Hello, Berko!
The second-ever edition of from Berko and the first of 2026!
In this, the age of AI —🥱— we’re dedicated to making this the year of real community and real writing. Both will get stronger with every edition, we promise.
In this week’s edition:
Dramatic car fire fails to beat the frost (or Berko’s amazing Fire Department!)
Local History: Remembering Berko’s past ‘disasters’
Upcoming events (monthly edition)
Movie of the Month
Let’s get into it.
DOWNTOWN DIGEST
A dramatic car fire in HSBC car park is swiftly and expertly dealt with by the Berko Fire Department.
The dramatic car fire witnessed by several hundred town-goers on Sunday got me thinking about 2 things:
Just how lucky we are to have a dedicated team of firefighters in our town.
I know the team is partly, if not all wholly, made up of volunteers and to watch them deal with the fire on Sunday was to watch a masterclass in (literal) coolness under pressure. Thanks again, team.
How many town-stopping moments have I witnessed in the 20+ years I’ve been a resident on Berko? Two come to mind straight away that I remember very vividly; one I learned about writing this week’s post.
Town-stopping ‘disasters’ from Berko’s past
The collapse of Birtchnell’s (January 29, 2011.)
Birtchnell’s had been selling menswear in Berko High Street since the 1950s until this happened in the middle of the night. Luckily—and quite unbelievably—nobody was injured from the collapse but the shop as so many knew it never returned. My mum had to find somewhere else to buy school uniform.
Buncefield Fuel Depot Explosion (11 December, 2005)
Not strictly a Berko-specific disaster but it definitely brought it, its neighbours, and the country to a standstill. I remember being rattled out of bed and the talk in town for days was about the potential dangers brought about by the smoke and fallout.
Bourne End Rail Disaster (30 September, 1945)
I was unaware of this one until the memories of these others drove me to do a some reading and research; there’s a really great write-up here. 43 people were killed and 64 seriously injured, many of them servicemen and women approaching the end of WWII.
Strange how an event like Sunday’s car fire can lead you down a bit of a rabbit-hole of memory and research. And I wonder if those who witnessed it will remember it in the same way I do Birtchnell’s and Buncefield? I don’t know.
I do know that these ‘disasters’ often bring out the best of Berko and its community.
Got a Berko moment you’ll never forget? Hit reply and tell us about it.
WHAT’S HAPPENIN’ IN JANUARY*
8 Jan 2026 | The Kings Arms, 147 High St, Berkhamsted | 10:00 – 13:00 | Free
Valuation Day – jewellery, antiques & collectables valuations.
8 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Town Hall | 20:00 – 21:00 | Free
Talk — Rothschild Properties in & around Berkhamsted.
10 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 – 22:30 | Scott Hamilton Quartet
11 Jan 2026 | Local area (starts near Berkhamsted / Tring) | 14:00 | Free
Wassail 2026! — traditional Morris parade & apple-blessing celebration.
12 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | The Critic (film screening)
14 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 10:30 | The History of the City of London as Told Through its Stained Glass
17 & 18 Jan 2026 | Centenary Theatre | Assorted Timings | Portals of Pips — dance recital and a celebration of movement, music, and magic
20 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 10:00 – 12:00 | Berkhamsted Outreach Event
20 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Library | 14:00 – 15:00 | Free (donation welcome)
Berkhamsted Walking Book Club — stroll & book talk.
23 Jan 2026 | Centenary Theatre | 19:30 | Taylor Fever — the ultimate tribute to the sensational Taylor Swift
27 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Juror #2 (film screening)
29 Jan 2026 | Waite & Rose Café | 8:00 – 9:00 | Berko Interchange — informal business networking over coffee
Editor’s Picks
⭐ 12 Jan 2026 | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | The Critic (film screening)
If you have to do one thing this month, make it this. It’s being presented by the Berkhamsted Film Society so go and meet some other film buffs, enjoy the flick then discuss it over a beer afterwards if you fancy it. Plus, it stars Ian McKellen—enough said.
⭐ 23 Jan 2026 | Centenary Theatre | 19:30 | Taylor Fever — the ultimate tribute to the sensational Taylor Swift
Shake off the winter cold with this top pick for a feel-good, all-ages night out this January.
*we’ll update this section in following editions as we discover more things to do. If you want to tell us about something, use this form!
MOVIE PICK OF THE MONTH
12 Jan | The Rex Cinema | 14:00 & 19:30 | Book Here
Nuremberg (15)
Drawing on first-hand accounts, this post-war drama follows the scramble to bring Nazi leadership to justice after Hitler’s death.
James Vanderbilt turns the Nuremberg trials into a tense, sharply crafted historical thriller that plays with the urgency of a political nail-biter.
THANKS!
If you found something useful or interesting, please share with someone who loves Berko as much as you do and let’s build an even greater community in 2026!
Make it the one New Year’s resolution you stick to. 😉
— from Berko