What were some of the most read stories in June this year? From a filmworthy shopping precinct being demolished to a well-known salon suddenly shutting, the Welwyn Hatfield Times had it covered.
1. Shock as Welwyn Garden City salon suddenly shuts down
There was shock among residents as Academy Hair and Beauty had to close down suddenly in Welwyn Garden City.
They announced in late June that they would "cease trading with immediate effect" after the owner of the building they operated it from reclaimed it.
However, earlier this month the salon reopened under new ownership.
2. Welwyn Hatfield facing bin chaos as Urbaser workers strike
In early June, it was revealed that Urbaser workers would be going on an all-out strike starting later that month.
More than 60 workers employed by the waste company, which holds the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council contract for refuse collection and street cleaning, went on strike over pay.
The strike continued until a resolution was reached, with staff initially demanding more than the 6.8 per cent increase in pay that was on offer from Urbaser.
The Unite union supported the workers, with its general secretary Sharon Graham saying: "It is astonishing that Urbaser thinks it is anyway acceptable to pay frontline workers who keep the streets clean and tidy on such low wages.
"Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council should also be hanging its head in shame for allowing such low wages to be paid on its watch.
"Unite is totally focused on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and the workers at Urbaser will receive the union’s total support."
3. Welwyn Garden City: Members of public support manned Tesco checkouts
June also saw a protest held outside Welwyn Garden City railway station, with members of the public showing their opposition to the automation of grocery stores.
Tesco made the decision in 2022 to remove a majority of manned checkouts from its larger stores and increase the number of self-service tills instead.
With Welwyn Garden City home to Tesco's UK base, shuttle buses were being laid on to take shareholders from the railway station to the Annual General Meeting.
Those who organised the demonstration also launched a petition which received more than 240,000 signatures opposing the move to automation.
One of the organisers said: "This new way of shopping is destroying jobs, disenfranchising many and making our shopping trips self-service-card-only. This is not what tens of thousands of you want.
"We will be handing out leaflets to shareholders and making our presence known.
"The demo and distribution of leaflets will start at 10am, giving us enough time to lobby shareholders."
4. Shops that featured in Jack Ryan movie being demolished
June saw demolition begin on the remaining units in a Hatfield shopping parade that once appeared in a Hollywood movie.
The High View shops were being demolished as part of the regeneration of the Hilltop area of South Hatfield.
The semi-circular parade of shops graced the big screen in 2014, in the movie Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, which starred Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley and Kenneth Branagh.
Filming took place in September 2012, although none of the A-listers appeared in the shots filmed in the town.
St John's Church also featured in the film, being transformed along with the shopping precinct into Dearborn, a town in the US state of Michigan.
5. Drivers face punishment for speeding
Hertfordshire police cracked down on drivers speeding in Welwyn Garden City, with checks in place on Herns Lane in Panshanger.
Setting up on Tuesday, May 23, they issued three traffic offence reports to drivers who faced punishments. Other drivers were given words of advice.
PC Anne Lopez, from the Welwyn Hatfield Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “Speed limits exist for good reason and motorists should think carefully before choosing to ignore the limit.
"Do you want to be the person who causes a car crash? Speeding is one of the leading causes of road deaths and when residents report concerns about speeding, we take it seriously."
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