Moving to Luton?
Luton is a large town in Bedfordshire, on the eastern part of the Chiltern Hills.
The whole area is one of outstanding natural beauty, and enjoyed by a great many
people all-year-round.
Historically, Luton is most famous for its hat making industry (millinery). This
began in the 17th Century. By the early 20th Century the industry was in decline,
although hats are still produced in the town, albeit on a much smaller scale. Vauxhall
Motors had their biggest car plant in the country based in Luton, from 1905 up until
fairly recently, 2002 to be precise. The site is now being redeveloped for housing,
retail and entertainment purposes, including a casino! In fact, the whole town centre
is being regenerated, with major projects currently underway.
Luton is a multicultural and diverse community with many of its population coming
from various other countries around the world, and from within the UK too. There
are a great number of ethnic restaurants, including Thai, Mexican, Indian and many
more, which are testament to the ethnic diversity that can be found within Luton.
Luton hosts the largest one-day carnival in Europe, the ‘Luton Carnival’. It was
started in 1976, on a much smaller scale, and has grown steadily over the years;
it now attracts over 150,000 people and is internationally renowned.
The town also celebrates St.Patrick’s Day, with parades, market stalls, traditional
Irish music and much more.
Luton has a number of museums, an art gallery and a theatre. The Stockwood Park
Museum is home to the largest Mossman Carriage collection in the country, with originals
from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
The University of Bedfordshire has one of its main campuses in Luton, so the town
enjoys a large student population. There are many music venues, bars, clubs and
pubs for the students to frequent! Luton is a changing town with much to offer those
who wish to work, live, or study here.