Berkhamsted is a medium-sized historic market town on the western border of the English county of Hertfordshire. Situated in the small Bulbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills, its major purpose is as a commuter town, as it is 26 miles to the northwest of London. As recorded in population data from 2013, the town has a permanent resident population of roughly 18,100, residing in about 7500 homes. There are a number of properties 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 more than 500 years, as discovered by archaeological proof of flint working during the Neolithic age and metal working in the late Iron Age and Roman periods. While farming, service and light industry were normal occupations in the area in 1986, the largest employers of the town in 2015 were educational institutions and retail. Most of the corporations are located inside the nationally recognised Berkhamsted West ward. In 2014, the Academy of Urbanism's Urbanism Awards described the character of Berkhamsted's High Street as 'vibrant' and 'bustling', establishing a 'pleasant' and 'successful' shopping retreat. There is a broad collection of outlets and food retailers available to inhabitants and visitors, boasting a combination of independent and commercial chain stores, cafes, coffee shops, eating places and bars. For social events, the Rex Cinema provides numerous current movies for the residents of Berkhamsted to check out. Being built in the art deco style in 1937, the Daily Telegraph has called the Rex as the United Kingdom's most beautiful cinema, and it was granted the title of Britain's Best Cinema in the first Guardian film awards of 2014. For all your house improvements, be sure that you utilise reputable professionals in Berkhamsted to ensure that you get the top quality service.