The Cheltenham Blog
Local guides, neighbourhood deep-dives, and insider tips for getting the most out of Cheltenham. Written by people who know the town.
74 articles
Bonfire Night in Cheltenham 2026: Every Fireworks Display
Every fireworks display in and around Cheltenham for Bonfire Night 2026, from the Racecourse to low-noise shows, with dates, gate times, ticket prices and the rules on food, dogs and parking.
Cheltenham Races 2027: Dates, Tickets, Hotels and Pubs
The Cheltenham Races for the 2027 Festival, 16 to 19 March: each day's feature race and times, ticket prices, the shuttle and parking rules, what to wear, and where to stay and drink in town.
Cheltenham Jazz Festival: A Local's Guide to the Town's Best Long Weekend
If Cheltenham has a favourite long weekend of the year, the Jazz Festival might be it. For six days at the start of May, Montpellier Gardens turns into a pop-up music village, the Big Top goes up,...
Cheltenham Literature Festival: A Local's Guide to the World's Longest-Running Book Festival
Every October, Cheltenham turns into a ten-day conversation. Writers, thinkers, scientists, comedians and broadcasters descend on the town, Montpellier Gardens fills with canvas pavilions and...
The Suffolks Cheltenham: A Local's Guide to the Town's Quietly Excellent Neighbourhood
If Montpellier is the characterful Cheltenham neighbourhood everyone knows about, The Suffolks is the one locals actually live in.
Moving to Cheltenham: Is It a Nice Place to Live?
Is Cheltenham a nice place to live? The honest pros and cons, eight areas compared on price and schools, ONS house prices and rents, 2026/27 council tax, Ofsted ratings and trains, all checked on 23 October 2026.
Dog-Friendly Cheltenham: Pubs, Restaurants and Cafés
Seventeen dog-friendly pubs, restaurants and cafés in Cheltenham with where dogs can go, six hotels and their dog charges, dog-friendly shops in Regent Arcade and the council's lead rules for parks.
Bookshops in Cheltenham: Independent, Second-Hand and Rare
Seven bookshops in Cheltenham, from Waterstones and the independent Rossiter Books to second-hand Moss Books and Cheltenham Rare Books, with opening days, children's story times, author events and a bookshop crawl.
Best Pubs in Cheltenham: Real Ale, Food and Winter Fires
Twelve Cheltenham pubs for real ale, craft beer, food and gardens, with cask lines, Sunday roast prices, Christmas menus, quiz nights and live sport, checked on 27 October 2026.
Shops in Cheltenham: The Independent Shopping Guide
Cheltenham's best independent shops, area by area: jewellers and books in Montpellier, boutiques on Suffolk Parade, records in the town centre lanes and hats in Charlton Kings.
Vintage and Second-Hand Shopping in Cheltenham: A Local's Guide to the Best Finds
If you want to build a wardrobe or furnish a home from vintage and second-hand pieces rather than factory-fresh ones, Cheltenham is quietly one of the best towns in the South West.
Rainy Day in Cheltenham: A Local's Guide to Indoor Things to Do
Cheltenham in the rain is still Cheltenham. The Regency terraces still look good, the cafés still pull good coffee, and the town centre is compact enough that a drizzly afternoon doesn't need to...