Don't want to put you off, some people love laurels. But everyone we know at the moment seems to have problems with huge out of control laurel hedges, with masses of work to get them under control and to a reasonable size.
I'm sure you realise but almost nothing will grow close to a laurel hedge which creates a dry and shaded area to either side.
Like all perennial shrubs, I would certainly prune off the tops in late winter before they come into growth again. This will certainly encourage bushiness.
But whatever you do, keep them pruned back every year so they don't grow into those lanky, woody specimens which look dreadful and are very hard to control.
A general slow release fertiliser in the spring should help them green up as they grow, I'd recommend blood, fish and bone. Using quick release fertiliser would lead to rapid sappy growth.

they are very hardy, but I would let them settle in befor pruning, wate for a frost free week, you are ok untill march,as for manure, they canot realy use it untill early spring, then I would use a mix of blood fish and bone meal, as the soil will be loose I would mulch with straw or hay or sumthing to stopthe frost geting to the roots.

we posted togather Berti, but I was interuped half way through for ten minuates, and finished it off without looking.

I agree with you Bertiefox. I cut mine down completely this spring as I was finding an ever increasing area round it where nothing was growing properly.
As for the roots we still haven`t got them all out.