What is it about Watford?

I'm down in Watford at the moment, having driven down with my parents to visit my brother, David, who is in hospital in London.

We're staying at the Watford Hilton - it's about the third or fourth time we've stayed here, but not for many years. What has been notable about our last few stays in hotels in Watford, is that there seems to be a prerequisite for the fire alarm to go off when we're in town.

When the claxons sounded at 7.20 this morning, it just didn't come as a surprise. Between my parents and me, it's the 4th time it has happened and I suppose we'd have been a tad disappointed if the tradition hadn't been upheld. Fortunately, the leisure club in the hotel doesn't open until eight at the weekend, otherwise my Dad and I would have been in the swimming pool and my mother would have had to have fended for herself. And what set the alarms shrieking? Burnt toast!

The hotel is very comfortable, but they certainly know how to charge. £2.50 or £3.95 if you elect to consume the bottles of water they thoughtfully leave in the room for you, £13 for a Margherita pizza and, if like me you need to get wireless access for your laptop, £6 for 45 minutes or £10 for access for 24 hours. Why did I assume that it would be provided without charge, as it is in many hotels here and abroad?