters', dates back to when Luton had a substantial millinery industry, and their logo is based on the town's coat of arms.
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club Bedfordshire County Cricket Club is one of 20 Minor County clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Bedfordshire. The team is currently a member of the Minor Counties Championship ...
is based at Wardown Park and is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
structure, representing the historic county of Bedfordshire.
Luton Rugby Club Luton Rugby Football Club are a Bedfordshire-based English rugby union team who currently play their rugby in London 2 North West following their relegation from London 1 North at the end of the 2018–19 season. Their ground is located by the M1 ...
are a local rugby union club based on Newlands Road, by the M1 motorway just outside
Stockwood Park Stockwood Park is a large urban park in Luton, Bedfordshire, in the Farley Hill estate. With period formal gardens, leading crafts museums, Stockwood Park Rugby Club and extensive golfing facilities, it is about 100 hectares in area. Golf Cent ...
, who play in London 1 North. Speedway racing was once staged at
Luton Stadium Luton Stadium was a former greyhound racing and speedway stadium. Origins A proposal to construct a stadium in Luton in 1927 on a seven-acre site on Beechwood Road in nearby Leagrave had failed to get planning permission after drawing objections ...
from 1934 to 1937.


Twin towns

Luton participates in international town twinning; its partners are:


Notable people

People who were born in Luton or are associated with the town.


By birth

* Mick Abrahams, guitarist for Jethro Tull * Keshi Anderson, footballer * David Arnold, composer * Emily Atack, actress * John Badham, film director * Lewis Baker, footballer * Clive Barker, sculptor and artist * Jonathan Barnbrook, graphic designer and typographer *
Josh Bassett Joshua Marcus Andrew Bassett (born 17 March 1992) is an English rugby union player who currently plays for Harlequins. His regular position is Wing. Club career Bassett played youth team rugby for Ampthill RUFC, where he helped the under-17 ...
, rugby player * Kevin Blackwell, goalkeeper and football manager *
Dean Brill Dean Michael Brill (born 2 December 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and is now a coach at the academy of Tottenham Hotspur. Career Luton Town Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, Brill joined Luton at ...
, footballer *
Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and war ...
, born Michael Peterson, prisoner * William Brown, footballer * Clive Bunker, drummer for Jethro Tull * Danny Cannon, screenwriter, director and producer *
Gerald Anthony Coles Gerald Anthony Coles (1929–2004) was an English painter, printmaker, and stained glass designer. Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, he was trained at the Luton School of Art (1943–45) before working for the Harper and Hendra Studios in Harpenden ...
, artist * Natasha Collins, actress and television presenter * Andy Day, television presenter *
Steve Dillon Steve Dillon (22 March 1962 – 22 October 2016) was a British comic book artist, best known for his work with writer Garth Ennis on ''Hellblazer'', ''Preacher'' and ''The Punisher''. Early life Dillon was born in London in 1962 and raised i ...
, comic artist * Kerry Dixon, footballer * Stacey Dooley, journalist, television presenter and ''
Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (informally known as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly ballroom and Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of usually 4 ...
'' winner * Jamal Edwards, entrepreneur, author, director, DJ and founder of SB.TV *
Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards may refer to: Musicians *Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, pseudonym of bandleader Paul Weston and his wife, singer Jo Stafford *Jonathan Edwards (musician) (born 1946), American musician ** ''Jonathan Edwards'' (album), debut album ...
, footballer * Kevin Foley, footballer * Sean Gallagher, actor *
Liam George Liam Brendan George (born 2 February 1979) is a footballer who plays for Barton Rovers on a part-time basis, having signed for them in 2010. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland in the Under 18 European Youth Championship. C ...
, footballer * John Hagan, 8th
master chief petty officer U.S. Coast Guardmaster chief petty officercollar device U.S. Coast Guardmaster chief petty officersleeve rating insignia United States Navymaster chief petty officer collar insignia United States Navymaster chief petty officershoulderb ...
, US Navy *
Arthur Hailey Arthur Frederick Hailey, AE (5 April 1920 – 24 November 2004) was a British-Canadian novelist whose plot-driven storylines were set against the backdrops of various industries. His books, which include such best sellers as ''Hotel'' (1965), ...
, novelist * Nadiya Hussain, '' The Great British Bake Off'' winner * Neil Jackson, actor *
Sharna Jackson Sharna Jackson is a British writer of children's fiction.Rebecca ThomasAuthor Sharna Jackson: Bringing diversity into children's books ''BBC News'', 17 April 2019. Accessed 7 June 2020. She is the author of a mystery series, aimed at middle-grade ...
, children's writer *
James Justin James Michael Justin (born 23 February 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Leicester City and the England national team. Club career Luton Town Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, Justin joined Luton Town i ...
, footballer *
Stephen Kelman Stephen Kelman (born 1976) is an English novelist, who grew up on Marsh Farm council estate in Luton. He studied marketing at the University of Bedfordshire,Stuart Lewis-Evans Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans (20 April 1930 – 25 October 1958) was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 14 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 May 1957. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 16 c ...
, Formula One driver * Sean Maguire, footballer for
Preston North End Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional football club in Preston, Lancashire, England, who currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league syste ...
*
Frederick Mander Sir Frederick Mander FEIS (12 July 1883 – 27 February 1964) was a headmaster and trade unionist and the General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) from 1931 to 1947. Mander was born in Luton in Bedfordshire, the son of Arthur ...
, General Secretary of the NUT *
Sarfraz Manzoor Sarfraz Manzoor ( ur, سرفراز منظور; born 9 June 1971) is a British journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, and screenwriter of Pakistani origin. He is a regular contributor to ''The Guardian'', presenter of documentaries on BBC Ra ...
, journalist and author *
Herbert Moody Herbert B. Moody (born 1880 in Luton) was an English footballer. Career After signing with home-town club Luton Town in 1901, Moody scored 15 league goals in 63 matches before moving on to Leicester Fosse in 1905. Returning to Luton two years ...
, Luton Town footballer * Monty Panesar, cricketer * David Price, cricketer * Phil Read, motorcycle racer *
David Renwick David Peter Renwick (; born 4 September 1951) is an English author, television writer, actor, director and executive producer, best known for creation of the sitcom ''One Foot in the Grave'' and the mystery series ''Jonathan Creek''. He was awar ...
, scriptwriter *
Stu Riddle Stu Riddle (born 23 May 1976) is a former footballer who played as a striker. He is currently the head coach at D'Youville University and was formerly the head coach of the men's soccer team at Western Michigan University, University of Buffa ...
, footballer * Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, far-right activist *
Lee Ross Lee David Ross (August 25, 1942 – May 14, 2021) was a Canadian-American professor. He held the title of the Stanford Federal Credit Union Professor of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University and was an influential social psychologist wh ...
, actor * Billy Schwer, boxer *
Andy Selway Andy Selway is an English drummer, well known for his work with KMFDM. Selway spent his early years in Luton, England, but moved to Kirton near Felixstowe, Suffolk, where he remained until his early 20s. From a musical family, he is the eldest ...
, drummer * Gavin Shuker, politician * Junior Simpson, comedian * Paul Sinha, comedian and quizzer *
Zena Skinner Zena Skinner (27 February 1927 – 6 March 2018) was a British chef, writer, and cookery expert on television and radio. Early life Skinner was from Luton, Bedfordshire. Her father owned an electroplating company. Career Skinner served in ...
, television chef and author *
Steven M Smith Steven M. Smith is Professor of Plant Genetics and Biochemistry at the University of Tasmania in Australia, and Visiting Professor in the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Beijing, China. He is also a c ...
, biologist * Will Smith, cricketer *
David Stoten David Stoten (born in Luton, Bedfordshire) is a short film maker and director and caricaturist on TV's ''Spitting Image''. Stoten won the BAFTA award with longtime collaborator, Tim Watts in 1994 for '' The Big Story''. Since then, Stoten has pr ...
, storyboard artist * Jordan Thomas, World and European karate champion *
Mark Titchner Mark Titchner (born 1973) is an English artist, and 2006 nominee for the Turner Prize. He lives and works in London. Focusing on an exploration of words and language, in recent years much of his production has been based in the public realm bot ...
, artist *
UK Decay UK Decay are an English rock band, based in Luton, England. History UK Decay was born out of the ashes of another Luton band called the Resiztors, who had formed in 1978. The Resiztors' line-up consisted of guitarist Steve "Abbo" Abbott, ...
, band * Richard Wiseman, psychologist *
Jamie Woolford Jamie Woolford (born 15 November 1974 in Luton, England) is a record producer, engineer, singer-songwriter and touring musician. He is a founding member of rock bands The Stereo, Let Go and Animal Chin. In 2013, he released his first solo reco ...
, rock musician for The Stereo, Animal Chin and Let Go * Paul Young, pop rock singer * Zuby, rapper


By association

* Rodney Bewes, actor *
Mo Chaudry Mohammed Ishaq "Mo" Chaudry (born 21 September 1960) is a British Pakistani businessman. He spent his early years in Pakistan, before travelling to England and building an estimated fortune of more than £100m, confirming himself as one of the ...
, entrepreneur * Diana Dors, actress * Ian Dury, singer * Darrel N Gregory, Author * John Hegley, poet * Hilda Hewlett, UK's first female pilot *
Alec Jeffreys Sir Alec John Jeffreys, (born 9 January 1950) is a British geneticist known for developing techniques for genetic fingerprinting and DNA profiling which are now used worldwide in forensic science to assist police detective work and to resolv ...
, geneticist *
Sarfraz Manzoor Sarfraz Manzoor ( ur, سرفراز منظور; born 9 June 1971) is a British journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, and screenwriter of Pakistani origin. He is a regular contributor to ''The Guardian'', presenter of documentaries on BBC Ra ...
, author and columnist, The Guardian * Eric Morecambe, entertainer * Elizabeth Price, artist * Colin Salmon, actor * Andrew Tate, British-American ex-kickboxer and internet personality


See also


Notes


References


Bibliography

*


External links

*
Luton Borough Council

Bedfordshire Police

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue

Luton and Dunstable
- major local hospital
Luton Today
- local news
Luton Culture
- charity which manages museums and various events
Luton Town F.C.
- local
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team {{Authority control Towns in Bedfordshire Local government districts of Bedfordshire Unparished areas in Bedfordshire Unitary authority districts of England NUTS 3 statistical regions of the United Kingdom 6th-century establishments in England Hatmaking Populated places established in the 6th century Boroughs in England Former civil parishes in Bedfordshire