Berkhamsted is a medium-sized historic market town around the western fringe of the English county of Hertfordshire. Positioned within the small Bulbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills, it is currently a commuter town, being 26 miles to the northwest of London. As recorded in population data from 2013, the town has a resident population of roughly 18,100, living in about 7500 properties. There are plenty of buildings in residential areas, with 77 percent of household areas being houses or bungalows and 23 percent being flats or maisonettes. Settlements have been established in Berkhamsted for over five hundred years, supported by archaeological proof of flint working in the Neolithic period and metal working during the late Iron Age and Roman periods. Although farming, service and light industry were normal occupations in the area in 1986, the largest employers of the town in 2015 were educational facilities and retail. The majority of the corporations in the area are based in the nationally recognised Berkhamsted West ward. In 2014, the Academy of Urbanism's Urbanism Awards referred to the character of Berkhamsted's High Street as 'vibrant' and 'bustling', developing a 'pleasant' and 'successful' shopping environment. You can find a large selection of shops and food retailers available to citizens and guests, boasting a mixture of independent and commercial chain stores, cafes, coffee shops, places to eat and public houses. For social opportunities, the Rex Cinema presents numerous new films for the residents of Berkhamsted to see. Being built in the art deco style in 1937, the Daily Telegraph has ranked the Rex as the UK's most beautiful cinema, and it was named Britain's Best Cinema in the inaugural Guardian film awards of 2014. For all your property improvements, be certain that you utilise vetted specialists in Berkhamsted to make sure that you get a good quality service.