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Newbury Leasing

Did You Know?

Newbury Racecourse celebrated its centenary back in 2005, which means that it is one of the leading racecourses in the country. As well as having more than 100 years of racing history to offer, the venue hosts the Hennessy Gold Cup, which takes place every year. The race usually takes place in late November.

Newbury stands on the River Kennet; the road leading from London westwards runs through the northern part of the town. At the present date the area of the borough is 1,826 acres.

During WWII, a Royal Air Force station was set up at Greenham Common, on the edge of town. This was the home for the US Air Force in the 1950s, and it was known for being the longest military runway in the UK. With the end of the Cold War, the base was closed, the runway was broken up for use as fill material in building the Newbury bypass, and much of the area was restored to heathland.

Together with the adjoining town of Thatcham, 3 miles distant, Newbury forms the principal part of an Urban area of approximately 70,000 people.

Newbury is the home of Vodafone UK, which is part of the Vodafone Group, which is the second biggest mobile phone provider in the world. In 2014, Vodafone UK had 19.5 million subscribers, making it the third biggest mobile telecommunications firm in the world after O2 and EE.

Newbury was founded late in the 11th century following the Norman conquest as a new borough, hence its name. Although there are references to the borough that predate the Domesday Survey it is not mentioned by name in the survey

Newbury has one of the last remaining lidos in the UK. It was originally built in the 1890s, although the structure we see today was erected in the 1930s. The pool is still in use today and is capable of receiving more than 1000 visitors a day during peak times.

Victoria Park, which is located close to the centre of town is used for a number of major events during the year. The Keep Off The Grass (KOTG) festival is a hugely popular music festival event and there is also the Newbury Waterways Festival and the Crafty Craft, which features a raft race.

Doubt has been cast over the existence of 'Newbury Castle', but the town did have royal connections and was visited a number of times by King John and Henry III while hunting in the area.