---

 

 

 

Cheltenham Leasing

Did You Know?

No list about Cheltenham would be complete without talking about Cheltenham Festival, arguably the annual horse racing event is what the spa town is best known for. However, did you know that the festival only accounts for 16 days of the year in the town?.

Sandford Parks Lido isn’t just one of our favourite unusual places to visit in Cheltenham, it’s also one of the largest outdoor pools in England. The main pool is 164ft and sits alongside a children’s pool and paddling pool. Set among beautifully landscaped gardens, there’s also a cafe to pick yourself up a treat after a cold water swimming session.

Well known for its sports ventures, the town has a long history in traditional team sports. Another one of many fun facts about Cheltenham is it has one of the largest croquet clubs in the country. The town of Cheltenham is also home to the headquarters of the international Croquet Association; as well as the East Glos tennis, squash and women’s hockey club, which was founded in 1885.

A really interesting fact about Cheltenham is that the 1986 film, The Whistle Blower, starring Michael Caine was largely filmed in Cheltenham. It was a natural location for the movie – based on the novel by John Hale of the same name – to be set in the spa town because the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) was a central plot device, and you’ll find that very building in Benhall.

Speaking of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), while it sounds like a really cool building, locals have nicknamed it ‘the doughnut’ – which certainly takes the edge off a bit! One of our favourite facts about Cheltenham is how this nickname is because of the building’s circular shape and central open air courtyard which is thought to be large enough to contain the Royal Albert Hall.

There have been many famous faces born in Cheltenham. A couple of our favourites include Richard O’Brien, writer of the Rocky Horror Show and former presenter of the Crystal Maze. As well as the famed Olympic ski-jumper, Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards who was played by Taron Egerton in the biographical movie.

By 1850, Cheltenham had become the most prominent town in the county of Gloucestershire. Since then, its development has been closely nurtured and protected, to retain its heritage and beauty while adding modern features of interest and value.

It’s a fictional character that adds family appeal to visiting this lovely town. The stories of Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass are believed to be based on Alice Liddell. She often visited her grandparents at Charlton Kings, which is a suburb of Cheltenham. She became acquainted with Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (author Lewis Carroll) in Oxford, but he visited her family in Cheltenham.