August has seen plenty of excitement as new businesses opened across Hertfordshire, but lots of sadness as beloved stores closed.
Here's five businesses that opened or closed this month.
1. The Shack - Hitchin
The manager of The Shack couldn't hide his delight after a successful opening night for the new Hitchin restaurant.
The business finally welcomed customers for the first time yesterday (August 6), eight months after announcing they would be taking over 32 Sun Street following Deroka's closure.
Manager Ash Millward was pleased with the success of The Shack's first day in Hitchin, and said it was "worth the wait" after a delayed opening.
"Tonight’s gone really well, and lunchtime was fantastic. It’s just nice to see people coming out and giving us a try," he told The Comet.
2. The Red Indian - Welwyn Garden City
A popular Indian restaurant in Welwyn Garden City is set to close down, with a replacement already lined up.
The Red Indian Restaurant in Wigmores North will cease trading on Friday, August 30, with the news confirmed in a Facebook post.
"After many wonderful years of serving you, we regret to inform you that Red Indian Restaurant will be ceasing trading on August 30," the post from the restaurant read.
"Thank you for all your support throughout the years."
The post also confirmed that a new restaurant is lined up to take over the unit, adding: "A new Thai restaurant will be coming soon in our location."
3. Proto Artisan Bakery - St Albans
An award-winning bakery is set to bring its sourdough and pastries to St Albans, after announcing plans to open a shop in the city.
Proto Artisan Bakery was set up during the pandemic by husband and wife team James and Jo-Anne.
They opened a shop in Ware, offering a range of sourdoughs and baked goods to customers.
After the success of the Ware branch, they're expanding to St Albans, announcing plans for a second venue in the town centre, with an official opening date expected to be announced soon.
4. Sparx Sports Store - Stevenage
Stevenage Indoor Market has welcomed a new shop which will sell sportswear at affordable prices, with profits being put back into the community.
The Sparx Sports Store is a charity-run operation which works with victims, vulnerable people and supports rehabilitation schemes.
The shop comes as part of the Build a Better Bedwell initiative run by Herts police.
The project is a government scheme, which aims to regenerate the Bedwell area by driving out crime and encouraging the community to work with partner agencies to improve the area and make it less attractive to criminals.
5. Tesla - St Albans
Tesla has opened its first Hertfordshire showroom at a new site in St Albans.
The 16,000sqft Lyons Way site welcomed customers for the first time on August 3, with the company saying the decision has been "taken in response to the ever-growing demand for electric vehicles and sustainable infrastructure in the UK".
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