Straddling the Essex countryside and London hubbub, this large residential town in the borough of Havering is a lovable segment of outer east London. Almost 15 miles northeast of Charing Cross, the area is home to the city’s largest night-time economy outside central London. The centre of town is made up of some quaint local cafes, plenty of retail space, a few pubs, industrial buildings, and its noteworthy clubs that draw revellers from all over east London every weekend. The station operates on the Great Eastern Main Line, which runs 6 trains into Liverpool Street per hour, maintaining the area’s popularity with commuters. Outside its retail- heavy centre, the streets are sleepy and quintessentially suburban, mainly made up of 1930s semis. A good amount of green space in Raphael Park, Lodge Farm, and Cottons Park, to name a few, helps keep the population active. Sports are an engrained part of the local community, in particular the famous Greyhound Stadium, which remains one of only two greyhound racing tracks in the city, as well as the diehard support of local club West Ham United. While it may have a reputation as rather rough round the edges, local crime rates are actually far lower than much of London.

Romford was first recorded in the mid-12th century as Romfort, meaning “the spacious ford” over what is now called the River Rom. The original town was further south but moved north to escape the river’s frequent flooding. The village was granted the right to hold a market in 1247 by Henry III, which, by the 15th century, was famous for its leather goods, and by the 17th century had grown to be a huge agricultural market. As a destination on the road into London from the east, Romford was a significant coaching town during the 18th century. In the early-19th century, a number of attempts were made to connect the town to the Thames via a canal, but only two miles of canal were ever completed. Suburban development of the rural market town was kickstarted with the arrival of the Easter Counties Railway in 1839 and slum terraces were demolished in the early-20th century to make way for the modern commercial centre. The town centre was redeveloped again in the 1960s and the famous brewery was transformed into flats and retail space in 1993.

Former footballer, manager, and local hero, Frank Lampard (b1978) was born in Romford, attending the nearby Brentwood School and famously achieving 11 GCSEs, including an A* in Latin. The England legend played for local club West Ham, before moving to Chelsea in 2001, and Manchester City in 2014. He now manages Derby County.

While it may have once been accurate, the sign reading “Historic market town” is now somewhat of a stretch, as the area is more homogenous outer-London suburb than anything else. Furthermore, while train transport into London is fairly regular during the day, the town’s Zone 6 location makes travel very pricey, particularly for those who travel at peak times.

Development interest in Romford has increased dramatically in recent years, especially as a result of the Elizabeth Line, which now stops at Romford Station. In 2022, a former ice rink site in Romford received approval to be turned into almost 1,000 new homes. The scheme will cost £350 million and will deliver 972 flats, with 21% affordable provision (below the Mayor of London’s 35%) and 232 “later living” homes set aside for older residents. The Rom Valley Gardens development, as it is called, will comprise of seven blocks of between two and 12 storeys, a new clinical diagnostic hub for the NHS, around 14,000 ft of shops and a cafe, and a gym for residents and NHS staff. In 2021, plans to build 1,380 homes on Romford’s Waterloo Estate were also given the green light. The development will consist of 40 per cent affordable housing, alongside 212 social rented units, 197 affordable rent units and 147 intermediate units. Rom Yard, a new development proposal approved in 2020, aims to provide more than 1,000 homes as part of the redevelopment of Rom Valley Retail Park. The proposals would see the demolition of existing buildings and construction of up to 7,800 square metres of business and employment space as well as 1,072 homes. It would also include an energy centre, health centre and up to 339m sq of shops and restaurant space.