Hoddesdon is a commuter town in Hertfordshire. In its early days, Hoddesdon was a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. Hoddesdon saw a boom in the mid Twentieth century as gravel was extracted until the 1970’s. Various lakes and water pits left behind have been used by local leisure facilities. Hoddesdon is twinned with the Belgian city of Dinant. Today, Hoddesdon has a thriving High Street with many shops, fast food outlets, estate agents, pubs and banks.