Cheltenham to celebrate the life of Dame Jilly Cooper on Countryside Day at The November Meeting29/9/2026 Cheltenham Racecourse will celebrate the life and legacy of the late Dame Jilly Cooper on Countryside Day at The November Meeting on Friday 13 November, with a special tribute to one of racing’s much-loved supporters. As a lasting tribute to Jilly, a memorial bench will be unveiled on the Crescent walkway, overlooking the Parade Ring. The location will provide a fitting place for racegoers to remember Jilly and reflect on her enduring love of Cheltenham, the countryside and the sport of racing. For the duration of The November Meeting, the popular Retreat bar will also be renamed “The Rutshire Arms”, in tribute to Jilly’s work and the world she created through her much-loved novels. Jilly was a regular visitor to Cheltenham and a passionate follower of racing. She once described the racecourse and the Festival as: “so joyful, I love it. There are all the heavenly Irish, and the course is so beautiful, with that wonderful panoramic view.” Her love of horses and racing was a defining part of her writing, bringing the characters, drama and excitement of the sport to a huge audience. Her 2010 novel Jump! was set against the world of National Hunt racing and featured scenes at Cheltenham. Jilly’s extraordinary legacy continues to reach new audiences through the success of Rivals, now in its second series on Disney+. The hit adaptation has introduced her much-loved characters and distinctive storytelling to a new generation, with a star-studded cast bringing the world of Rutshire to life. Countryside Day will provide an opportunity for Cheltenham Racecourse and the wider racing community to come together to remember Jilly, celebrate her remarkable life and recognise the special connection she shared with the racecourse and the sport she loved. Her wit, warmth and passion for racing made Jilly a much-loved figure at Cheltenham, and the tribute will ensure her connection with the racecourse continues to be remembered for years to come. You can find all the information + tickets for Countryside Day and The November Meeting HERE. 
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Dom Joly’s SpeakeaZy in Cheltenham has now officially moved beyond the slightly awkward “new show” phase and established itself as an essential, and rather gloriously unhinged, fixture of the Cheltenham cultural calendar. A ‘Cabaret of Curiosities’ is an intimate, after-hours-style chat show delivered live on stage, with an anarchic energy, a healthy disregard for convention and just enough secrecy to make everyone feel they’re in on something they probably shouldn’t be. Due to overwhelming demand and a frankly alarming tendency to sell out at speed, six brand new SpeakeaZy dates have now dropped all at once at its home, The Steam & Whistle pub in the town. Every SpeakeaZy is an unpredictable beast. At its core, the show drags legendary off-stage banter out into the open, taking those chaotic, unfiltered green room conversations and dropping them straight onto the stage for one night only. Previous guests have ranged from broadcasting icon Adrian Chiles, and comedy royalty like Seann Walsh, Jenny Éclair & Pauline McLynn (Father Ted) to musical heavyweight like James Walsh (Starsailor), Tom A Smith, Babybird, and The Bluetones. From high-level political "bombs" dropped by former Cabinet ministers to soaring acoustic sets from future stars, every night offers something truly unique. The secrecy remains central to the magic... guests are never announced in advance. The new dates: Thursday 8th October 2026 Thursday 12th November 2026 Thursday 3rd December 2026 Thursday 21st January 2027 Thursday 4th February 2027 Thursday 4th March 2027 You can find all the info and tickets here - www.domjoly.tv/dom-jolys-speakeazy  The Cheltenham Literature Festival returns from 9–18 October, bringing 10 days of books, big ideas and some very big names to town. This year’s festival promises more than 500 events, with a line-up that ranges from literary heavyweights and bestselling novelists to actors, broadcasters, comedians, politicians and cultural commentators. There’s also plenty for younger readers, with family events, school sessions and workshops running throughout the festival. Among the names appearing are Caitlin Moran, Mary Beard, Helen Fielding, Ian Rankin, Richard Osman, Robert Harris, Elif Shafak, Maggie O’Farrell, Michael Morpurgo, Simon Armitage, Mary Berry, Sandi Toksvig, Katherine Ryan, Russell T Davies, Lucy Worsley, David Olusoga and Meera Syal. There’s a strong showing from the worlds of television, comedy and music too, with appearances from Greg James, Fearne Cotton, Reece Shearsmith, Katherine Parkinson, Dave Rowntree and Craig Revel Horwood. The programme also makes room for some of the most interesting conversations happening beyond books. Expect politics, culture and current affairs alongside discussions about creativity, identity, history and the issues shaping life now. International voices feature prominently, with the festival continuing its theme of reading the world together. And, as ever, you don’t need a ticket for everything. Around 30 per cent of the programme is free, with drop-in events taking place across the Festival Village and around Cheltenham. The Snug, The Huddle and VOICEBOX will offer informal ways to get involved, while Times Radio will broadcast live from Times Square. For families, there are more than 70 events spanning books, animation, engineering, Aardman model making, football, fantasy and more. The Literature for Schools programme adds more than 50 author talks and careers events for pupils from reception to sixth form. The line-up in full: Alexei Sayle Andrew Child Andrew Davies Anneka Rice AP McCoy Ashley James Blake Morrison Boyd Hilton Caitlin Moran Cariad Lloyd Celia Imrie Charlie Higson Chris Woakes Craig Revel Horwood Dave Rowntree David Kynaston David Larbi David Olusoga David Szalay Deepika Chopra Elif Shafak Fearne Cotton Frank Cottrell-Boyce Frank Gardner Giles Yeo Greg James Greg Wise Gyles Brandreth Helen Fielding Helen Garner Hugo Rifkind Ian Botham Ian Hislop Ian Rankin Jack Edwards Jeffrey Archer Jill Dawson Joe Marler John Kampfner John Robins Julian Lloyd Webber Juliet Stevenson Justin Webb Katherine Parkinson Katherine Ryan Kathy Lette Lee Child Leigh Lawson Liz Earle Lucy Caldwell Lucy Porter Lucy Worsley Maggie Aderin Maggie O’Farrell Margaret Hodge Marina Hyde Mary Beard Mary Berry Mat Osman Matt Haig Meera Syal Mel Giedroyc Michael Morpurgo Michael Whitehall Nadia Murad Naomi Ishiguro Nigel Planer Philippa Perry Poorna Bell Prue Leith Rachel Parris Rachael Stirling Reece Shearsmith Richard Coles Richard Osman Robert Harris Robert Peston Russell T Davies Sajid Javid Samira Ahmed Sandi Toksvig Sarah Churchwell Sara Pascoe Sathnam Sanghera Sebastian Faulks Simon Armitage Susie Dent Tracy Borman Will Gompertz William Hague Yann Martel Guest curators: Candice Carty-Williams and Matt Arlidge. Family and young adult programme: Andy Day Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Harriet Muncaster Jodie Ounsley Katie Kirby Liz Pichon Maggie Aderin Michael Morpurgo Michael Rosen MC Grammar Nadia Shireen Rob Biddulph Russell Kane. You can find all the information here www.cheltenhamfestivals.org/festivals/literature-festival  What began as a promising new night out has rather swiftly become something closer to a local institution: an after-hours, close-quarters, high-voltage live show that feels like a chat show that’s escaped the studio, had a few drinks, and started telling the truth. Dom Joly’s SpeakeaZy is, in his own words, a “Cabaret of Curiosities”, though it’s less cabaret in the feathered sense, and more a thrilling, unpredictable collision of comedy, music, storytelling, and the occasional cultural hand grenade. It’s intimate, anarchic, and oddly elegant in its chaos. Like a dinner party where the guests are famous, the host is mischievous, and no one knows who’s coming until they arrive. And that, of course, is the whole point. The guest list remains strictly under lock and key, partly because it’s fun, partly because it’s maddening, and partly because if you announced it in advance you’d ruin the delicious, high-stakes gamble that audiences now seem addicted to. People come without knowing who they’ll see, and leave feeling faintly superior to everyone who stayed at home watching Netflix and pretending they enjoyed it. "Curating this show in my hometown has honestly been one of the highlights of my career," says Dom "I love bringing together people I admire; musicians, comedians, writers, and total wildcards. The joy is that nobody knows what’s coming next including me half the time!" Past nights have featured everyone from comedy heavyweights like Seann Walsh and Jenny Éclair, to musical favourites including James Walsh (Starsailor), Tom A Smith, Babybird, and The Bluetones. There have been moments of proper hilarity, unexpected tenderness, and the kind of off-script magic that only happens when nobody’s quite sure what’s coming next. It is, in short, the sort of live entertainment that reminds you why live entertainment exists. Here’s all you need to know. New Dates: Thursday 2nd July | Thursday 6th August | Thursday 3rd September Venue: The Steam & Whistle Where: 247 Gloucester Road, Cheltenham GL51 8NW Doors: 6.30pm Show starts: 7.30pm Seating: unreserved: arrive early for the best spots Artisan pizzas & bar from 4pm Last orders for whole pizzas: 6pm Pizza slices available from 6pm Tickets on sale now - domjoly.tv/dom-jolys-speakeazy  Photograph: James Bridle We are incredibly fortunate in the Cotswolds to have so many brilliant events right on our doorstep as summer arrives in full. From food festivals and flower shows to classic car gatherings, country fairs, circuses, and open-air cinema beneath the stars, the season offers endless excuses to step outside, gather with friends, and make the most of the long days and warm evenings. Here are 25 events to help you make the most of the Cotswolds outdoors this summer. JuneCHELTENHAM SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2 - 7 JUNE • VARIOUS LOCATIONS In 2025, the Science Festival uncovered mind-blowing facts, from quantum tunnelling and the secrets of squid ink to the surprising truth that fish have legs and even what it takes to become a champion cheese chaser. We were joined by the likes of Brian Cox, Greg Foot, Maya Raichoora, Helen Czerski, Maddie Moate, Daze Aghaji, Robin Ince and more. 2026 is sure to be even bigger and better! TICKETS + INFO THE CHURCHILL CAR SHOW 14 JUNE • CHURCHILL VILLAGE GREEN A delightfully Cotswold affair, the Churchill Car Show returns to the village green of Churchill for a much-loved summer gathering of motoring charm and community spirit. From classic icons to modern supercars and one-off curiosities, the green becomes a living gallery of automotive design, set against the backdrop of an unhurried village day. Alongside the displays, expect a relaxed atmosphere of food, drink, family entertainment and local fundraising in support of local charities. TICKETS & INFO THE BLENHEIM PALACE FLOWER SHOW 19–21 JUNE • BLENHEIM PALACE, OXFORDSHIRE A most elegant herald of the summer season, the Blenheim Palace Flower Show returns to the sweeping grounds of Britain’s grandest palace, where horticulture and heritage meet in suitably magnificent style. Across three days, the parkland is transformed into a world of colour and creativity, from the grandeur of the Floral Pavilion to the artistry of show gardens, specialist growers, and immersive displays that celebrate the very best of British gardening. TICKETS & INFO THE CHELTENHAM FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL 19–21 JUNE • MONTPELLIER GARDENS, CHELTENHAM The Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival returns to the elegant surrounds of Montpellier Gardens, where the town’s Georgian grace provides a fitting backdrop for three days devoted to flavour, craft, and indulgence. Across the weekend, acclaimed chefs and local producers gather to present live cookery demonstrations, wine and spirit tastings, and a rich programme of talks and masterclasses, all set within a lively open-air market of artisan food and drink. From the aromas of street food drifting through the trees to the hum of the Festival Stage and the relaxed pleasure of sampling something new in good company, it is a celebration of the region’s culinary talent in its most generous form. TICKETS & INFO FOREST LIVE 24 - 28 JUNE • WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM Among the towering bark-clad giants of Westonbirt Arboretum, the beloved Forest Live series once again promises nights that feel half concert, half woodland enchantment. Richard Ashcroft will bring a voice shaped for open skies; Fatboy Slim will transform the forest floor into a glowing celebration; UB40 will drape the evening in reggae warmth; and Deacon Blue will add their blend of melody and melancholy. To hear such iconic artists beneath Westonbirt’s ancient canopy is not merely to attend a gig, it is to step into a shared moment suspended between leaves and stars. TICKETS + INFO BLENHEIM PALACE FESTIVAL 27 JUNE - 4 JULY • BLENHEIM PALACE A new jewel joins the summer crown with the inaugural Blenheim Palace Festival, and it arrives with regal ambition. Neil Young, a master of songcraft whose music feels carved from wind and time, will stand before the palace’s grand façade. Alongside him, pop luminary Katy Perry brings technicolour spectacle, Pete Tong with his sun-soaked rhythms of Ibiza Classics, while Teddy Swims adds the velvet depth of a voice that seems to wrap itself around you. Global icon Alanis Morissette is the latest to be announced and will be joined by special guests Skunk Anansie for a summer evening destined to linger in the warm night air long after the final chord fades. Blenheim has long been a place for history; in 2026, it becomes a place for harmony too. TICKETS + INFO CHARLBURY BEER FESTIVAL 27 JUNE • CHARLBURY CRICKET CLUB The Charlbury Beer Festival returns on Saturday 27th June 2026, transforming the grounds of Charlbury Cricket Club into a cheerful celebration of great drink, good music, and local tradition. Expect 60 cask ales, 20+ craft beers, plus ciders, perries, wine, gin and Pimm’s, alongside excellent food (including veggie and vegan options). Run entirely by volunteers, the festival proudly raises funds for local and overseas causes, with live entertainment and the ever-popular World Aunt Sally Singles Championship adding a wonderfully English flourish to the day. TICKETS + INFO TOM JONES 28 JUNE • KINGHOLM STADIUM A voice that has long since become part of the British summer fabric returns to Gloucester as Sir Tom Jones takes to Kingsholm Stadium for a headline evening of unmistakable charm and enduring showmanship. As part of the Kingsholm Summer Series, the Welsh icon brings a catalogue spanning more than six decades — from early rhythm and blues to the unmistakable hits that have defined generations. TICKETS & INFO
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 Poor Boys mixed box courtesy of Big Eats Global |  The Bab House Birria Tacos courtesy of Big Eats Global |
Image courtesy of Matt Higgs
This autumn, Cheltenham will once again become the beating heart of the literary world as The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival returns from 10 - 19 October. For ten days, more than four hundred events will fill the Regency town with the voices of celebrated novelists, poets, historians, political thinkers, chefs, comedians, actors and musicians, alongside the most exciting new talent in publishing. Now in its eighth decade, the Festival remains the world’s longest-running celebration of the written and spoken word. This year continues its Read the World theme, bringing together international voices both in person and online to explore some of the most pressing issues of our time, from the reach of big tech and the fate of free press in Afghanistan to breakthroughs in longevity research and the shifting boundaries between sickness and health.
Familiar literary greats will share the stage with fresh and trailblazing voices. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will receive The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence and discuss her decade-in-the-making novel Dream Count. Ian McEwan will present his speculative new work What We Can Know, and audiences will hear from celebrated international authors including Sayaka Murata, Bora Chung and Andrew Walden. Closer to home, Richard Osman returns with the fifth instalment of The Thursday Murder Club, Mick Herron delivers another twist-laden spy story, and Jojo Moyes explores the chaos of family life in We All Live Here. The relaunch of the much-loved Big Read will unite book lovers around British-Cambodian author Kaliane Bradley’s acclaimed debut The Ministry of Time, while the Festival’s New Voices programme introduces this year’s most talked-about debuts and the ever-popular proof parties offer a tantalising preview of next year’s literary stars.
The Festival has always been about more than books, and this year is no exception. The Nook on Five, Cheltenham’s rooftop restaurant, will host dining experiences with Nigel Slater and Matt Tebbutt and an afternoon with The Times food critic and columnist Giles Coren and Esther Walker who will be doing a live recording of their hit podcast Giles Coren Has No Idea. Dunkertons Taproom will provide a lively mix of spoken word, music, tastings and debates. Art lovers can look forward to Martin Parr in conversation, David Shrigley’s singular take on creativity, and Andrew Graham-Dixon’s fresh insights into Vermeer. History enthusiasts can immerse themselves in Tudor intrigue with Tracy Borman, explore the legacy of D-Day with Max Hastings, or reflect on the Silk Roads with Peter Frankopan. The Times food critic and columist Giles Coren and Esther Walker will be doing a live recording of their hit podcast Giles Coren Has No Idea, where audiences can watch the couple's hilarious kitchen routine unfold.
For families, the Return to Wonderland programme will enchant visitors with free storytelling, arts and crafts and the chance to meet the Mad Hatter in celebration of 160 years of Alice in Wonderland. Comic workshops, a new Comic Corner and the youth-focused VOICEBOX stage, offering a free programme for audiences aged 18 to 30, reflect the Festival’s commitment to accessibility and inspiration across generations. Meanwhile, conversations on current affairs promise to be as lively as ever, with Nick Clegg, Jens Stoltenberg, Cass Sunstein and Saad Mohseni among those addressing AI, geopolitics, ageing, masculinity and media manipulation. The 10th anniversary of Brexit will be marked with reflections on the forces that shaped it, while debates on democracy, identity politics and the shifting global order will offer fresh perspectives.
Classic literature will be celebrated with events marking Jane Austen’s 250th birthday and reappraisals of D.H. Lawrence, while Michael Morpurgo reflects on a lifetime of storytelling. Amy Jeffs will blend live music, illustration and myth in a reimagining of British ballads. Food and drink will be woven throughout the programme, from Tim Siadatan’s Tuscan-inspired dinner with Amber Guinness to Julia Bradbury’s health-focused dining event, and from Indian culinary explorations with Roopa Gulati and Romy Gill to an artisan cheese and cider pairing with Michael Finnerty and Dunkertons’ Alistair Duncan.
Lifestyle events will see Katie Piper and Caroline Hirons discuss redefining beauty standards, Mary Portas share her retail revolution, and Carol Klein offer gardening wisdom. Sporting legends Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Mike Atherton and Ebony Rainford-Brent will reflect on their careers, while travel tales will come from Michael Palin’s journey through Venezuela and Sophie Elmhirst’s true story of love, shipwreck and survival. Memoir will be well represented, with Sebastian Faulks’ reflections on post-war Britain, Jung Chang’s long-awaited sequel to Wild Swans, and candid accounts from Penny Lancaster and Tulisa Contostavlos. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and her children will discuss music and identity, and Ed Davey will shed light on the realities of caregiving.
Science and nature will also have their moment, with Sir Tim Berners-Lee telling the story of the World Wide Web, Tim Spector exploring the benefits of fermented foods, and Lara Lewington and Charlotte Blease examining AI’s potential in healthcare. Nature lovers can enjoy Hamza Yassin’s wildlife adventures, Chloe Dalton’s lyrical Raising Hare, and Tristan Gooley’s guide to reading the natural world. Poetry will be celebrated through Simon Armitage’s first major collection in eight years, Billy Collins’ evening of wit and tenderness, and Antony Szmierek’s blend of spoken word and music. Entertainment will include live podcasts, comedy sets and music events, from Mark Kermode’s deep dive into film scores to punk retrospectives.
The town itself will transform during the Festival. Beyond ticketed events, over 30% of the programme is free, including locally sourced bookshop crawls, drop-in family activities in The Wild Wood, and live Times Radio broadcasts from the Festival Village. Visitors can browse the BBC Audiobooks tent, discover charitable initiatives in the Benefact Group Lounge, or simply soak up the atmosphere among fellow lovers of words. The Festival’s impact extends far beyond October, with its Literature for Schools programme inspiring over 12,000 pupils each year and a special 80th anniversary campaign aiming to bring cultural joy to 80,000 children, a target already halfway met.
Booking for the Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Thursday 28th August and public booking opens on Thursday 4th September.
www.cheltenhamfestivals.org
Read The Digital Brochure HERE
Familiar literary greats will share the stage with fresh and trailblazing voices. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will receive The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence and discuss her decade-in-the-making novel Dream Count. Ian McEwan will present his speculative new work What We Can Know, and audiences will hear from celebrated international authors including Sayaka Murata, Bora Chung and Andrew Walden. Closer to home, Richard Osman returns with the fifth instalment of The Thursday Murder Club, Mick Herron delivers another twist-laden spy story, and Jojo Moyes explores the chaos of family life in We All Live Here. The relaunch of the much-loved Big Read will unite book lovers around British-Cambodian author Kaliane Bradley’s acclaimed debut The Ministry of Time, while the Festival’s New Voices programme introduces this year’s most talked-about debuts and the ever-popular proof parties offer a tantalising preview of next year’s literary stars.
The Festival has always been about more than books, and this year is no exception. The Nook on Five, Cheltenham’s rooftop restaurant, will host dining experiences with Nigel Slater and Matt Tebbutt and an afternoon with The Times food critic and columnist Giles Coren and Esther Walker who will be doing a live recording of their hit podcast Giles Coren Has No Idea. Dunkertons Taproom will provide a lively mix of spoken word, music, tastings and debates. Art lovers can look forward to Martin Parr in conversation, David Shrigley’s singular take on creativity, and Andrew Graham-Dixon’s fresh insights into Vermeer. History enthusiasts can immerse themselves in Tudor intrigue with Tracy Borman, explore the legacy of D-Day with Max Hastings, or reflect on the Silk Roads with Peter Frankopan. The Times food critic and columist Giles Coren and Esther Walker will be doing a live recording of their hit podcast Giles Coren Has No Idea, where audiences can watch the couple's hilarious kitchen routine unfold.
For families, the Return to Wonderland programme will enchant visitors with free storytelling, arts and crafts and the chance to meet the Mad Hatter in celebration of 160 years of Alice in Wonderland. Comic workshops, a new Comic Corner and the youth-focused VOICEBOX stage, offering a free programme for audiences aged 18 to 30, reflect the Festival’s commitment to accessibility and inspiration across generations. Meanwhile, conversations on current affairs promise to be as lively as ever, with Nick Clegg, Jens Stoltenberg, Cass Sunstein and Saad Mohseni among those addressing AI, geopolitics, ageing, masculinity and media manipulation. The 10th anniversary of Brexit will be marked with reflections on the forces that shaped it, while debates on democracy, identity politics and the shifting global order will offer fresh perspectives.
Classic literature will be celebrated with events marking Jane Austen’s 250th birthday and reappraisals of D.H. Lawrence, while Michael Morpurgo reflects on a lifetime of storytelling. Amy Jeffs will blend live music, illustration and myth in a reimagining of British ballads. Food and drink will be woven throughout the programme, from Tim Siadatan’s Tuscan-inspired dinner with Amber Guinness to Julia Bradbury’s health-focused dining event, and from Indian culinary explorations with Roopa Gulati and Romy Gill to an artisan cheese and cider pairing with Michael Finnerty and Dunkertons’ Alistair Duncan.
Lifestyle events will see Katie Piper and Caroline Hirons discuss redefining beauty standards, Mary Portas share her retail revolution, and Carol Klein offer gardening wisdom. Sporting legends Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins, Mike Atherton and Ebony Rainford-Brent will reflect on their careers, while travel tales will come from Michael Palin’s journey through Venezuela and Sophie Elmhirst’s true story of love, shipwreck and survival. Memoir will be well represented, with Sebastian Faulks’ reflections on post-war Britain, Jung Chang’s long-awaited sequel to Wild Swans, and candid accounts from Penny Lancaster and Tulisa Contostavlos. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and her children will discuss music and identity, and Ed Davey will shed light on the realities of caregiving.
Science and nature will also have their moment, with Sir Tim Berners-Lee telling the story of the World Wide Web, Tim Spector exploring the benefits of fermented foods, and Lara Lewington and Charlotte Blease examining AI’s potential in healthcare. Nature lovers can enjoy Hamza Yassin’s wildlife adventures, Chloe Dalton’s lyrical Raising Hare, and Tristan Gooley’s guide to reading the natural world. Poetry will be celebrated through Simon Armitage’s first major collection in eight years, Billy Collins’ evening of wit and tenderness, and Antony Szmierek’s blend of spoken word and music. Entertainment will include live podcasts, comedy sets and music events, from Mark Kermode’s deep dive into film scores to punk retrospectives.
The town itself will transform during the Festival. Beyond ticketed events, over 30% of the programme is free, including locally sourced bookshop crawls, drop-in family activities in The Wild Wood, and live Times Radio broadcasts from the Festival Village. Visitors can browse the BBC Audiobooks tent, discover charitable initiatives in the Benefact Group Lounge, or simply soak up the atmosphere among fellow lovers of words. The Festival’s impact extends far beyond October, with its Literature for Schools programme inspiring over 12,000 pupils each year and a special 80th anniversary campaign aiming to bring cultural joy to 80,000 children, a target already halfway met.
Booking for the Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Thursday 28th August and public booking opens on Thursday 4th September.
www.cheltenhamfestivals.org
Read The Digital Brochure HERE
As British institutions go, few embody the spirit of refined celebration quite like Salon Privé. With its unique blend of motoring heritage, luxury lifestyle, and sartorial distinction, the event has come to define the modern English garden party with an immaculate blend of classic cars, cutting-edge supercars, Champagne flutes, silk pocket squares and plenty of good conversation.
Returning from 27–31 August 2025, the UK’s most prestigious five-day automotive gathering will mark its 20th anniversary within the resplendent grounds of Blenheim Palace in characteristically spectacular fashion.
This year’s event promises the most dazzling edition yet. Expect everything from pre-war grand tourers to the latest hypercars, alongside world-class brands like Boodles, Pommery, Qatar Executive and Gatineau. The newly introduced Salon Privé Gallery, a refined atrium-style pavilion overlooking the lawns, will offer guests a shaded, luxurious vantage point without losing the party’s famously relaxed elegance.
The Week at a Glance
Wednesday 27 August
The Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva Private Clients opens the show with a parade of the rare and remarkable. From grand tourers to Le Mans legends, each car is meticulously judged by an international panel.
Thursday 28 August
Concours day two sees the presentation of awards, the Concours Parade and an air of quiet prestige. It’s the perfect setting for collectors and casual admirers alike to get up close with automotive masterpieces — all while enjoying a glass of something cold and a view of something beautiful.
Friday 29 August
One of the most anticipated days of the Season. Ladies’ Day brings elegance centre stage, as guests step out in summer finery for a chic garden party unlike any other. The Boodles Best Hat competition adds a touch of playful glamour, while a 20-year celebration of the Bugatti Veyron, a showcase of contemporary supercars and highlights from the Blenheim GT Tour ensure the cars remain just as eye-catching as the attire.
Saturday 30 August
With more than 1,500 sports, super and hyper cars descending on Blenheim’s grounds, the Salon Privé Club Trophy presented by Lockton is a celebration of passion, engineering and private motoring enthusiasm at its most vibrant. The family-friendly atmosphere offers something for every generation — whether you're into carbon fibre or chrome bumpers.
Sunday 31 August
New for 2025, Supercar Lifestyle Club Day caps off the week in suitable splendour. Mixed-marque and single-marque clubs alike display their best alongside the debut of the Concours de Vente, a judged exhibition where every car is for sale. For collectors, it’s an opportunity. For the rest of us, it’s a dream in polished metal.
Whether you come for one day or all five, Salon Privé offers an experience tailored to your taste. Tickets start from £55, with luxury hospitality options available up to £645 for those seeking the full five-star experience.
To purchase tickets to Salon Privé visit www.salonpriveconcours.com or to enter your vehicle into the Concours, complete an application at www.salonpriveconcours.com/apply-to-enter
Returning from 27–31 August 2025, the UK’s most prestigious five-day automotive gathering will mark its 20th anniversary within the resplendent grounds of Blenheim Palace in characteristically spectacular fashion.
This year’s event promises the most dazzling edition yet. Expect everything from pre-war grand tourers to the latest hypercars, alongside world-class brands like Boodles, Pommery, Qatar Executive and Gatineau. The newly introduced Salon Privé Gallery, a refined atrium-style pavilion overlooking the lawns, will offer guests a shaded, luxurious vantage point without losing the party’s famously relaxed elegance.
The Week at a Glance
Wednesday 27 August
The Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva Private Clients opens the show with a parade of the rare and remarkable. From grand tourers to Le Mans legends, each car is meticulously judged by an international panel.
Thursday 28 August
Concours day two sees the presentation of awards, the Concours Parade and an air of quiet prestige. It’s the perfect setting for collectors and casual admirers alike to get up close with automotive masterpieces — all while enjoying a glass of something cold and a view of something beautiful.
Friday 29 August
One of the most anticipated days of the Season. Ladies’ Day brings elegance centre stage, as guests step out in summer finery for a chic garden party unlike any other. The Boodles Best Hat competition adds a touch of playful glamour, while a 20-year celebration of the Bugatti Veyron, a showcase of contemporary supercars and highlights from the Blenheim GT Tour ensure the cars remain just as eye-catching as the attire.
Saturday 30 August
With more than 1,500 sports, super and hyper cars descending on Blenheim’s grounds, the Salon Privé Club Trophy presented by Lockton is a celebration of passion, engineering and private motoring enthusiasm at its most vibrant. The family-friendly atmosphere offers something for every generation — whether you're into carbon fibre or chrome bumpers.
Sunday 31 August
New for 2025, Supercar Lifestyle Club Day caps off the week in suitable splendour. Mixed-marque and single-marque clubs alike display their best alongside the debut of the Concours de Vente, a judged exhibition where every car is for sale. For collectors, it’s an opportunity. For the rest of us, it’s a dream in polished metal.
Whether you come for one day or all five, Salon Privé offers an experience tailored to your taste. Tickets start from £55, with luxury hospitality options available up to £645 for those seeking the full five-star experience.
To purchase tickets to Salon Privé visit www.salonpriveconcours.com or to enter your vehicle into the Concours, complete an application at www.salonpriveconcours.com/apply-to-enter
Each summer, Big Feastival transforms Alex James's Cotswold farm into a heady weekend of live music, incredible food, and family-friendly mischief. But this year, it’s not just back, it’s back with strings attached. Whether you’re a foodie, a music lover, or just someone who enjoys cheese with your dancefloor, here are five unmissable highlights at this year’s Big Feastival.
ALEX JAMES' BRITPOP CLASSICAL
For the uninitiated, imagine the swagger of the ‘90s Britpop era reimagined with the cinematic flourish of a full orchestra. Add a dash of eccentric English charm and a roll-call of cultural icons and you begin to understand what’s in store. Blur’s very own Alex James will take centre stage alongside a glittering line-up including Phil Daniels, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gary Stringer of Reef, and Fran Healy & Dougie Payne of Travis. This all-star symphonic spectacular promises orchestral takes on era-defining anthems like Girls and Boys, Place Your Hands and Bittersweet Symphony. Quite the crescendo to cap off the weekend.
For the uninitiated, imagine the swagger of the ‘90s Britpop era reimagined with the cinematic flourish of a full orchestra. Add a dash of eccentric English charm and a roll-call of cultural icons and you begin to understand what’s in store. Blur’s very own Alex James will take centre stage alongside a glittering line-up including Phil Daniels, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gary Stringer of Reef, and Fran Healy & Dougie Payne of Travis. This all-star symphonic spectacular promises orchestral takes on era-defining anthems like Girls and Boys, Place Your Hands and Bittersweet Symphony. Quite the crescendo to cap off the weekend.
WOODLAND DINNERS AND FIRE PIT FEASTS
Dining is a serious affair here. The Big Kitchen plays host to culinary royalty, with Raymond Blanc (Friday), Simon Rimmer (Saturday) and Si King (Sunday) cooking up a storm in front of live audiences. For those in search of more immersive indulgence, Fire Pit Feasts and Lazy Lunches by Ben Quinn promise four-course revelry under canvas, with smoke, fire and finesse in equal measure.
Thursday’s Woodland Feasts will see intimate gatherings amidst the trees, serving up Cotswold-reared beef and James’ own Blue Monday cheese, a nod to terroir and tradition alike. Meanwhile, a brand-new BBQ Cook School invites budding firemasters to get hands-on with the grill, while Little Cooks with Prept keeps younger chefs entertained, informed and very well fed.
Dining is a serious affair here. The Big Kitchen plays host to culinary royalty, with Raymond Blanc (Friday), Simon Rimmer (Saturday) and Si King (Sunday) cooking up a storm in front of live audiences. For those in search of more immersive indulgence, Fire Pit Feasts and Lazy Lunches by Ben Quinn promise four-course revelry under canvas, with smoke, fire and finesse in equal measure.
Thursday’s Woodland Feasts will see intimate gatherings amidst the trees, serving up Cotswold-reared beef and James’ own Blue Monday cheese, a nod to terroir and tradition alike. Meanwhile, a brand-new BBQ Cook School invites budding firemasters to get hands-on with the grill, while Little Cooks with Prept keeps younger chefs entertained, informed and very well fed.
THE CHEESE HUB
As dusk falls, the party continues. What began as a quirky tent filled with Alex James’ cheeses has become one of the festival’s hottest nightspots. The Cheese Hub returns with a DJ line-up that’s equal parts nostalgic and wildly entertaining: Simon Pegg, James Buckley, Chris Stark, Edith Bowman and more.
One of our highlights from last year was Woody Cook who returns again to The Cheese Hub on the Sunday.
As dusk falls, the party continues. What began as a quirky tent filled with Alex James’ cheeses has become one of the festival’s hottest nightspots. The Cheese Hub returns with a DJ line-up that’s equal parts nostalgic and wildly entertaining: Simon Pegg, James Buckley, Chris Stark, Edith Bowman and more.
One of our highlights from last year was Woody Cook who returns again to The Cheese Hub on the Sunday.
STREET FOOD, OBVIOUSLY
We don't know another music festival where the food as just as popular as the music, but Feastival absolutely nails both. What sets Big Feastival’s street food scene apart is not just the quantity, but the quality.
Whether you're craving something charred, spiced, slow-smoked or plant-based, there’s something for every palate and enough variety to make even the most indecisive eater deeply content. From bao to brisket, ramen to roti, it's a global tour of bold flavours without having to leave the farm.
We don't know another music festival where the food as just as popular as the music, but Feastival absolutely nails both. What sets Big Feastival’s street food scene apart is not just the quantity, but the quality.
Whether you're craving something charred, spiced, slow-smoked or plant-based, there’s something for every palate and enough variety to make even the most indecisive eater deeply content. From bao to brisket, ramen to roti, it's a global tour of bold flavours without having to leave the farm.
THE BIG TOP
The Big Top returns as the beating heart of Big Feastival’s family fun and a vibrant hub packed with entertainment and activities for younger festivalgoers.
It's the place ypu will find Barrioke, an hour-long sing-a-long with Eastenders star Shaun Williamson. Highlights for 2025 include School of Beatbox, Mad Science Live, Little Yogi Festival Flow and Ninja Masters, promising music, movement and interactive learning. New for 2025, kids will also get to enjoy the world’s biggest bouncy castle, which will be on site for the first time.
Across the weekend, families can enjoy live shows from favourites like MC Grammar, Evie Pickerill, The Marvellous Myth Hunters and Bubblemania. Big Feastival will also welcome back children’s TV legend Justin Fletcher, Strictly star Oti Mabuse, and introduce the daring thrills of Chris Bullzini’s High Wire – a jaw-dropping spectacle high above the festival fields. This year also sees the biggest comedy line-up in the festival’s history including Lucy Beamont, Lou Sanders & Bridget Christie to name a few.
The Big Feastival takes place on Alex James' Farm in Kingham from Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th August 2025.
bigfeastival.com
The Big Top returns as the beating heart of Big Feastival’s family fun and a vibrant hub packed with entertainment and activities for younger festivalgoers.
It's the place ypu will find Barrioke, an hour-long sing-a-long with Eastenders star Shaun Williamson. Highlights for 2025 include School of Beatbox, Mad Science Live, Little Yogi Festival Flow and Ninja Masters, promising music, movement and interactive learning. New for 2025, kids will also get to enjoy the world’s biggest bouncy castle, which will be on site for the first time.
Across the weekend, families can enjoy live shows from favourites like MC Grammar, Evie Pickerill, The Marvellous Myth Hunters and Bubblemania. Big Feastival will also welcome back children’s TV legend Justin Fletcher, Strictly star Oti Mabuse, and introduce the daring thrills of Chris Bullzini’s High Wire – a jaw-dropping spectacle high above the festival fields. This year also sees the biggest comedy line-up in the festival’s history including Lucy Beamont, Lou Sanders & Bridget Christie to name a few.
The Big Feastival takes place on Alex James' Farm in Kingham from Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th August 2025.
bigfeastival.com
There was a time when the pub was where Britain happened. Arguments were settled in the car park or over a game of darts and spilled beer, lifelong friendships were forged and local legends born.
Yet, somewhere between lockdown number whatever and the first delivery of warm Sauvignon Blanc to your doorstep, you started gradually forgetting about that pub or bar that you once frequented every Friday or Saturday night. And that's it really, we've allowed the pub, the heartbeat of the town or village, the nation's living room to wither while we guzzle chicken wine in our pyjamas and half-watch the kind of telly that we used to go to the pub to avoid, while scrolling through TikTok and Instagram.
It’s been happening for years, of course. The spreadsheets will tell you it's the rise in cost of living, or healthier lifestyles, or the price of beer, or the rise of Deliveroo. And they’re all a bit right, but none of them are quite it. The truth is, we let it happen quietly, politely, as only the British can by choosing convenience over community. And yet, somehow, when these places have truly gone, we feel it. That big aching space where life used to happen.
And a pub, a real pub, is not about the drink. It never has been. It’s about people. It's the somewhere to go when you’ve nowhere else to be. It’s about knowing that the world still spins, that someone remembers how you like your pint, that someone will look up and nod when you walk in.
But here's the twist. Things are starting to change.
There’s a new kind of pub resurgence taking place. Not a PR campaign from the soulless arms of corporate chains who think that putting “Craft” in front of lager makes it a revolution, but in the hands of chefs and locals who get it. Yes, actual chefs. The ones who once did 90 hour weeks cooking rabbit saddle in Michelin-starred kitchens, now turning up in small villages and towns to bring the boozer back to life.
Let's take The Hollow Bottom in Guiting Power as an example. A racing hotspot. A local legend, in fact. A place where jockeys (on their days off), trainers, stable staff, gamblers, and gentry would stand side by side screaming at one of the two televisions showing the races. And then the lease changed and so did the pub. This was followed a big brewery not understanding its heritage and then in May, like so many pubs in the UK, it closed.
A couple of months on it's back open, with top chefs Nathan Eades and Liam Goff at the helm, the duo responsible for bringing The Halfway in Kineton back to life in 2023 and more recently putting The Horse and Groom in Bourton on the Hill back on the culinary map with a Bib Gourmand in their first six months of opening. In fact it's just open, but singing, literally. There were over 400 locals there on the night of their "soft launch" last week enjoying the music from local heroes Andrew James and John Neild, the owner of Splash Of Ginge who has a lager named after him in the pub.
And all it needed was someone to give a damn, not just about the pub but its heritage and locals too.
The horse racing memorabilia, some saved from the skip, has been reinstated to the walls. The food is comforting but clever. The drinks are local but lush with Deya Steady Rolling Man, Hook Norton and North Cotswold ales on the taps and a bar you lean on like an old friend. There's a two-hour happy hour every day for the farmers and stable staff that finish work at 4pm in the winter or are rained off in the summer and a TV showing live sport.
The Hollow Bottom isn’t just a comeback story. It’s a blueprint. Because the pub is not dead, it just needs people who care on both sides of the bar.
Just in the last couple of weeks, Cheltenham has seen two new openings too.
The Beehive, nestled into the pretty Montpellier quarter, was always a popular pub. It's where I, and many others who live far from Cornwall, discovered Rattler. Never again. And then it closed.
Weeks later it flung its doors back open with new Executive Chef Tom Rains (formerly of The Daffodil and No.3 in town) and new General Manager Richard Shakeshaft (formerly of, oh, The Beehive and back for his second stint) and a bold new vision for what proper pub food should be.
The Beehive isn’t reinventing the wheel. It’s about making sure the wheel has good tread, rolls smooth, and pairs beautifully with Chef Tom's Pie of the Day, mashed potato and gravy. They have kept the same previous soul with classics on the menu. Nothing too shouty or flashy, just a real kind of pub that feels like a pub, with hearty food, proper ales and decent wines.
You go to The Beehive and remember why pubs matter. Because everyone’s there from young to old, professionals to trades persons, all mix well in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with a drink in hand.
Away from pubs but something equally important is Parler, Cheltenham's new high-fidelity listening bar. There are no pork scratchings or dart boards, but it plays the same role with community, atmosphere and connection at its heart.
Think turntables, vinyl and cocktails that feel like they've been stirred by Marvin Gaye himself. You walk in to Parler and the world goes quiet except for the music. It’s the kind of bar Tokyo has been perfecting for 30 years, and now we’ve now got one on our doorstep that offers beautiful beer brews from the awesome folk at Deya and flaky, golden pastries and small plates from La Boulangerie Artisan.
And all of this matters.
Because this isn’t just about pints, cocktails and "Chef Tom's" pies. It’s about community. It’s about having a place to go when you’re toasting another orbit around the sun, or celebrating a new job, or when you just want somewhere to sit quietly with a pint of Guinness and watch the rugby. It’s where you meet people you wouldn’t swipe right on. Where you talk to strangers. It's where life happens, unfiltered.
Even Jeremy Clarkson, he of farming and petrol gets it. His Farmer's Dog pub has been open for nearly a year and has been heaving since day one. He’s not doing it for kicks, he’s doing it to create a community of people coming to his pub, to support the locals who contribute to his menu and to sell his own Hawkstone beer, of course.
We need to support them. Not once a year for a Christmas pint. But regularly. We take friends. We try the new place. Rain or shine. And we don't complain about the prices like it's still 1995. Because these pubs and bars can’t exist on sentiment alone. They need us, and we need them.
Yet, somewhere between lockdown number whatever and the first delivery of warm Sauvignon Blanc to your doorstep, you started gradually forgetting about that pub or bar that you once frequented every Friday or Saturday night. And that's it really, we've allowed the pub, the heartbeat of the town or village, the nation's living room to wither while we guzzle chicken wine in our pyjamas and half-watch the kind of telly that we used to go to the pub to avoid, while scrolling through TikTok and Instagram.
It’s been happening for years, of course. The spreadsheets will tell you it's the rise in cost of living, or healthier lifestyles, or the price of beer, or the rise of Deliveroo. And they’re all a bit right, but none of them are quite it. The truth is, we let it happen quietly, politely, as only the British can by choosing convenience over community. And yet, somehow, when these places have truly gone, we feel it. That big aching space where life used to happen.
And a pub, a real pub, is not about the drink. It never has been. It’s about people. It's the somewhere to go when you’ve nowhere else to be. It’s about knowing that the world still spins, that someone remembers how you like your pint, that someone will look up and nod when you walk in.
But here's the twist. Things are starting to change.
There’s a new kind of pub resurgence taking place. Not a PR campaign from the soulless arms of corporate chains who think that putting “Craft” in front of lager makes it a revolution, but in the hands of chefs and locals who get it. Yes, actual chefs. The ones who once did 90 hour weeks cooking rabbit saddle in Michelin-starred kitchens, now turning up in small villages and towns to bring the boozer back to life.
Let's take The Hollow Bottom in Guiting Power as an example. A racing hotspot. A local legend, in fact. A place where jockeys (on their days off), trainers, stable staff, gamblers, and gentry would stand side by side screaming at one of the two televisions showing the races. And then the lease changed and so did the pub. This was followed a big brewery not understanding its heritage and then in May, like so many pubs in the UK, it closed.
A couple of months on it's back open, with top chefs Nathan Eades and Liam Goff at the helm, the duo responsible for bringing The Halfway in Kineton back to life in 2023 and more recently putting The Horse and Groom in Bourton on the Hill back on the culinary map with a Bib Gourmand in their first six months of opening. In fact it's just open, but singing, literally. There were over 400 locals there on the night of their "soft launch" last week enjoying the music from local heroes Andrew James and John Neild, the owner of Splash Of Ginge who has a lager named after him in the pub.
And all it needed was someone to give a damn, not just about the pub but its heritage and locals too.
The horse racing memorabilia, some saved from the skip, has been reinstated to the walls. The food is comforting but clever. The drinks are local but lush with Deya Steady Rolling Man, Hook Norton and North Cotswold ales on the taps and a bar you lean on like an old friend. There's a two-hour happy hour every day for the farmers and stable staff that finish work at 4pm in the winter or are rained off in the summer and a TV showing live sport.
The Hollow Bottom isn’t just a comeback story. It’s a blueprint. Because the pub is not dead, it just needs people who care on both sides of the bar.
Just in the last couple of weeks, Cheltenham has seen two new openings too.
The Beehive, nestled into the pretty Montpellier quarter, was always a popular pub. It's where I, and many others who live far from Cornwall, discovered Rattler. Never again. And then it closed.
Weeks later it flung its doors back open with new Executive Chef Tom Rains (formerly of The Daffodil and No.3 in town) and new General Manager Richard Shakeshaft (formerly of, oh, The Beehive and back for his second stint) and a bold new vision for what proper pub food should be.
The Beehive isn’t reinventing the wheel. It’s about making sure the wheel has good tread, rolls smooth, and pairs beautifully with Chef Tom's Pie of the Day, mashed potato and gravy. They have kept the same previous soul with classics on the menu. Nothing too shouty or flashy, just a real kind of pub that feels like a pub, with hearty food, proper ales and decent wines.
You go to The Beehive and remember why pubs matter. Because everyone’s there from young to old, professionals to trades persons, all mix well in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with a drink in hand.
Away from pubs but something equally important is Parler, Cheltenham's new high-fidelity listening bar. There are no pork scratchings or dart boards, but it plays the same role with community, atmosphere and connection at its heart.
Think turntables, vinyl and cocktails that feel like they've been stirred by Marvin Gaye himself. You walk in to Parler and the world goes quiet except for the music. It’s the kind of bar Tokyo has been perfecting for 30 years, and now we’ve now got one on our doorstep that offers beautiful beer brews from the awesome folk at Deya and flaky, golden pastries and small plates from La Boulangerie Artisan.
And all of this matters.
Because this isn’t just about pints, cocktails and "Chef Tom's" pies. It’s about community. It’s about having a place to go when you’re toasting another orbit around the sun, or celebrating a new job, or when you just want somewhere to sit quietly with a pint of Guinness and watch the rugby. It’s where you meet people you wouldn’t swipe right on. Where you talk to strangers. It's where life happens, unfiltered.
Even Jeremy Clarkson, he of farming and petrol gets it. His Farmer's Dog pub has been open for nearly a year and has been heaving since day one. He’s not doing it for kicks, he’s doing it to create a community of people coming to his pub, to support the locals who contribute to his menu and to sell his own Hawkstone beer, of course.
We need to support them. Not once a year for a Christmas pint. But regularly. We take friends. We try the new place. Rain or shine. And we don't complain about the prices like it's still 1995. Because these pubs and bars can’t exist on sentiment alone. They need us, and we need them.
Tucked away just off the familiar rhythms of Cheltenham’s town centre, Parler™ opens its doors on Monday 28th July and with it, ushers in something altogether more refined, more deliberate, and infinitely more soulful.
It is a café, yes but also a bar, a listening room, and a quietly radical act of hospitality. The kind that doesn’t shout for your attention, but earns it the moment the needle hits the groove. Parler is the kind of place that feels both beautifully new and curiously familiar, as though it has always been there, waiting for you to stumble into it on a slow Tuesday morning or an amber-lit Friday night. A place where the coffee is as considered as the cocktails, and where the soundtrack isn’t just background noise, but part of the conversation.
Born from the vision of friends with an eye for detail and an ear for music, Parler is a gentle collision of cultures and eras: vintage Parisian café charm meets classic cocktail bar elegance, filtered through the grit and casual cool of a modern urban taproom. Yet it doesn’t cling to nostalgia. There’s something resolutely contemporary about it- British in its understated confidence, but with knowing nods to the jazz kissas of post-war Tokyo, where records were revered and conversations soft. The interior is a quietly cinematic scene: mid-century furniture that looks lifted from a Milanese architect’s living room, tropical greenery breathing life into corners, and street art murals that give just the right amount of irreverence. It’s all bound together by craftsmanship; bespoke cabinetry made by local artisans and hand-thrown ceramics by Cheltenham’s own Megan Burridge, and a custom vinyl sound system built not to impress, but to seduce.
And then there’s the menu, which reads like a greatest hits of independent excellence. Flaky, golden pastries and small plates from La Boulangerie Artisan are served alongside cult cocktails by Four Cats, with a micro taproom pouring fresh brews from local craft beer heroes Deya. Wines come courtesy of Hackney’s Modest Merchant, all natural, expressive, and refreshingly unpretentious, while the coffee from Elsewhere in Deptford arrives as single estate and roasted with a near-academic level of precision. But it’s not just the flavours that feel curated; it’s the ethos behind them. Parler doesn’t just source, it collaborates. It elevates the local, favours the sustainable, and always finds beauty in the well-made.
Of course, what sets Parler apart most of all is the music. This isn’t a venue with a playlist; it’s a venue for the playlist. The kind of place where a rare Ethiopian jazz record might drift out of the speakers in the morning, followed by a touch of ambient soul at lunch, and deep, dubby grooves as the evening takes shape. DJs are present, but never performative and less about working the room, more about guiding its tempo. The first residency features Bristol’s More Soup DJs, whose sets blend lost soul, ambient jazz and the sort of vinyl treasures that haven’t seen the light of Spotify. It’s all part of a broader philosophy: that music is something to sit with, to taste, to remember. Not loud, not brash but just beautifully present.
At its core, Parler is a social space designed for slowness. Not in a sleepy or smug way, but in a way that feels almost rebellious in 2025. The name itself “Parler,”, to speak, invites conversation, and the atmosphere makes room for it. It harks back to a time when cafés weren’t coworking spaces, bars weren’t battlegrounds for attention, and music was more than a backdrop. Parler isn’t chasing trends, nor is it trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it’s doing something much harder: creating a place you’ll want to return to, again and again, because it makes you feel something.
When it opens on July 28th, Parler won’t be shouting about itself. It won’t need to. You’ll hear it in the music, taste it in the coffee, see it in the detail, and feel it in the air. And once you do, you’ll wonder how Cheltenham ever managed without it.
FOLLOW PARLER ON INSTAGRAM
40 Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3NX
It is a café, yes but also a bar, a listening room, and a quietly radical act of hospitality. The kind that doesn’t shout for your attention, but earns it the moment the needle hits the groove. Parler is the kind of place that feels both beautifully new and curiously familiar, as though it has always been there, waiting for you to stumble into it on a slow Tuesday morning or an amber-lit Friday night. A place where the coffee is as considered as the cocktails, and where the soundtrack isn’t just background noise, but part of the conversation.
Born from the vision of friends with an eye for detail and an ear for music, Parler is a gentle collision of cultures and eras: vintage Parisian café charm meets classic cocktail bar elegance, filtered through the grit and casual cool of a modern urban taproom. Yet it doesn’t cling to nostalgia. There’s something resolutely contemporary about it- British in its understated confidence, but with knowing nods to the jazz kissas of post-war Tokyo, where records were revered and conversations soft. The interior is a quietly cinematic scene: mid-century furniture that looks lifted from a Milanese architect’s living room, tropical greenery breathing life into corners, and street art murals that give just the right amount of irreverence. It’s all bound together by craftsmanship; bespoke cabinetry made by local artisans and hand-thrown ceramics by Cheltenham’s own Megan Burridge, and a custom vinyl sound system built not to impress, but to seduce.
And then there’s the menu, which reads like a greatest hits of independent excellence. Flaky, golden pastries and small plates from La Boulangerie Artisan are served alongside cult cocktails by Four Cats, with a micro taproom pouring fresh brews from local craft beer heroes Deya. Wines come courtesy of Hackney’s Modest Merchant, all natural, expressive, and refreshingly unpretentious, while the coffee from Elsewhere in Deptford arrives as single estate and roasted with a near-academic level of precision. But it’s not just the flavours that feel curated; it’s the ethos behind them. Parler doesn’t just source, it collaborates. It elevates the local, favours the sustainable, and always finds beauty in the well-made.
Of course, what sets Parler apart most of all is the music. This isn’t a venue with a playlist; it’s a venue for the playlist. The kind of place where a rare Ethiopian jazz record might drift out of the speakers in the morning, followed by a touch of ambient soul at lunch, and deep, dubby grooves as the evening takes shape. DJs are present, but never performative and less about working the room, more about guiding its tempo. The first residency features Bristol’s More Soup DJs, whose sets blend lost soul, ambient jazz and the sort of vinyl treasures that haven’t seen the light of Spotify. It’s all part of a broader philosophy: that music is something to sit with, to taste, to remember. Not loud, not brash but just beautifully present.
At its core, Parler is a social space designed for slowness. Not in a sleepy or smug way, but in a way that feels almost rebellious in 2025. The name itself “Parler,”, to speak, invites conversation, and the atmosphere makes room for it. It harks back to a time when cafés weren’t coworking spaces, bars weren’t battlegrounds for attention, and music was more than a backdrop. Parler isn’t chasing trends, nor is it trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it’s doing something much harder: creating a place you’ll want to return to, again and again, because it makes you feel something.
When it opens on July 28th, Parler won’t be shouting about itself. It won’t need to. You’ll hear it in the music, taste it in the coffee, see it in the detail, and feel it in the air. And once you do, you’ll wonder how Cheltenham ever managed without it.
FOLLOW PARLER ON INSTAGRAM
40 Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3NX
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After three sell out shows since Dom Joly’s Speakeazy started in April this year, the next two Speakeazy dates with a Dom Joly exclusive for Cheltenham have been announced at The Steam and Whistle Pub.
Not only will there be some incredible guests appearing, but ahead of Dom’s 25th Anniversary Trigger Happy Live Nation UK tour later this year, Dom thought it would be fun to give Cheltenham a very special sneak peak of Trigger Happy, a trip down memory lane and some exclusive content from the forthcoming UK tour.
FRIDAY 8th August
THURSDAY 11th September
What started off as a whimsical idea has come true
Dom Joly’s Speakeazy appears to have been a massive success with Cheltonians, and he couldn’t be happier. The opportunity to curate a regular mystery night out in his hometown has been both amazing fun and an incredible privilege for him.
“I set out to curate Dom Joly’s Speakeazy to host big name guests like Jenny Éclair alongside emerging new talent like the extraordinary Tom A Smith whom Elton John described as “a massive star for the future.” Dom is also keen to support local talent and is on the look-out for interesting Cheltonian artists. “I want to support a wide range of acts, both in content and in age and across the whole spectrum of show business.
The feedback has been fantastic with all the shows sold out so far and demand for future ones off the charts.
Dom and the team have listened to regulars of the show and have slightly decreased the ticket capacity to make the experience more enjoyable. SpeakeaZy is driven by Dom’s wicked sense of fun along with his impeccable music taste. He adores curating the evenings so that SpeakeaZers never know what’s coming next. This Cabaret of Curiosities ranges from Dom’s tales of thirty extraordinary years stumbling through showbusiness, outrageous comedy characters, incredible music and of course, surprises…lots of surprises.
August & September exclusive
“What with this being the 25th anniversary of Trigger Happy TV, it’s a massively busy year for me, but for the next couple of shows prior to my UK tour I thought it might be fun to to give Cheltenham at our SpeakeaZy a very special sneak peak of Trigger Happy, a trip down memory lane and some exclusive content from the forthcoming shows on my 25th Anniversary Trigger Happy UK tour.
So, the August and September Speakeazys will have a decidedly Trigger Happy TV theme to them and as news builds outside of Cheltenham about this incredibly popular night more names are set to join me on stage. We’ve moved the August date from a usual Thursday to a Friday to fit in with a particular name! But as always, you’ll have to wait to find out on the night!
Tickets are on sale now - www.domjoly.tv/dom-jolys-speakeazy
Not only will there be some incredible guests appearing, but ahead of Dom’s 25th Anniversary Trigger Happy Live Nation UK tour later this year, Dom thought it would be fun to give Cheltenham a very special sneak peak of Trigger Happy, a trip down memory lane and some exclusive content from the forthcoming UK tour.
FRIDAY 8th August
THURSDAY 11th September
What started off as a whimsical idea has come true
Dom Joly’s Speakeazy appears to have been a massive success with Cheltonians, and he couldn’t be happier. The opportunity to curate a regular mystery night out in his hometown has been both amazing fun and an incredible privilege for him.
“I set out to curate Dom Joly’s Speakeazy to host big name guests like Jenny Éclair alongside emerging new talent like the extraordinary Tom A Smith whom Elton John described as “a massive star for the future.” Dom is also keen to support local talent and is on the look-out for interesting Cheltonian artists. “I want to support a wide range of acts, both in content and in age and across the whole spectrum of show business.
The feedback has been fantastic with all the shows sold out so far and demand for future ones off the charts.
Dom and the team have listened to regulars of the show and have slightly decreased the ticket capacity to make the experience more enjoyable. SpeakeaZy is driven by Dom’s wicked sense of fun along with his impeccable music taste. He adores curating the evenings so that SpeakeaZers never know what’s coming next. This Cabaret of Curiosities ranges from Dom’s tales of thirty extraordinary years stumbling through showbusiness, outrageous comedy characters, incredible music and of course, surprises…lots of surprises.
August & September exclusive
“What with this being the 25th anniversary of Trigger Happy TV, it’s a massively busy year for me, but for the next couple of shows prior to my UK tour I thought it might be fun to to give Cheltenham at our SpeakeaZy a very special sneak peak of Trigger Happy, a trip down memory lane and some exclusive content from the forthcoming shows on my 25th Anniversary Trigger Happy UK tour.
So, the August and September Speakeazys will have a decidedly Trigger Happy TV theme to them and as news builds outside of Cheltenham about this incredibly popular night more names are set to join me on stage. We’ve moved the August date from a usual Thursday to a Friday to fit in with a particular name! But as always, you’ll have to wait to find out on the night!
Tickets are on sale now - www.domjoly.tv/dom-jolys-speakeazy
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