By Gbemisola Emdin | UH Student News
Hatfield has formed somewhat of a reputation and it’s not the most flattering one. Most students arrive on campus having already seen TikTok videos labelling it boring, heard of unfavourable experiences from older students or even read polls ranking it amongst the “top five most boring towns in the UK.” Between the small-town centre with little to do and the large student population, it’s easy to misjudge Hatfield from both the outside and inside.
But here’s the truth, Hatfield is only boring if you are never open to exploring it. Beyond the University of Hertfordshire’s campuses, there lies a quiet town shaped by community, student culture and independent, family-owned businesses. This feature showcases the parts of Hatfield that aren’t so popular on the town brochures, but the ones university students randomly stumble into, quietly share and gradually claim as their own.
Highview Café: Hatfield’s Most Overlooked Comfort Spot.
Usually, the southern part of Hatfield is not the first place students think of for a cosy café break but tucked between Hatfield Tap and the South Hatfield Post is Highview Café. A warm, inexpensive local spot with a minimalist aesthetic, handwritten specials and a kind, customer-friendly service you don’t get in most popular café franchises.
During a visit one sunny but chilly afternoon, I met Hauwa, a second-year University of Hertfordshire law student, typing away at her laptop. “I had no idea this place existed until my friend who lives nearby brought me,” she said. “Now I come here whenever I need a break from the busyness on campus.”
Final-year nursing student, Esther, echoed the same sentiment as well. “It feels like you’re a part of the local community here too, not just the student bubble.”
It also helps that the café’s prices are student-friendly and widely affordably without it even being advertised as such. This adds to the Highview’s authenticity as a brand, making it a regular staple for many students.
Where Students Really Eat: Local Spots Worth Knowing
Hatfield’s food scene is not so flashy but it’s comforting and surprisingly diverse. Here are some student-selected food spots that many live by:
Sumac & Saffron Turkish Kitchen and Bar.
A warmly lit space known for generous, flavourful plates and grilled dishes. Students love it for birthday dinners or flatmate outings when they’re up for a bit of luxurious spending.
“Their delicacies are so so good,” said one student who chose to remain anonymous. “It’s the one place I go to when I miss home-style food.”
Happy Valley Chinese Takeaway
Filling, familiar and reliable, especially for those late-night study breaks from the library. This local Chinese restaurant is a popular go-to for both residents and students.
Max’s Kebab
A classic kebab spot, perfect for a post-night-out bite. Quick, affordable and generous portion-servings.
Moe’s Peri-Peri Grill
A favourite alternative to high-street food spots. Moe’s, as it is nicknamed, offers flavourful grilled chicken, rice boxes, peri-peri wraps, milkshakes, desserts and more.
By focusing on these independent and lesser-known food spots, university students are rewarded with cheaper options and better portion sizes than popular food chains.
Student-Owned Spaces: The Heart of Student Culture
The Green Lawn Fields
Surrounded by College Lane’s accommodation buildings, these wide green fields come alive from late spring up until summer with group picnics, frisbee games, sunbathing, loud music and endless laughter. For some international students, these lawn spaces provide a sense of belonging.
“I moved here from Nigeria and kept to myself for a while,” said Media student, Naomi. “But summer on the green fields with other students has truly made Hatfield feel like a village, a campus village.”
The Recreational Courts: Basketball & Football
Both courts are constantly in use and not only for sports or active students but for some societies, they take over the basketball court, for social and music-led sessions.
A Students’ Union representative told UH Student News: “Spaces like the courts matter because they’re free, easily accessible and open to all students looking for a space to socialise beyond nightclubs and pubs.”
The Oval: Hatfield’s Indoor Social Hub
Also located on College Lane accommodation, The Oval sits right in the middle. The Oval offers the accommodation helpdesk, a 24-hour gym, an Amazon postal locker, sofas to lounge, TV screens, boards for games and plenty of booths for study dates or hangouts with friends.
“This is where my friend group truly bonded formed,” said second-year Law student, Aya, as she recalls fond memories. “There’s so many conversations to have, games to play, shenanigans to get up to.”
A Town Shaped by Students and Not Statistics
Hatfield’s reputation as a “boring town” dates back for years, mostly because it was originally developed as a post-war ‘new town,’ prioritising housing and business over social living. However, the influx of the student population has reshaped it in small but meaningful ways.
These cafés, fields, sports courts, shared spaces and more, depict something that some statistics miss: Hatfield’s heartbeat is student-fuelled.
It isn’t boastful or glamorous, but it is authentic. It’s the café that feels like a secret, the food spots that you can always rely on. The fields that have become festivals in the summer and the courts that beat with youthful energy at night.
It’s the indoor spaces where friendships grow and thrive.
Hatfield may never be London, Manchester or Birmingham. But for those who make the effort to explore it, it becomes something better. A town you shape, and a town that quietly becomes home.
UH Student News 