Hitchin is a lively little market town, near to Stevenage and Letchworth. It has a nice little market place and some interesting little shops, particularly in Sun Street and the Churchyard, where you can buy various gifts and unusual items. There are a good assortment of Bars, Coffeeshops and Restaurants. It has its share of mainstream businesses too; banks, supermarkets, high street well known brands etc. 

Hitchin is one of a number of small towns in Hertfordshire whose architecture, fortunately, escaped the worst excesses of the enthusiastic demolition that went on all over England in the 1960s.  Although some fine medieval buildings were lost around this time, Bancroft remains a classic market-town broad street where a jolly jumble of buildings from different periods rub shoulders, and on Tilehouse Street nearly every property is a listed building.