Swindonian Blog Posts
Swindon news, views, history and culture
FTO Big Band Coming to Wyvern
Lovers of swing and jazz music are in for a treat as the Wiltshire-based ensemble FTO Big Band takes to the stage at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.
Swindon Hub is Open
A new community hub opens this weekend in Swindon town centre, with performers, poets and pop-ups.
Based in the former River Island building, Swindon Hub will provide a welcoming café and community arts space, areas for meetings and events. It’ll also offer pop-up stands for start-up businesses and local traders.
RPA Youngsters Staging Iconic Play
Young people from RPA (Revolution Performing Arts) Rapport CIC are working hard to make their next amazing live Swindon performance a visual and musical feast.
16. Amaretto Italian Liqueur
A visit to Da Vinci Italian restaurant on Fleet Street is always agreeable. And a recent visit with chums, one of whom rounded off his meal with an Amaretto liqueur coffee gave a fab opportunity to do this Swindon in 50 drinks post about Amaretto Italian liqueur.
Culture and the High Street
Many Swindonians are up in arms right now. The reason? Swindon Borough Council’s decision not to reopen Swindon’s museum and art gallery when Covid restrictions lifted. That’s a long story not for telling here. Suffice it to say, this decision is mystifying in so many ways. Not least of which is that it’s so at odds with the current message from both government and arts organisations. That message being that people want museums and cultural activities on their high streets more than they want pubs.
Swindon racks up the Beat the Street Miles
Swindon has once again completed the Beat the Street challenge!
The town’s third Beat the Street game finished at 7pm on 27th October. It saw almost 30,000 people walking, cycling and rolling for points and prizes during the six-week challenge. Together, the town clocked up an active travel mileage of 319,874.5 miles.
SoMAG Urge SBC to Join the Queue
The group formed to secure the re-opening of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery is urging Swindon Borough Council to be first in the queue for the Chancellor’s budget promise of £850m for museums.
Four Decades of Swindon Link Magazine
For a free magazine to survive for forty years is rather an incredible achievement.
It all started in December 1978. An 18 page un-named newsletter appeared through the doors of the 500 houses occupied in Toothill and about 50 in Freshbrook. Resident Geoff Richmond had put it together. He then distributed the publication door-to-door with his wife Kathy. She pushed a pram with their baby daughter on top and the loaded tray below.
A SoMAG response
A SoMAG response to a question
NB: I’ve edited the following only for the purposes of SEO &YOAST
Dr Barbara Swan sits on the committee of the Friends of the Museum and Art Gallery. At SBC’s cabinet meeting on 13th Oct 2021 she asked this question of the Leader: ( a title I can’t hear without thinking of Daleks …)
Can the council explain the financial logic of selling off a substantial piece of property in a prime location [Apsley House], at a time when interest rates on cash deposits are very low, to part- fund a project that has no starting date as yet?
Given that property is the one asset that historically increases substantially in value, what’s the financial argument for selling the building now? Surely it makes far better sense to make the necessary repairs (which we understand you’re making in order to make it saleable) and hang on to it so the council can get maximum benefit from its future appreciation in value?
Final push for Beat the Street Swindon!
Beat the Street – the game taking place across Swindon – draws to a close this week.
From Wednesday 20th October, it’s the game’s Go Celebrate week where each Beat Box will be giving out double points.
Swindon in 50 more buildings
West Swindon – What the eye doesn’t see
Swindon – A Born Again Swindonian’s Guide
We Are Swindon
