Harlow is a town within the county of Essex. The town is located on the border of Hertfordshire and has a population of over 81,000 people and has around 35,000 homes. Harlow is a convenient distance for those wishing to commute into the capital city and the town forms part of London's commuter belt.
After the Second World War Harlow became a new town, aimed at easing the ever increasing population of London. The plans for Harlow's transition to a new town were made in 1947. Buildings and roads within the town were carefully designed, and Harlow has one of the most extensive cycle networks of any town in the UK, making it easy to get around the town.
To accommodate this growing population the town has had to expand over the years. Church Langley is the newest completed neighbourhood in Harlow - built in the 1990's. Development of New Hall began in 2000's and The Harlow Gateway Scheme which is providing around 600 homes on the former Sport centre and swimming pool sites is currently under construction
The town centre has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years which has included the regeneration of its shopping facilities amongst other things. Harlow's Water Gardens provides open air shopping located in landscaped gardens with ponds and water fountains and is a popular place to visit. This regenerated area provides many jobs in the retail, catering and service industries.
Harlow's proximity to Stansted Airport provides many employment opportunities for residents of the town. Harlow is ideally situated close to the M11 and gives easy access to other parts of the UK, including London and Cambridge. Harlow is home to regional distribution centres for both Tesco and Comet, which also provide many job opportunities in the area.
The town of Harlow is successful in the industries of research and development, retail and logistics and leisure as well as many others. The key businesses that provide employment opportunities within Harlow include GlaxoSmithKline, Raytheon.
As The Titanic sank the ship's orchestra played 'Nearer My God to Thee'. This was written by the poet Sarah Flower Adams of Harlow.
Shaun Murphy won the Snooker World Championship in 2005. Shaun was born on 10 August 1982 in Harlow. It started when his father bought him a cue from a jumble sale when he was just 8 years old, and two years later he made his first century break. At the age of 13, in 1995, he gave an interview to the BBC stating his ambitions to be the world champion, a dream which was realised just ten years later.