Berkhamsted is a medium-sized historic market town around the western border of the English county of Hertfordshire. Located within the little Bulbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills, it serves predominantly as a commuter town, due to its location 26 miles to the northwest of London. As noted in population surveys from 2013, the town has a population of roughly 18,000, residing in about 7363 homes. There are a number of buildings in residential locations, with 77% of household areas being houses or bungalows and 23 percent being flats or maisonettes. Settlements have been in Berkhamsted for over 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 local occupations in 1986, the biggest employers of the town in 2015 were educational institutions and retail. Almost all of the companies are located inside the nationally famous 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 area. There's a broad collection of outlets and food outlets available to citizens and tourists, being the location a mix of independent and commercial chain outlets, cafes, coffee shops, places to eat and bars. For social opportunities, the Rex Cinema offers numerous new movies for the residents of Berkhamsted to watch. Being built in the art deco style of architecture 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 of your property upgrades, be certain that you pick reputable experts in Berkhamsted to ensure that you get a good quality service.