Top 10 things to do in Chippenham

With summer just around the corner, and the Easter holidays fast approaching it’s time to start thinking about ways to entertain yourself, and the rabble.

 

To help everyone out, Chippenham People has compiled a 'Top Ten' of things to do/see/eat/drink in the area – if you have any other suggestions please add your own ten below and we can keep everyone busy over the coming months…

1) Reel cinema - Bath, Bristol and Swindon might be on the doorstep with large multiplex cinemas, but why not support your local picture house on Marshfield Road and pay them a visit. Currently undergoing a refurbishment and showing all the latest blockbusters, the facilities look set to rival the bigger cinemas. For listings and information visit www.reelcinemas.co.uk

2) Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre – sitting in the Market Place, it’s easy to forget that we have our very own museum showcasing all things Chippenham. With regular exhibitions, and changes of displays, there’s always something new to look at.

Returning this summer is the popular Local Village Stories exhibition. Come and learn about the medieval Bolehyde Manor and its link with Walter Raleigh and the ‘Flying Squire’, the prehistoric Lanhill Long Barrow, the oldest man-made structure in the area, the Stanton St Quintin murder.

The exhibition is running from Monday 18th May until Saturday 11th July, 2009, 10.00am-4.00pmAnd best of all, entry is FREE. 

 

3) Olympiad Leisure centre – feeling sluggish? Why not get fighting fit with an exercise class at the Olympiad. Or take the kids to the pool for a day out while you relax in the poolside café. With two slides, rapids, and a lagoon area they’ll be out of your hair for hours. Or, as it’s a five minute walk from the town centre why not pop to the shops for some retail therapy. You can even pack the little darlings off for the whole day with their school holiday clubs.

Or…if it’s you that needs the attention think about joining their newly refurbished gym. All the information you need can be found at http://www.dcleisurecentres.co.uk/Centres/Wiltshire/The+Olympiad+Leisure+Centre/The+Olympiad+Leisure+Centre

4) Granny’s Attic - Chippenham’s hidden treasure trove. This quaint antique and collectables shop is tucked away above the old tourist information centre on Bath Road (upstairs above the Bath Road car park, behind Oxfam)

Packed full of treasures, from antiques, jewellery, vintage clothing, and gifts, it’s full of goodies to rummage through and will easily pass an afternoon.

5) Shakeaway! A trip into town wouldn’t be the same without picking up one of Shakeaway’s calorific but oh so good shakes. Pick from hundreds of flavours, from Skittles to Bakewell Tart and Malteesers. Or mix and match. It’s the newest addition to Chippenham High Street and with its bright blue and yellow shop face it can’t be missed.

6) In my humble opinion the Jolly Millar café offers the best fry up in Chippenham…if not the world. With its Irish themed interior the small but perfectly formed establishment is true to the traditional ‘greasy spoon’ but with delicious home-cooked food.

7) Café India – if you like Indian food you’ll love Café India, at the bottom of Station Hill. And with the added ‘Bring your own novelty’ you won’t be out of pocket. It’s unlicensed so you can bring a bottle and eat top-notch Indian food…two things that don’t usually go together.

8) If you fancy following your curry with a drink in one of the town’s many watering holes then pop over the road to the Brunel. Although it now has Wetherspoons as a rival the Smith and Jones bar is holding its own, and with a fresh lick of paint it’s a nice surrounding to enjoy a drink…or two. They also serve decent food daily. http://www.barracudagroup.co.uk/pubs/brunel.html

9) And if you’re still thirsty and the night is young an evening in Chippenham wouldn’t be complete without a trip to one our two nightclubs. In this case I’m recommending Karma on Station hill. Formerly Buds 2000 its shed the sticky carpet dingy nightclub image in favour of sleek wooden floors, bright walls and some expensive looking laser technology. However, the cheesy music we all know and love remains, as do some of the usual clientele.

10)A short drive out of town on the A350 towards Melksham is the Whitehall Garden centre. Yes, you can go for the usual pots and plants but after many expansions the garden centre now includes much more. From gifts, clothing, and local foods. The café serves great home-cooked lunches, and giant cakes. And with a children’s club, and regular talks and events you can make it a day out.

Oh, and don't forget to check Chippenham town council's website for a list of local events.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, and there must be hundreds of things to add…so come and let us know what you think are the best of the best in Chippenham. Drop it into the comments box below…