Cheltenham, also known as Cheltenham Spa, is the cultural centre of the Cotswolds and one of the largest towns in Gloucestershire.
A Property Centre Guide on Why to Consider Moving to Cheltenham
With beautiful buildings, impressive schools, festivals, and a convenient location close to major cities, The Sunday Times declared Cheltenham the best place to live in the South West in 2020.
Here are just some of the reasons to consider making Cheltenham your home town in 2023.
Property in Cheltenham
Cheltenham is known for offering house hunters a wide range of stunning properties to choose from - from Georgian townhouses to modern apartments in converted buildings with stunning period features.
After King George III visited the town to drink the water for his health, Cheltenham enjoyed its heyday as a spa between 1790 and 1840.
This rise in popularity after receiving a ‘seal of approval’ from the King, saw the town's popularity rise with many fine Regency terraces, crescents and villas being constructed in the following years.
Over the last year, properties in Cheltenham had an overall average price of £378,520*, although prices in certain parts of the town can be much higher.
Outstanding Schools
A number of fantastic education opportunities are available in Cheltenham, from nursery and preparatory schools to senior schools, colleges, and the University of Gloucestershire.
Several prestigious independent schools are located in Cheltenham, including Cheltenham Ladies' College, Cheltenham College and Dean Close School.
Family homes in catchment areas around Balcarras School in Charlton Kings and the High School in Leckhampton for example are often some of the most sought-after.
Career Opportunities
There are a number of large employers in Cheltenham and surrounding areas, including GCHQ, Spirax Sarco, GE Aviation, EDF, St James' Place, Superdry, Endsleigh / A-Plan, Kholer, Moog, Trelleborg, Hazlewoods, Dyson and Renishaw to name but a few.
Picture: GCHQ/Crown Copyright (OGL - Open Government License)
Additionally, the region is home to a wide range of fast-growing SMEs and the newly planned cyber park should attract more tech-oriented businesses.
Retail Therapy
There is a wide selection of shopping areas in Cheltenham, with something for everyone.
The Regent Arcade Shopping Centre boasts over 60 separate stores and conveniently links the High Street with Cheltenham’s famous tree-lined avenue, The Promenade.
On The Promenade, you’ll find an array of designer brands as well as Cavendish House, a department store dating back to 1823.
Further retail therapy opportunities can be found in Montpellier, the home of stylish restaurants and chic boutiques.
With buzzing bars, stunning Regency architecture and beautifully manicured gardens, it is a great place to visit day or night.
Travel and Commuter Links
Junction 11 of the M5 is located just a 10-minute drive from the centre of Cheltenham.
Heading north the M5 gives easy access to Worcester and Birmingham with Bristol to the south. The A40 runs through Cheltenham linking to Oxford, London and the south east.
Cheltenham railway station is just a five-minute drive from the town centre.
On the Plymouth to Edinburgh line, Cheltenham benefits from regular services to Bristol, Birmingham and beyond, as well as direct services to London Paddington and Cardiff.
Coaches run frequently from Cheltenham to many UK destinations.
Cheltenham’s Famous Festivals
Cheltenham boasts more than 30 festivals a year, from the world-leading Cheltenham Literature Festival to the long-running Cheltenham Cricket Festival.
Along with world-class science, music and jazz festivals, Cheltenham offers a full calendar year of experiences which attracts visitors from across the globe.
Arts & Entertainment
Formerly known as Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, The Wilson was rebranded in 2013 after a major rebuild costing in the region of £6 million.
Particularly noted for its Arts and Crafts collection of furniture, textiles, ceramics, carvings, silver and jewellery, The Wilson is recognised as an outstanding collection of international importance and has received designated status - admission is free.
The Everyman Theatre was opened as The Opera House in 1891 and was designed by Frank Matcham who also designed the London Palladium and other important British theatres.
Today The Everyman presents a wide range of shows including comedy, drama, musicals opera along with a family pantomime every year.
The Home of Jump Racing
Every year the world-famous Cheltenham Racecourse, known as the ‘home of jump racing’ plays host to The Festival with the prestigious Gold Cup at its climax.
Four days of racing set in 350 acres of Cotswold countryside, The Festival features a cast of the best horses, jockeys, and trainers playing to an audience of 265,000 racegoers.
Other events in the racing calendar at Cheltenham include more relaxed meetings in October and April, the heady excitement of The November Meeting and family fun on New Year's Day.
A Walk in the Park
The luscious Pittville Park is home to Pittville Pump Room, the last and largest spa building built in Cheltenham.
A Grade I listed building, the Pitville Pump Room stands at the northern end of Pittville Lawn with landscaped grounds, a boating lake, cafés and adventure playgrounds.
A lesser-known treasure in Cheltenham, Sandford Park features lots of open space, a children's play area, and beautiful flower beds.
Sandford Park also boasts a Grade II Listed heated outdoor swimming pool.
The Sandford Parks Lido consists of a 50-metre main pool, a children's pool and a paddling pool open from March to October.
Imperial Gardens, which can be found at the rear of the Town Hall, were originally planted out for the exclusive use of subscribers to the Sherborne Spa.
The spa was constructed in 1818 on the site now occupied by the Queens Hotel.
Every year, approximately 25,000 bedding plants produce magnificent floral displays that ensure a pleasing stroll through the gardens for visitors and residents alike.
Friendly & Knowledgeable Estate Agents
With so much on offer in the area, you’ll need an experienced and passionate agent to help find your dream property.
With an office in the centre of town, The Property Centre team have a love and in-depth knowledge of the local area which will enable you to secure the purchase of your new home in Cheltenham.
Whether you’re looking to buy, rent, let or sell a property in and around Cheltenham, contact our friendly estate agents in Cheltenham today.
Did You Know…?
- In 2022, The Cheltenham Festival attracted a record aggregate attendance of 280,627 racegoers.
- On a market stall in Cheltenham, Ian Hibbs and Julian Dunkerton established the clothing brand, Superdry in 1985.
- The undercarriage for the Lancaster bomber was built by George Dowty in the loft of a building in Cheltenham's Lansdown Terrace Lane.
- GCHQ moved to Cheltenham in 1952, continuing the work of Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire which was set up during the Second World War to decipher the German enigma code. GCHQ now operates from a building known locally as ‘The Doughnut’ which opened in 2003. At the time, it was one of the largest public-sector building projects in Europe, with an estimated cost of £337 million.
- Richard O’Brien was born in Cheltenham on March 25, 1942. He is best known for writing the cult musical The Rocky Horror Show and presenting the 90’s gameshow The Crystal Maze.
- According to an 1825 map, Cheltenham's Promenade was originally called Constitution Row.
*English and Welsh house price data is publicly available information produced by the HM Land Registry. This material was last updated on 14 October 2022.
