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/

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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

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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

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Cheltenham can feel like a hundred different towns in a single week, and this one proves it. We start with the stories that shape day-to-day life, including the controversial return of a Cheltenham Racecourse car boot sale, a bungling burglar who got himself stuck mid break-in, and the green light for 171 new homes off Old Gloucester Road with a big chunk set aside as affordable housing. We also dig into the practical stuff that affects every journey, from fully funded M5 Junction 10 improvements to VOI’s new push to stop e-scooters being left across pavements and access points.

Then we zoom in on the parts of Cheltenham you might walk past without noticing. The Hare And The Minotaur sculpture on the Promenade gets named one of the UK’s best hidden artworks, sparking the question of what public art should be and who gets to decide. On the high street, we touch on new openings that signal changing tastes and confidence in the town centre, including Therapy Clinic on Cheltenham High Street and Mango arriving at Regent Arcade. Sport gets its say too, with a Cheltenham Town men’s result update and a big preview of Cheltenham Town Women’s crucial home match.

Two guest chats bring the heart of the show. Louise Roberts from the British Gymnastics Foundation and Anna Castillo from Parkinson’s UK explain Love To Move, a seated exercise programme combining music, movement and “brain gymnastics” to support mobility, cognition and social connection, including free Parkinson’s-specific online sessions and how locals can train as deliverers. We also meet Katie from Moments By Katie Mitchell Photography, who shares how she moved from army life into maternity, newborn and family photography, how she handles wriggly toddlers, and why she backs a local charity while building a “baby’s first year” journey for clients.

If you like smart local updates with real people and practical takeaways, subscribe, share the show with a Cheltenham friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

Donate to Bike Ride

Love to Move Application to train

British Gymnastics Foundation

Parkinsons

Katie Photography Website

Katie Facebook

Katie Instagram

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Your phone dies. Your train’s delayed. Your ticket’s on an app. You need a taxi. That tiny red battery icon becomes a real problem fast. So I sit down with Archie from LifeSaver Power, the team behind the portable charging stations you may have seen at the Cheltenham Festival. We chat about how the rent-swap-return system works, what it costs, why unlimited swaps matter at big events, and how they’re building a more sustainable, circular model using renewable energy.

Before that, we run through the stories shaping Cheltenham right now: a local mum taking on a huge endurance fundraiser for Sue Ryder by running the London Marathon and then 100 miles back to Cheltenham; reminders to register to vote before the deadline; drink cartons now accepted in kerbside recycling; and a major win for local heritage as Cheltenham Lido is secured until 2120. We also touch on safety concerns, recent incidents, and a positive step with new zero-emission buses across Gloucestershire.

Then we lighten things up with Nikki and Eddie from Not A Cult, Cheltenham’s improvised comedy group. They explain how improv works, why audience prompts can be chaos in the best way, and what to expect at their upcoming shows.

Cheltenham Mum Just giving Page

Registar to Vote

Cheltenham Coucil Elections

Women Cheltenham FC Tickets

Lifesaver Power

Free Blood Pressure Checks

Cheltenham Town FC - Groundsman Job

Springbank Choir

Not A Cult - Tickets

Not A Cult Website

The Ivy Cheltenham Easter

Cheltenham Poetry Festival

YMCA Sleep Easy

Jazz Festival

Love Gloucestershire Single Night

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A bridge that’s stood since the 1980s is about to come down, and it’s just one sign that Cheltenham is changing fast. I’m Reg, and this week’s All Things Cheltenham is a proper town-wide sweep of local news, community stories, sport and events, with plenty of moments that make you stop and think about what kind of place we’re all building together.

I start with the latest on the Regent Arcade Bridge demolition tied to the Cavendish House redevelopment, plus High Street chatter, proposed 20 mph zones across Gloucestershire and a worrying report of a residential street that appears to be sinking. There’s good news too, from Nagumi being shortlisted for a major local award to Cheltenham Borough Council backing grassroots projects through the Community Pride Fund, and a genuinely heartwarming care home surprise that proves small acts can carry big meaning.

Then we go deeper with two guests. Festival programmer Andy Rea joins me to talk about the Dark Side of the Ales festival at the Sandford Park Alehouse, a free community festival mixing dark ales with film, quizzes, live music and comedy. John also joins to explain the Cheltenham Backgammon Club, why it exists, how league nights work, and why beginners are welcome even if you’ve only ever played at home.

If you like hearing what’s on in Cheltenham and want your voice included, subscribe, share, leave a review, and message me on WhatsApp so I can feature your views in a future show.

Cheltenham Backgammon Club | Facebook

https://cheltenhambackgammonclub.weebly.com/about.html

Love to Move

That's the Fresh Art Fair

A Path to a Healthy Body and Soul

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Cheltenham can feel like two towns at once: the headline-making, visitor-packed version that explodes into life during Festival week, and the everyday version built on small shops, familiar faces, and the places we choose to support. We start by unpacking the Cheltenham Festival 2026, from the biggest racing moments and the scale of the crowds to the sobering welfare news that many locals are still processing after the final race.

From there, we move into Cheltenham town centre changes that hit closer to home, including store closures and what they signal for the future of independent retail. Helen joins me from the Nutrition Centre on Bath Road, sharing the story of a business that has quietly served Cheltenham for more than five decades and explaining what people actually come in for, from whole foods to supplements and practical advice on healthier choices.

We also open up “Have Your Say” with listener messages on potholes and road safety, then run through a stacked Cheltenham events guide: a teaser clip with Andy Ray on the Dark Side Of The Ale Festival, plus sci-fi fun with Forcefest UK, the Cheltenham Poetry Festival, family inflatables, and “Empty Chairs” at the Swan Pub, where Tom is creating a no-pressure space for conversation and connection.

Subscribe or follow All Things Cheltenham, share this with a friend who loves local life, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What’s the one Cheltenham story or event you want us to cover next?

Keith Scarrott Shoes

Cheltenham Playhouse

Cheltenham is Growing

SoGlos Awards

Dark Side of the Ales Festival Facebook

Force Fest UK at Town Hall

Cheltenham Poetry Festival

Empty Chair

📍 Get involved with All Things Cheltenham

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Cheltenham is buzzing, and not just at the racecourse. We kick off with an International Women’s Day salute and dive straight into Festival week: early pub breakfasts, live music, and a smart free parking window at Town Centre East to keep the high street moving while the stands fill up. Safety is front and centre with extra patrols, Ask for Angela, and a supervised Youth Café offering wifi, charging, and support. Around town, The Tavern reopens, the Golf Rooms bring Trackman tech to the Brewery Quarter, and a major housing scheme at North Place promises new homes and local jobs. There’s complexity too: BrewDog’s closure lands hard, Cavendish House is boarded up, and yet a new Tesco Express prepares to open on the Promenade.

Our guest segment goes deep with Rachel from Casagee’s Pizza, a home kitchen venture that began during lockdown and now serves about 130 pizzas each weekend, plus weddings and corporate events from a mobile trailer. Rachel shares the real numbers and the practical choices: delivery radius discipline, menu expansion, loyalty perks, and why Fridays are sacred for regulars. We unpack the brand journey from Papa G’s to Casa G’s, the commitment to authentic Neapolitan style, and a standout story about a customer who drove from Cambridge and slept in their car for a slice. The heart of the chat is their licence programme, Business in a Pizza Box: a lean alternative to franchising that bundles software, ordering, delivery tools, mentoring, and marketing guidance, while letting founders choose their own name, menu, and pricing.

We round out with community voices and what’s on: En Plein Air art competition in Montpellier Gardens, a family-friendly Walk for Cobalt through Regency landmarks, open mics, gigs, theatre, and fresh shows across local galleries. There’s also a simple ask from the British Heart Foundation shop for clothing donations, with a free collection line to make it easy. Want to get involved? Share your notice for the new Community Notice Board or send thoughts for Have Your Say. If you enjoy staying close to what matters in Cheltenham—small business wins, safer nights, and the makers who keep our town lively—follow the show, leave a review, and tell a friend who loves local stories.

Casagees pizzas

The Golf Rooms

En Plein Air Art Competition 2026

Walk for Colbart 2026

📍 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.