romford

Romford is first recorded in 1177 as Romfort, which is formed from Old English 'rūm' and 'ford' and means "the wide or spacious ford".{{cite book |title=Dictionary of London Place Names |year=2001 |last=Mills |first=A.D. |publisher=Oxford}} The naming of the River Rom is a local 'back-formation' from the name of the town; and the river is elsewhere known as the Beam. The ford most likely existed on the main London to Colchester road where it crossed that river.

File:ECR(1851) p57a - Romford.jpg

The town developed in the Middle Ages on the main road to London and the regionally significant Romford Market was established in 1247.{{cite book | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42817 | publisher=British History Online | title=Romford: Economic History, A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 |series= Victoria County History | year=1978 | author=Powell, W.R. (Edr.) | access-date=6 August 2009}} The original site of the town was to the south, in an area still known as Oldchurch. It was moved northwards to the present site in the later medieval period to avoid the frequent flooding of the River Rom. The first building on the new site was the 1410 Chapel of St Edward{{cite book|author1=Weinreb, Ben |author2=Hibbert, Christopher |title=The London Encyclopaedia |edition=reprint |year=1992 |publisher=Macmillan |page=675|title-link=The London Encyclopaedia }} (since replaced by the 1850 Parish Church of St Edward the Confessor). The early history of Romford and the immediate area is agricultural and it is recorded as being the location of a number of mills used to grind corn. The area was a focus of the leather industry from the 15th to the early 19th centuries and there is record of a wide range of industries such as cloth making, weaving, charcoal burning, metal working and brewing. Communications played an important part in its development; the main road to London was maintained by the Middlesex and Essex Turnpike Trust from 1721 and Romford became a coaching town in the 18th century.{{ cite book | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42815 | title=Romford: Introduction, A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 | author=Powell, W.R. (Edr.) | series= Victoria County History | publisher=British History Online | access-date=6 August 2009 | year=1978 }}

{{anchor|Romford Canal|Romford Canal Act 1880}}

Several failed attempts were made in the early 19th century to connect the town to the Thames via a Romford Canal.{{cite news |last1= |title=Navigable cut from Rainham to Romford |work=The London Gazette |issue=16409 |date=2 October 1810 |page=1539}} It was initially intended to terminate at a basin near to the Star Brewery, to transport agricultural products to London and, eventually, to serve growing industrial sites in Romford. A later proposal included an extension to Collier Row, whereby timber from Hainault Forest could be transported to the Thames for use in the Royal Dockyards. Only two miles of canal were constructed and the canal company were unable to reach the town.{{cite web |last1=Gill |first1=Jonathan |title=The Romford Canal Essex |url=https://docslib.org/doc/5772453/the-romford-cai-al-essex |publisher=Oxford Archaeology Unit |access-date=18 February 2022 |language=en}}

The development of the town was accelerated by the opening of the railway station in 1839 which stimulated the local economy and was key to the development of the Star Brewery. Initially Eastern Counties Railway services operated between Mile End and Romford, with extensions to Brentwood and to Shoreditch in 1840. A second station was opened on South Street in 1892 by the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway on the line to Upminster and Grays, giving Romford a rail connection to Tilbury Docks. The two stations were combined into one in 1934. Light industry slowly developed, reaching a peak in the 1970s with a number of factories on the edge of town, such as the Roneo Vickers office machinery company, Colvern manufacturers of wireless components, May's Sheet Metal Works and brush manufacturers Betterware. Suburban expansion increased the population and reinforced Romford's position as a significant regional town centre. The Liberty Shopping Centre was constructed in the 1960s, and has been modernised and supplemented with further shopping centres throughout the town, including The Mercury Mall, opened in 1990;{{efn|The Mercury Mall was opened as Liberty 2}} and The Brewery, opened in 2000 on the site of the old Star Brewery.{{cite web | url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2402 | author=Havering London Borough Council | title=Romford Town Centre | access-date=6 August 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927021237/http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2402 | archive-date=27 September 2007 | df=dmy-all }}

Romford formed a chapelry in the large ancient parish of Hornchurch in the Becontree hundred of Essex; as well as the town it included the wards of Collier Row, Harold Wood, and Noak Hill.{{cite book | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42818 | publisher=British History Online | title=Romford: Local government, A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 | year=1978 | author=Powell, W.R. (Edr.) | series= Victoria County History | access-date=6 August 2009}} Through ancient custom the area enjoyed special status and a charter in 1465 removed the parish from the Becontree hundred and the county of Essex and it instead formed the independent liberty of Havering governed from a court house in the market place.{{cite book | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42805 | publisher=British History Online | title=The liberty of Havering-atte-Bower, A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 | year=1978 | author=Powell, W.R. (Edr.) | series= Victoria County History | access-date=16 August 2009}} Over time the vestry of Romford chapelry absorbed the local powers that would usually be held by the parish authorities in Hornchurch and in 1849 Romford became a separate parish within the liberty.{{Cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10199463&c_id=10001043 | name=Havering atte Bower liberty | access-date=6 August 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001043708/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10199463&c_id=10001043 | archive-date=1 October 2007 | df=dmy-all }} Improvement commissioners were set up in 1819 for paving, lighting, watching, and cleansing of the marketplace and main streets. As the town grew this arrangement became ineffective at controlling sanitation and in 1851 a local board of health was set up for the parish; although its area was reduced in 1855 to cover only the town ward. The remainder of the parish became part of the Romford rural sanitary district in 1875. These changes and the introduction of the Romford Poor Law Union in 1836 eroded the powers of the liberty and it was finally abolished in 1892 and reincorporated into Essex.

The Local Government Act 1894 reformed local government and created the Romford Urban District and Romford Rural District to replace the local board and sanitary district; following which the Romford parish was split into Romford Urban and Romford Rural along the lines of the urban district. In 1900 the parish was recombined and the urban district expanded to cover all of the former area of the historic chapelry, except for Noak Hill which remained in the rural district and had become a parish in its own right in 1895. The enlarged urban district formed part of the London Traffic Area from 1924 and the London Passenger Transport Area from 1933.{{cite book |title=The Government and Mis-government of London |last=Robson |first=William |year=1939 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=London }} The suburban expansion of London caused an increase in population during the 1930s and the urban district was expanded further in 1934, taking in the parishes of Havering-atte-Bower and Noak Hill. It was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Romford in 1937. In 1965 the municipal borough was abolished and its former area was combined with that of Hornchurch Urban District; it was again removed from Essex and since then has formed the northern part of the London Borough of Havering in Greater London.{{cite book |author1=Young, K. |author2=Garside, P. |name-list-style=amp | title=Metropolitan London: Politics and Urban Change 1837-1981 |url=https://archive.org/details/metropolitanlond0000youn |url-access=registration | year=1982 |publisher=Edward Arnold |isbn=9780713163315 }}{{cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10166913&c_id=10001043 | name=Havering LB | map=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/boundary_map_page.jsp?u_id=10166913&c_id= | access-date=6 August 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211082200/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10166913&c_id=10001043 | archive-date=11 February 2009 | df=dmy-all }} For elections to the Greater London Council, Romford was part of the Havering electoral division until 1973 and then the Romford electoral division until 1986.

File:Romford borough 1911.png (1) absorbed Havering-atte-Bower (2) and Noak Hill (3) in 1934{{cite vob | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10073303&c_id=10001043 | map=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/boundary_map_page.jsp?u_id=10073303&c_id=10001043 | name=Romford UD/MB | access-date=14 August 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605032340/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10073303&c_id=10001043 | archive-date=5 June 2011 | df=dmy-all }}]] There was early expansion in the 1840s when 200 cottages were built in the area formerly occupied by an army barracks; it was known as New Romford. To acknowledge the military connection, when in 1961 these were in turn replaced with new housing the name Waterloo Road Estate was applied.{{cite book |last1=Foley |first1=Michael |title=Essex at war through time |date=2009 |publisher=Amberly |location=Stroud |isbn=9781445624983 |chapter=The Early Barracks}} To the east of the market place from 1850 middle class suburban housing was constructed with a much larger area of {{convert|200|acres|ha|abbr=off|round=5}} built-over to the south of the railway from 1851 and by 1861 the population had grown to 3790.{{cite book |last= Bradshaw |first= George |title= 1861 Bradshaws Handbook |publisher= Collins |location= Bishopbriggs |year= 2015 |page= Section IV p.32 |no-pp=yes |isbn=978-0-00-794195-7}} Through a gradual process of selling off former manors, houses were built radiating from the town in all directions for about a mile, and further significant growth occurred between 1910 and 1911 with the construction of Romford Garden Suburb, which included Raphael Park and Gidea Park railway station. Large sections of land to the north of the town at Collier Row were developed in the interwar period and after World War II, the London County Council built the Harold Hill estate to the north east from 1948 to 1958.

The right to supply electricity to the town was secured by the County of London Electricity Supply Company in 1913. Initially power was generated within the Star Brewery site, with the supply switching to Barking Power Station in 1925. Gas supply began in 1825 with gas works of {{convert|25|acres|ha}} constructed by 1938. Following the Telegraph Act 1899 Romford became part of the Post Office London telephone area{{ cite book | title=Virtual Geographies | year=1999 | last= Crang, Crang & May | publisher=Routledge}} and the Romford exchange was recorded as having 240 subscribers in 1916.{{cite web|url=http://www.privateline.com/TelephoneHistory3A/london1916big.gif |publisher=Private Line |title=London Telephone Area in 1916 |access-date=14 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214003002/http://www.privateline.com/TelephoneHistory3A/london1916big.gif |archive-date=14 December 2006 }} The town water supply initially came from the Havering Well, and 1859 a new public well and pump was built at the east end of the market. The South Essex Waterworks Company started installing mains water supply in 1863 and had offices in South Street. By 1905 its supply was serving Ilford, Collier Row, Ardleigh Green, Brentwood, and Hornchurch. Sewage works were installed by the local board at Oldchurch in 1862, with further works built in Hornchurch in 1869.

File:Romford Cemetery – IMG 20180212 123803988 edited (40189717442).jpg

Crow Lane or Romford Cemetery was established by the Romford Burial Board in 1871 when space ran out in the parochial cemetery. It was taken over by Romford Urban District Council in 1900 and is now run by the South Essex Crematorium. It is partially enclosed by 19th-century railings, with ragstone gate-piers and two ragstone chapels joined by a gothic porte-cochère. It contains utilitarian monuments, with older graves near the chapels. The trees in the cemetery include holly, cedar and flowering cherry, and rows of common lime and horse chestnut.{{cite web |url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/romford-cemetery |title=Romford Cemetery (also known as Crow Lane Cemetery) |date=2023 |publisher=parksandgardens.org |access-date=30 April 2023}} The cemetery contains the war graves of 118 identified Commonwealth service personnel of the First and Second World Wars.{{cite web|last=CWGC|title=Romford Cemetery {{!}} Cemetery Details|url=https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/38457/romford-cemetery/ |access-date=2023-09-19|website=CWGC|language=en}}

File:Romford 2023 Constituency.svg

{{As of|2024}}, the Romford UK Parliament constituency consists of the Havering wards of Havering-atte-Bower, Hylands and Harrow Lodge, Marshalls and Rise Park, Mawneys, Rush Green and Crowlands, St Alban's, St Edward's and Squirrel's Heath.{{Cite web |title=New Seat Details - Romford |url=https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/calcwork23.py?seat=Romford |access-date=24 May 2025 |website=www.electoralcalculus.co.uk}} The MP since 2001 is Andrew Rosindell of the Conservative Party, a native of the town.

Since the 2022 election, each ward elects two or three councillors to Havering London Borough Council.{{cite news |last1=Thomson |first1=Charles |title=Havering electoral wards face axe as borough is split into 20 areas |url=https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/local-council/21474119.havering-electoral-wards-face-axe-borough-split-20-areas/ |access-date=24 May 2025 |work=Romford Recorder |date=13 May 2021 |language=en}} Romford forms part of the Havering and Redbridge constituency for elections to the London Assembly.

Romford F.C., who currently play in the Essex Senior League, is the local football team. The London Raiders ice hockey team are based in Romford. Romford is home to the Romford and Gidea Park Rugby Football Club, which was established in 1927. In 2003, the club became one of the first in the country to have a ladies Rugby team.

{{Further|Geography of London}}

File:River rom south roneo corner.jpg emerges from underground channels at Roneo Corner.]]

File:Romford london map.png

File:Romford 15 mile radius.png

The town centre is about {{convert|50|ft|m}} above sea level on a gravel terrace rising from the River Thames. The north of the town has developed on London Clay and is situated as much as {{cvt|150|ft|m}} above sea level. A continuous gentle rise in the eastern suburbs towards Gidea Park and Harold Wood peaks around {{convert|54|m|ft|order=flip}} around the Harold Court. On the northern side, Harold Hill peaks at {{cvt|75|m}}. The semi-rural area north of Collier Row and Harold Hill consists of many rolls of hills, with elevation peaking at the village of Havering-atte-Bower, {{convert|105|m|ft|order=flip}}.

The town centre is for the most part contained within a ring road formed of St Edwards Way, Mercury Gardens, Thurloe Gardens, Oldchurch Road and Waterloo Road. The market place and much of South Street and the High Street are pedestrianised. The railway cuts through the town from east to west on a viaduct, with the bulk of the central Romford area to its north. The River Rom flows through the town in underground channels and joins the Thames after flowing through Hornchurch; elsewhere along its course it is known as the River Beam and forms part of the strategic waterways Blue Ribbon Network.{{cite web | url=http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-4c-1.jpg | title=The blue ribbon network | author=Mayor of London | publisher=Greater London Authority | year=2004 | access-date=14 August 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531064623/http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/images/maps-diagrams/jpg/map-4c-1.jpg | archive-date=31 May 2010 | df=dmy-all | author-link=Mayor of London }}

Romford has formed part of the continuously built-up area of London since the 1930s{{cite book |title=The Government and Mis-government of London |last=Robson |first=William |year=1939 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=London | pages=26–27}} and is contiguous with Rush Green to the west, Collier Row to the north, Gidea Park to the east and Hornchurch to the south east.

The Romford post town covers Collier Row, Gidea Park, Harold Hill, Harold Park, Harold Wood, Havering-atte-Bower, Rise Park and Rush Green, extending into sections of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and Epping Forest District. The Romford postcode area extends further.{{ cite book | publisher=Royal Mail Group | author=Royal Mail | year=2004 | title=Address Management Guide | page=168 | author-link=Royal Mail }}

Romford is located {{cvt|14|mi|km|0}} northeast of Charing Cross in central London; {{cvt|4+3/4|mi|km|round=0.5}} northeast of Ilford; {{cvt|2+1/2|mi|km|0}} north of Dagenham; {{cvt|9|mi|km|0}} northwest of Grays; {{cvt|6|mi|km|0}} south-west of Brentwood; {{cvt|12|mi|km|0}} west of Basildon; and {{cvt|9|mi|km|0}} southeast of Epping.

Climate data for Romford is taken from the nearest weather station at Greenwich, around {{convert|10|mi|km|0}} southwest of the marketplace.

{{Greenwich weatherbox}}

{{Update section|reason=missing information from the 2021 United Kingdom census|date=March 2025}}

The Havering committee area for Romford is defined as the wards of Romford Town and Brooklands.{{cite web|url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=18286&p=0 |publisher=Havering London Borough Council |author=Romford Area Committee |date=June 2009 |title=Romford Area Committee (Brooklands and Romford Town Wards) Agenda |access-date=14 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608193222/http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=18286&p=0 |archive-date=8 June 2011 }} Demographic data is produced by the Office for National Statistics for these wards. In 2001 the population of Romford Town was 13,200{{cite web | title=2001 Census: Census Area Statistics, Area: Romford Town (Ward) | author=Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher=Office for National Statistics | year=2001 | url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDatasetList.do?a=7&b=6101459&c=romford+town&d=14&g=336981&i=1001x1003&m=0&r=1&s=1250249935350&enc=1&domainId=16 | access-date=14 August 2008}} and Brooklands was 13,024,{{cite web | title=2001 Census: Census Area Statistics, Area: Brooklands (Ward) | author=Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher=Office for National Statistics | year=2001 | url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDomainList.do?a=7&c=brooklands&d=14&i=1001x1002&m=0&r=1&s=1250250515670&enc=1&areaId=6095789&OAAreaId=336453 | access-date=14 August 2008}} giving a total population of 26,224. In contrast, the approximate population of the area within the 2005 Romford Urban Strategy was estimated to be 36,500. 71.52% in Romford Town and 70.48% in Brooklands report their religion as Christian, compared to 76.13% for Havering, 58.23% in London and 71.74% in England. 15.71% in Romford Town and 16.62% in Brooklands report having no religion, compared to 13.18% in Havering, 15.76% in London and 14.59% in England.

In 2011, the Romford Parliament constituency was 82% White British, 5.8% Asian, 5% Other White and 4.7% Black out of a total population of 95,894. The constituency is predominantly Christian with 64% of the residents reporting that religion.{{cite web|url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/romford/|title=UK Polling Report|access-date=31 May 2017|archive-date=11 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611163321/http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/2015guide/romford/|url-status=dead}}

Out of the wards that make up Romford overall, the highest male life expectancy was in Squirrel's Heath (80.7 years) while the highest female expectancy was in Romford Town (85.7 years). The lowest were Heaton (76.2 years) and Heaton and Gooshays (both 81.3 years) respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/ward-profiles-and-atlas|title=Ward Profiles and Atlas – London Datastore}}

The average house price as of 2014 was £225,000 in Romford Town ward. In the Pettits ward, 87.5% of houses were owned by households; the lowest figure, and the only minority one, was Gooshays ward with 48.6%.

File:The Lamb Public House market Place Romford - geograph.org.uk - 1280070.jpg

File:Romford Market - geograph.org.uk - 271991.jpg

Romford is recognised in the London Plan as one of 13 regionally significant metropolitan centres in Greater London, with a considerable catchment area.{{cite web|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/docs/londonplan08.pdf | author=Mayor of London | publisher=Greater London Authority | title=London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004) |date=February 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121031221355/https://www.london.gov.uk/thelondonplan/docs/londonplan08.pdf |archive-date=31 October 2012 |access-date=6 August 2009| author-link=Mayor of London }}{{cite web | url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4743&p=0 | title=Romford Urban Strategy | author1=Urban Practitioners | author2=Allies and Morrison | name-list-style=amp | publisher=Havering London Borough Council | date=July 2005 | access-date=14 August 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608211323/http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4743&p=0 | archive-date=8 June 2011 | df=dmy-all }} The total commercial floorspace in the town was {{cvt|353258|m2|sqft}} in 2002, of which {{cvt|147627|m2|sqft}} was retail space and {{cvt|63357|m2|sqft}} was offices. The retail space is growing and in 2005 consisted of {{cvt|190000|m2|sqft}}. The retail economy is complemented by a central business district close to the railway station, where the offices of employers such as Aon are located. Employment in the town centre was categorised in 2002 as approximately 40% commercial office, 40% comparison retail, 10% hospitality, 5% public sector, 2.5% service retail and 2.5% arts and entertainment. Compared to the similar east London areas of Ilford, Stratford and Barking, there is more comparison retail and commercial office employment in Romford and less public sector work. The total turnover of £413,395,000 in 2002 for Romford was larger than any other comparable town centre in east London and approximately 70% came from the commercial office businesses.{{needs update|date=October 2021}}

There is a developed night-time economy, greater than in any other metropolitan centre in Greater London, with {{cvt|8360|m2|sqft}} of cinemas, theatres and concert hall space; {{cvt|9530|m2|sqft}} of bars and pubs; {{cvt|5510|m2|sqft}} of cafés and restaurants; and {{cvt|2680|m2|sqft}} of fast food and take away venues. The night =-time economy is almost as significant as the day economy with around 12,000 visits to Romford during the day and 11,000 visits to pubs, clubs and bars at night.{{cite web|title=Managing the Night Time Economy |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/strategies/sds/docs/bpg-nighttime-economy.pdf |author=Mayor of London |date=June 2006 |publisher=Greater London Authority |access-date=14 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604095909/http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/strategies/sds/docs/bpg-nighttime-economy.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2011 |df=dmy |author-link=Mayor of London }}

As of 2012, Romford has {{cvt|207025|m2|sqft}} of total town centre floorspace (retail, leisure and vacant), placing it fifth in Greater London only behind the West End, Croydon, Kingston upon Thames and Stratford for "town centre vitality and viability".{{cite web |title=2013 London Town Centre Health Check Analysis Report |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/2013%20TCHC%20report.pdf |publisher=Greater London Authority |access-date=1 March 2022}}

{{Further|Transport in London|Public transport in Havering}}

File:Romford_station_23rd_June_2022_01.jpg

The town is served by Romford railway station; it is situated on the Great Eastern Main Line in London fare zone 6.{{cite web | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/high-frequency-services-map.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128071655/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/high-frequency-services-map.pdf |archive-date=2007-11-28 |url-status=live | title=High frequency services | author=Transport for London | publisher=Greater London Authority |date=March 2009 | access-date=14 August 2008 | author-link=Transport for London }} Elizabeth line trains on the Shenfield branch call at the station.[https://tfl.gov.uk/tflrail/stop/910GROMFORD/romford-rail-station Romford Rail Station] Transport for London Romford is the western terminus of the Liberty line service of the London Overground, which connects the town to Upminster.{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Liz |title=Transport for London rolls out new Overground names and colours |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvzp272pe9o |website=BBC News |access-date=24 May 2025 |date=20 November 2024}}

Since May 2025, there is a regular off-peak Greater Anglia service between {{rws|Southend Victoria}} and {{rws|Liverpool Street}} calling at the station.{{cite news |title=Extra seats and additional summer services in Greater Anglia's new timetables (from 18 May 2025) |url=https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/about-us/news-desk/news-articles/extra-seats-and-additional-summer-services-in-greater-anglias-new |access-date=24 May 2025 |work=Greater Anglia |date=14 May 2025 |language=en}}

Romford is a hub of the London Buses network, with services to Canning Town, Stratford, Leytonstone and Dagenham; there are also feeder services from the large housing developments at Collier Row and Harold Hill.{{ cite web | url=http://origin.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/romfordquad-12248.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823201511/http://origin.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/romfordquad-12248.pdf |archive-date=2011-08-23 |url-status=live | title=Buses from Romford | author=Transport for London | publisher=Greater London Authority |date=September 2008 | access-date=6 August 2009| author-link=Transport for London }} There are night bus services to Stratford, Harold Hill and Paddington.{{ cite web | url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/nightbuseseastlondon-13740.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916044913/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/nightbuseseastlondon-13740.pdf |archive-date=2008-09-16 |url-status=live | title=Night buses in north east London | author=Transport for London | publisher=Greater London Authority |date=June 2009 | access-date=13 August 2009| author-link=Transport for London }} Romford town centre has a very high Public Transport Accessibility Level score of 6.

As of 2009, there was a proposal that Romford will be served by a future extension of the East London Transit.{{ cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/2123.aspx | author=Transport for London | publisher=Greater London Authority |title=East London Transit |access-date=6 August 2009| author-link=Transport for London }}

The A12 trunk road passes to the north of Romford, while the A118 road from Stratford connects with it at Gallows Corner at the start of the A127 road to Southend.{{cite web | url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/media/image/g/i/haveringmap_1.gif | title=Map of Havering | publisher=Havering London Borough Council | access-date=16 August 2008}}

File:Havering romford welcome sign.jpg

File:Brookside Theatre Entrance.jpg

In 2005, Havering Council's urban strategy had the stated aims of making Romford a cultural destination, whilst recognising that Hornchurch forms the main cultural hub of the borough with a large theatre and arts spaces. As a former market and coaching town, Romford is well served by public houses and two that are located in the market place are listed buildings.{{cite web|url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8760 |title=Listed buildings in Romford |publisher=Havering London Borough Council |access-date=4 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608213113/http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8760 |archive-date=8 June 2011 }} The market and adjacent streets also form a conservation area.{{cite web|url=http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=2372&p=0 |title=Romford Conservation Area |author=Planning Department |publisher=Havering London Borough Council |year=2006 |access-date=21 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608212657/http://www.havering.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=2372&p=0 |archive-date=8 June 2011 }}

Mass entertainment facilities in the town include the Brookside Theatre, Romford Greyhound Stadium, one of the few remaining dog racing tracks in London;{{ cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7408061.stm | title=Walthamstow race track to close | author=BBC News | date=19 May 2008 | publisher=BBC | access-date=16 August 2009 | author-link=BBC News }} 2 multi-screen cinemas; and until April 2013 Romford Ice Arena, which was home to the local Romford Raiders ice hockey team.{{cite web | url=http://www.romfordicearena.co.uk/hockey.htm | title= Hockey is Back! | publisher=Romford Ice Arena | access-date=14 August 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080406034640/http://www.romfordicearena.co.uk/hockey.htm |archive-date = 6 April 2008}}{{cite web | url=https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/skaters-left-without-a-home-as-doors-close-on-ice-2941786 | title= Skaters left without a home as doors close on ice rink | date= 31 January 2013 | publisher=Romford Recorder | access-date=31 March 2013}} The Dolphin Centre was a popular swimming and leisure facility located in the town from 1982 to 1995, but the site was redeveloped into the current Axis residential tower block and Asda superstore in the mid-2000s. There is also a Romford F.C. associated with the town.{{cite web | url=http://www.romfordfc.com/ | title=History | author=Romford Football Club | access-date=14 August 2009 }} Romford Bowls Club is based in Lodge Farm Park. 1980s Post Punk bands Department S and Purple Hearts both have origins in Romford. The town is strongly associated with the electronic music group Underworld, who cite Romford in their hit "Born Slippy", affiliated to the movie Trainspotting.{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/on-top-of-the-underworld-697475.html | title=On top of the Underworld | author=Ben Thompson | newspaper=The Independent | access-date=14 August 2009 | location=London | date=25 August 2000}}

{{Cquote|Ride the sainted rhythms on the midnight train to Romford|500||Dirty Epic on dubnobasswithmyheadman, Underworld (1994)}}

Romford's position as a focus for electronic music production was reinforced by the presence of the Strictly Underground and Suburban Base record labels, with Suburban Base developing from the Boogie Times record store.{{cite book | title= Drum 'n' bass: the rough guide | year=1999 | last=Shapiro | first=Peter | publisher=Rough Guides}} According to a Billboard article in 1992, Romford-produced dance music formed part of a trend favouring suburban and provincial "bedroom" record labels over those in central London.{{cite book | title=UK indies step outside london for dance hits | last=Sexton | first=Paul | publisher=Billboard |date=August 1992 }} In 2013, the film Death Walks was filmed in Romford over a four-month period. The cult TV series Garth Marenghi's Darkplace was set in the fictional Darkplace Hospital, in Romford.{{cite news |last1=Kachhela |first1=Riddhi |title=Six films, TV shows and music videos filmed or set in Romford |url=https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/24264902.6-films-tv-shows-music-videos-filmed-set-romford/ |access-date=24 May 2025 |work=Romford Recorder |date=20 April 2024 |language=en}}

The local newspaper for the town and the borough of Havering is the Romford Recorder, with an average circulation per issue of 8,852 in 2024.{{cite web |title=Romford Recorder - January to December 2024 |url=https://www.abc.org.uk/product/61 |website=ABC UK |access-date=24 May 2025 |date=13 February 2025}}

Two radio stations are located in the area: Time 107.5{{cite web|title=Time FM|url=http://TIME1075.NET|website=Time 107.5}} and [http://bedrockradio.org.uk Bedrock Radio] (a community health and hospital radio station).{{cite web|title=Bedrock (Hospital Radio)|url=http://bedrockradio.org.uk|website=Bedrock (Hospital Radio)}} A proposed new community service, [https://www.radioromford.co.uk Radio Romford], is planned to launch in 2024.{{cite web|title=Radio Romford|url=https://www.radioromford.co.uk|website=Radio Romford}}

In April 2023, hoodies were banned from the town centre along with Ski masks and motorcycle helmets in an initiative by Romford Business Improvement District, backed by Havering councillors and local Metropolitan Police officers, as a measure against antisocial behaviour.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/30/stupid-uproar-in-romford-as-hoodies-banned-in-shopping-areas | title='Stupid!' Uproar in Romford as hoodies banned in shopping areas | newspaper=The Observer | date=30 April 2023 | last1=Tapper | first1=James }}

Premier Cinemas, located within the Mercury Mall, has served as the venue for the Romford Film Festival since 2017, the Romford Horror Film Festival since 2020, and the East London LGBTQ+ Film Festival since 2023.{{Cite news | title=Film festival returns to Romford next year with no fees for student filmmakers | url=https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/21521125.film-festival-returns-romford-next-year-no-fees-student-filmmakers/ | website=Romford Recorder | access-date = 16 February 2024 }}{{Cite news | title = Romford's First Horror Film Festival to take place this June and it promises to be truly Horrhiffic! | url = https://thehaveringdaily.co.uk/2021/06/01/romfords-first-horror-film-festival-to-take-place-this-june-and-it-promises-to-be-truly-horrhiffic/ | date = 1 June 2021 | website = The Havering Daily | access-date = 16 February 2024 }}{{Cite news | title=Kaleidoscope to host Romford's first LGBTQ+ Film Festival | url= https://thehaveringdaily.co.uk/2023/06/30/kaleidoscope-to-host-romfords-first-lgbtq-film-festival/ | publisher=The Havering Daily | website=The Havering Daily | date=30 June 2023 | access-date=16 February 2024 }}

• List of people from Havering
• List of schools in Havering

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• {{Citation |publisher = John Murray |location = London |title = Handbook to the Environs of London |author = James Thorne |date = 1876 |chapter= Romford |hdl = 2027/mdp.39015063815677 }}

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• {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Romford|short=x}}

{{LB Havering}}

{{London Districts}}

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Category:Areas of London

Category:Districts of the London Borough of Havering

Category:Metropolitan centres of London

Category:Market towns in London

Category:District centres of London