Editing Luton (section)

{{short description|Town in Bedfordshire, England}}
{{about|the town in Bedfordshire, England||Luton (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--Basic information-->| name               = 
| official_name      = Luton
| settlement_type    = [[List of towns in the United Kingdom|Town]], [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] and [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]]
| motto              = {{nativename|la|Scientiæ et labori detur}}<ref>[[Commons:File:GOC Leagrave to Harpenden 053 Luton Coat of Arms (8562865418).jpg|Relief of Luton's coat of arms and motto]] on the gate of Wardown Park</ref><ref name="coatofarms"/><br />"May it be given to skill and industry"<ref name="strawhatboom">{{cite book|url=https://www.lutonculture.com/uploads/documents/1333365807_LStrawhatboom.pdf|title=Luton: Straw Hat Boom Town|publisher=Luton Cultural Services Trust|date=2011|page=9|quote="The aspiration contained in its motto: Scientiae et labori detur (May it be given to skill and industry)"|access-date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015082614/http://www.lutonculture.com/uploads/documents/1333365807_LStrawhatboom.pdf|archive-date=15 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!--Images and maps-->| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
  | photo1a      = Luton Town Hall and War Memorial (01).jpg
  | photo2a      = Luton Hoo (South Face - 01).jpg
  | photo2b      = Northwest Face of the Parish Church of Saint Mary, Luton (02).jpg
  | photo3a      = London Luton Airport - geograph.org.uk - 1446381.jpg
  | photo3b      = Kenilworth Stand at Kenilworth Road, 2006.jpg
  | size         = 290
  | color_border = transparent
  | color        = transparent
  | spacing      = 2
  | foot_montage = 
  }}
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Top to bottom, left to right: [[Luton Town Hall]], [[Luton Hoo]], [[St Mary's Church, Luton|St Mary's Church]], [[Luton Airport]] and [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]]'s stadium [[Kenilworth Road]]
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| shield_alt         = 
| image_map          = Luton UK locator map.svg
| mapsize            = 200px
| map_caption        = Luton shown within Bedfordshire
| image_dot_map      = 
| dot_mapsize        = 
| dot_map_caption    = 
| dot_x              = 
| dot_y              = 
| pushpin_map        = England#United Kingdom#Europe
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within England##Location within the United Kingdom##Location within Europe
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|51|52|42|N|00|24|53|W|region:GB-LUT_type:city({{English district population|GSS=E06000032}})|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name   = United Kingdom
| subdivision_type1  = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1  = England
| subdivision_type2  = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[East of England]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Bedfordshire]]
<!--Politics and dates-->| government_footnotes = <ref>[[Local government in England#Councillors and mayors|Leadership]]=Mayor & Cabinet</ref>
| government_type    = [[Borough]]
| governing_body     = [[Luton Borough Council]]
| leader_title       = Executive
| leader_name        = {{English district control|GSS=E06000032}}
| leader_title1      = Mayor
| leader_name1       = Tahmina Saleem
| leader_title2      = [[List of MPs elected in the 2024 United Kingdom general election|MPs]]
| leader_name2       = [[Sarah Owen]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]<br />[[Rachel Hopkins]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
| seat_type          = Administrative HQ
| seat               = [[Luton Town Hall]]
| established_title  = Settlement
| established_date   = c. 6th century
| established_title1 = [[Borough]]
| established_date1  = 1876
| area_magnitude     = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = {{English district area|GSS=E06000032}}
| area_rank          = [[List of English districts by area|{{English district area rank|GSS=E06000032}}]]
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_max_m    = 
| elevation_min_m    = 
| population_as_of   = {{English statistics year}}
| population_footnotes = <ref name="LLA"/>
| population_total   = {{English district population|GSS=E06000032}}
| population_density_km2 = {{English district density|GSS=E06000032}}
| population_rank    = [[List of English districts by population|{{English district rank|GSS=E06000032}}]]
| population_demonym = Lutonian
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->| demographics_type1 = Ethnicity <span style="font-weight:normal;">([[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]])</span>
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis">{{NOMIS2021|id=E06000032|title=Luton Local Authority|access-date=5 January 2024}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|Ethnic groups]]
| demographics1_info1 = {{Collapsible list
 | 45.2% [[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]
 | 37% [[British Asians|Asian]]
 | 10.1% [[Black British people|Black]]
 | 4.3% [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]
 | 3.5% [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|other]]
 }}
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->| demographics_type2 = Religion <span style="font-weight:normal;">(2021)</span>
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis"/>
| demographics2_title1 = [[Religion in England|Religion]]
| demographics2_info1 = {{Collapsible list
 | 37.9% [[Religion in England#Christianity|Christianity]]
 | 32.9% [[Islam in England|Islam]]
 | 17.6% [[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|no religion]]
 | 11.6% [[Religion in England|other]]
 }}
<!--Other-->| timezone           = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset         = +0
| timezone_DST       = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +1
| postal_code_type   = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcode Area]]
| postal_code        = [[LU postcode area|LU]]
| area_code_type     = [[List of dialling codes in the United Kingdom|Dialling code]]
| area_code          = 01582
| iso_code           = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-LUT]]
| blank_name_sec1    = [[List of airports in the United Kingdom and the British Crown Dependencies|International airport]]
| blank_info_sec1    = [[London Luton Airport]] ([[International Air Transport Association airport code|LTN]])
| blank1_name_sec1   = [[UK railway stations|Railway stations]]
| blank1_info_sec1   = [[Luton railway station|Luton]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|B]])<br />[[Luton Airport Parkway railway station|Luton Airport Parkway]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|D]])<br />[[Leagrave railway station|Leagrave]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|D]])
| blank_name_sec2    = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|OS grid reference]]
| blank_info_sec2    = {{gbmappingsmall|TL0896521763}}
| blank1_name_sec2   = [[Government Statistical Service|GSS]] code
| blank1_info_sec2   = E06000032
| blank2_name_sec2   = [[ONS coding system|ONS code]]
| blank2_info_sec2   = 00KA
| blank3_name_sec2   = [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS]] 3
| blank3_info_sec2   = UKH21
| blank4_name_sec2   = [[FIPS 10-4]]
| blank4_info_sec2   = UKI1
| website            = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Luton''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-uk-Luton.ogg|ˈ|l|uː|t|ən}})<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/luton?showCookiePolicy=true|title=Luton|access-date=23 September 2014|publisher=Collins Dictionary|date=n.d.}}</ref> is a town and [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] in [[Bedfordshire]], England. The borough had a population of 225,262 at the 2021 census.<ref name="LLA">{{NOMIS2021|id=E06000032|title=Luton Local Authority |access-date=10 September 2023}}</ref><ref name=BUA2021>{{cite web |title=UNITED KINGDOM: Countries and Major Urban Areas |website=citypopulation.de |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/cities/ua/ |date=11 November 2022 |access-date=23 November 2022}}</ref>  <!-- As of 6 Jan, the figure for for Luton BUSA alone is not available yet  -->

Luton is on the [[River Lea]], about {{convert|32|mi|km|-1}} north-west of [[London]].<ref name="ELR">{{cite web |title=SPC: St Pancras to Chesterfield Line {{!}} SPC1: St Pancras to Bedford |series=Engineers Line Reference |url=http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/elrs/_mileages/s/spc1.shtm |website=Railway Codes }}</ref> The town's foundation dates to the sixth century as a Saxon settlement on the river, from which Luton derives its name.<ref>{{cite web |title=Key to English place names: Luton |publisher=Institute for Name-Studies, [[University of Nottingham]] |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Bedfordshire/Luton }}</ref> Luton is recorded in the [[Domesday Book]] as ''Loitone'' and ''Lintone''.<ref name="domesday">{{cite web|url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/bedfordshire2.html|title=Domesday book record|access-date=16 June 2008}}</ref> One of the largest churches in Bedfordshire, [[St Mary's Church, Luton|St Mary's Church]], was built in the 12th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityArchives/Luton/EstablishedChurchinLuton/SaintMarysLutonChurchArchitecture.aspx|title=Saint Marys Luton Church Architecture|date=5 August 2016|website=bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk|access-date=8 April 2019}}</ref> There are local museums which explore Luton's history in [[Wardown Park Museum|Wardown Park]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lutonculture.com/wardown-house/about/|title=Wardown House and Museum – About|website=Luton Culture}}</ref> and [[Stockwood Discovery Centre|Stockwood Park]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lutonculture.com/stockwood-discovery-centre/about/|title=Stockwood Discovery Centre – About|website=Luton Culture|access-date=8 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408180904/https://www.lutonculture.com/stockwood-discovery-centre/about/|archive-date=8 April 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Luton was once known for [[hatmaking]] and also had a large [[Vauxhall Motors]] factory. Car production at the plant began in 1905 and continued until its closure in 2002.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1877763.stm|title=End of an era for Vauxhall|publisher=BBC|date=20 March 2002}}</ref> Production of [[commercial vehicle]]s [[IBC Vehicles|continues]] and the head office of [[Vauxhall Motors]] is in the village of [[Chalton, Bedfordshire|Chalton]] on the northern border of the borough .<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vauxhall.co.uk/tools/contact-us-customer-care.html|title=Contact Vauxhall &#124; Customer Care|website=Vauxhall.co.uk}}</ref> [[London Luton Airport]] opened in 1938 and is now one of Britain's major airports,<ref name="caa2018">{{Cite web|url=https://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/UK-aviation-market/Airports/Datasets/UK-Airport-data/Airport-data-2018/|title=CAA Airport Data 2018|website=Caa.co.uk|publisher=UK Civil Aviation Authority}}</ref> with three [[Luton railway station|railway stations]] also in the town. The [[University of Bedfordshire]] was created from a merger with the University of Luton;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.beds.ac.uk/about-us/our-heritage|title=Our Heritage|publisher=University of Bedfordshire}}</ref> two of its campuses are in Luton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.beds.ac.uk/about-us/campuses|title=Our Campuses|publisher=University of Bedfordshire}}</ref> Since 1997, [[Luton Borough Council]] has been a [[unitary authority]], performing all local government functions in the borough.

[[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town Football Club]], nicknamed the ''Hatters'', due to the town's connection to hatmaking, has had several spells in the top flight of the [[English Football League|English league]] as well as a [[Football League Cup]] triumph [[1988 Football League Cup Final|in 1988]]. They play at [[Kenilworth Road]], their home [[History of Luton Town F.C. (1885–1970)|since 1905]]; planning permission for [[Power Court Stadium Project|a new larger stadium]] was approved in 2019.<ref name="new-stadium">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-46898086|title=Power Court: Luton Town football stadium gains planning permission|publisher=BBC News|date=16 January 2019}}</ref> [[Luton International Carnival]], the largest one-day [[carnival]] in Europe, is held on the day before the last Monday in May;<ref>{{cite web|title=Luton – the town: Cultural diversity|url=http://www.beds.ac.uk/international/location|publisher=[[University of Bedfordshire]]|access-date=30 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023064349/http://www.beds.ac.uk/international/location|archive-date=23 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{refn|group=n|Like most long-held UK events on this date, before 1972, it was held during the Christian moving feast and discretionary holiday of [[Whitsuntide]] ([[Pentecost]]) exactly seven weeks after Easter, in this case usually on the Monday}} the [[Saint Patrick]]'s festival is held on the weekend nearest to [[Saint Patrick's Day]]<ref name="irish-forum">{{Cite web|url=http://lutonirishforum.org/home/are-you-interested-in-your-culture-heritage/|title=Are you interested in your culture & heritage?|website=lutonirishforum.org|publisher=Luton Irish Forum}}</ref> as there is a large [[Irish people|Irish]] community in Luton. The town also has a large [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]] community which, along with the Irish, were attracted to employment at the Vauxhall car plant.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Achievement of British Pakistani Learners |author1=Robin Richardson  |author2=Angela Wood |publisher=Trentham Books |pages=2, 1–17 |url=http://www.insted.co.uk/raising2005.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/working-abroad/lending-a-helping-hand-to-the-20-000-luton-irish-1.2995449|title=Lending a helping hand to the 20,000 Luton Irish|first=Noelette Hanley in|last=Luton|newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref> [[Luton Hoo]] is an [[English country house]], [[Estate (land)|estate]] and [[Grade I]] listed building originally designed by Scottish architect [[Robert Adam]] but later transformed to the designs of [[Robert Smirke (architect)|Robert Smirke]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Airs |first=Malcolm |year=1982 |title=The Buildings of Britain: Regency |publisher=Barrie & Jenkins |page=165 |isbn=9780091479909}}</ref>