The personal information below is reprinted from the Hertfordshire Mercury of December 7 2007 as part of a series of interviews with local celebrities: 'Getting To Know You'.

Name: John Barber

Age: Just collected my bus pass

Where are you from? Folly Island.

Job? Hertford town centre manager

Hobbles? Writing.

FAVOURITES

Film? I have two favourite films, the first is The Terminator and the second is the original Goodbye Mr Chips with Robert Donat and Greer Garson. The Terminator has great special effects and had a big impact at the time it came out. Arnie is great in the film too.

Book? Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome and The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy by Lawrence Stem. I like the Jerome K Jerome novel because of its understated English humour.

Food? Any type of curry

TV Programme? Spooks

Song? I like the entire Bat Out of Hell album by Meatloaf.

Bob Monkhouse b/w postcard - Good Luck John Claim to fame? While I was researching an article a few years ago, I needed some information about an old music hall memory act called Leslie Welch.

I contacted Bob Monkhouse through his agent. One Saturday afternoon the phone rang and it was Bob calling from his holiday home in the Bahamas. He stayed on the phone to me for half an hour and I finished the article on time.

Becky Mantin - ITV weather girl What famous person would you like to be stuck on a desert island with? Becky Mantin, the ITV weather girl on the grounds that there is no better place to be with a pretty girl.

VIEWS ON HERTFORD

What does It need? A cinema

What would you change? Nothing, I like it as it is

Favourite pub/bar/restaurant? The Old Barge on Folly Island, the White Horse in Castle Street and the Salisbury Arms in Fore Street.

Favourite place? Folly Island.

Where do you like to shop? Waitrose in Hertford

Best thing? After doing this job for seven years, I would have to say the people of Hertford.

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