Cheltenham’s future can feel like it’s arriving in two speeds at once: billion-pound tech ambition on one side, and the everyday questions of shops, safety, and local culture on the other. I bring you a tight, practical weekly roundup that connects those dots, starting with the latest move forward on the Golden Valley development near GCHQ and what a new cyber technology and innovation hub could mean for jobs, training, and investment in West Cheltenham.

We also dig into growing uncertainty around the municipal offices on the Promenade, after fresh reports suggest the planned sale and spa hotel conversion may not be as straightforward as hoped. Then we switch gears to what many people actually plan their week around: Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s 30th anniversary (29 April to 4 May), plus the venues, the festival village feel, and why it remains one of the biggest dates in the Cheltenham events calendar.

From there, it’s all about what’s opening, what’s changing, and what you should know: a potential Gail’s bakery café on the Promenade, the Brew House and Kitchen reopening after a refurb, and the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival returning to Montpellier Gardens in June. On the community side, we share the confirmed closure date for the PDSA charity shop, clear up the Shoe Zone “closing down” confusion, highlight the Cheltenham Guardians safeguarding patrols and Night Care Hub, and give a nod to Motive Music Academy for anyone looking for lessons or a low-pressure trial.

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Links to all of these in the description

Motive Music Academy

Cheltenham Guardians

Podcast

https://www.eventsincheltenham.co.uk

Newsletter

https://www.eventsincheltenham.blog

Calendar

https://www.eventsincheltenham.co.uk/events-in-cheltenham-calendar/

📍 Get involved with All Things Cheltenham

Submit your local events, community notices, or news tips free of charge via the website.

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Big local stories can feel scattered across social feeds and rumours, so I’m pulling the week into one clear Cheltenham update you can actually use. We start with serious Gloucestershire Police developments: confirmation that no further action will be taken against a 16-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder after the Honeyborne Way incident, while a 17-year-old remains on bail and investigators continue enquiries. I also share two active appeals: one after the theft of the distinctive Cheltenham Festival artwork “Making Amends” by Claire Haggis, and another for witnesses and CCTV or dashcam footage following the Prestbury Road collision involving a cyclist and a bus, after which the woman sadly dies from her injuries.

From there, I get into the changes you’ll notice on a night out, as Cheltenham venues align with police and the council on a unified unverified ID retention policy. I also touch on the realities facing local business, from a court hearing about repeated shoplifting at Pets at Home to uncertainty in the hospitality sector as Francomanca announces multiple UK closures. With the Cheltenham Borough Council elections coming up on Thursday 7 May, I run through the key dates, including the registration deadline and the need for valid photo ID, plus the local issues that are likely to dominate the debate.

There’s plenty of good news and things to do as well. Cheltenham Town FC make it back-to-back wins with more late drama, and I give a shout-out to Be More Bob for taking the top prize in a national window display competition. On the community noticeboard, there’s a new luxury dog grooming studio, SoFetch, and a big anniversary for Hallowed Grounds Coffee. Then it’s a full Cheltenham events guide: Fringe Festival launch night at the Playhouse, local markets, Striking Comic Con, a sunrise birdsong walk at Cox’s Meadow, live music at HMV, Musical Theatre Karaoke, the Charlton Kings Village Fete, the Friends of Pittville plant sale, and a brand-new Craft Coven meetup.

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So Fetch

Fringe Festival Launch Show

Birdsong At Sunrise

Striking Comic Con

📍 Get involved with All Things Cheltenham

Submit your local events, community notices, or news tips free of charge via the website.

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A town’s story isn’t just the headlines, it’s the people who show up after them. This week we start with Cheltenham local news that’s difficult but important, including a police appeal following a fatal incident near Millennium Bridge and Honeybourne Way. From there, we move to the work that quietly holds things together, like Cheltenham’s No Child Left Behind programme tackling child poverty and inequality through schools, local organisations, and practical support for families.

We also cover what’s changing on the ground and what’s coming up in the calendar. There’s an update on the new David Lloyd Leisure Club in Bishop’s Cleeve, the latest on Russell Howard adding an extra Everyman Theatre date, and a reminder that the Cheltenham Science Festival is back in early June with talks, workshops, interactive sessions, and plenty for families. On the pitch, Cheltenham Town grind out a late point then deliver a huge 4-0 away win, officially securing League 2 status for next season.

Then we bring in two brilliant local voices. Susanna from Big Sis DJs shares how she went from mixing at home to landing a Jazz Festival slot, what it really takes to plan a tight set, and how jazz-influenced house music can still feel warm, fun and accessible. Tyrone, creator of the TikTok account Real Talk Unfiltered, explains how he builds a safe zone for mental health conversations, why he keeps it raw, and what it feels like when millions of people connect with your words in real time.

If you enjoy smart local updates and honest conversations, subscribe, share the podcast with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people around Cheltenham can find us.

Suzanne DJ Instagram

Big Sis Events and Courses

Cheltenham Jazz Festival

Suzanne at Deya Brewery

Suzanne Upcoming Events

15th April - DJ Beginner Course (6 week course)

2nd May - Big Sis Takeover @ Yamaha Free Stage, Montpelier Gardens at Cheltenham Jazz Festival 9-10:45pm

16th May - Big Sis DJs House Party with Dani Whylie @ The Swamp at Deya Brewery, Cheltenham

5th June - Mind Expansion Pack 4.0 @ Deya Brewery, Cheltenham

Tyrone - Real Talk Unfiltered - TikTok

Poetry Festival

Birdsong at Coxs Meadow

Cheltenham Lido the Big Chill25

📍 Get involved with All Things Cheltenham

Submit your local events, community notices, or news tips free of charge via the website.

🎙️ Listen, follow, and share the podcast to support local voices in Cheltenham.