The following news story is an extract from Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation's community magazine, Insight, published Winter 1999.

We've dug it out from our archives to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the official reopening of The Spirella Building, along with photographs (click on them to enlarge):

The heir to the throne paid a special visit to Letchworth Garden City's 'digital pathway to the world' on 29 January 1999 and was "really impressed". Prince Charles praised the Heritage Foundation for its vision and commitment in achieving the Spirella redevelopment.

Greeted by over 500 local people who lined the nearby streets - including flag waving children - Prince Charles enthused on the £10m transformation of the internationally famous former corset and swimwear factory by the Heritage Foundation.

He spent an hour touring the building, including visits to Business Link, Packaging Networks and the renovated Ballroom where he met Spirella workers of yesteryear and three young Letchworth business entrepreneurs, who had been helped by the Prince's Trust, to start their own businesses.

Although 40 minutes late, when he arrived at Spirella, Prince Charles did not rush his stay, taking time to talk to scores of people. He was genuinely interested in what had been achieved and said so in a much longer than expected speech to expectant crowds in the Ballroom, before officially opening Spirella by unveiling a commemorative plaque.

Before he left, Prince Charles turned to Heritage Foundation Chairman Eric Lyall and Director General Stuart Kenny and said: "This has made my day. I really mean it." There couldn't have been a better testimonial on this, His Royal Highness's first official visit to the world's first Garden City.

Mr Kenny said after the visit: "The Prince's interest in what we have achieved at Spirella was both evident and immensely encouraging. He saw the Spirella redevelopment as a possible blueprint for the regeneration of many splendid buildings, often Listed, lying derelict or underused throughout the county".

"Most importantly he had a clear grasp of how state-of-the-art communications technology can help bring to old buildings the added value which makes investment in redevelopment feasible in financial terms".