Some interesting info about Cheltenham. Cheltenham,
also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough in
Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the
South-West region of England. It has an image of being
respectable and wealthy, and is the home of the flagship
race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the
main event of the Cheltenham Festival held every March. The
town hosts several festivals of culture.
The town was awarded a market charter in 1226, and has been
a health and holiday resort since the discovery of mineral
springs there in 1716. Horse racing began in Cheltenham in
1815, and became a major national attraction after the
establishment of the Festival in 1902. On 1 April 1974,
under the Local Government Act 1972, the borough of
Cheltenham was merged with Charlton Kings urban district to
form the non-metropolitan district of Cheltenham. Four
parishes — Swindon Village, Up Hatherley, Leckhampton and
Prestbury were added to the borough of Cheltenham from the
borough of Tewkesbury in 1991.
Cheltenham has light industry, including food processing,
aerospace, electronics and tourism businesses. The
Government's electronic surveillance operation Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), renowned for its
"doughnut-shape" building, is in Cheltenham. Vertex Data
Science, GE-Aviation, Dowty Rotol, Chelsea Building Society,
Endsleigh Insurance, Nelson Thornes, UCAS (Universities &
Colleges Admissions Service), Kohler Mira, Zurich Financial
Services and Spirax Sarco all have sites in and around
Cheltenham.
Cheltenham is a regional shopping centre, home to several
shopping centres and department stores, the oldest being
Cavendish House from 1823. It is well-known locally for its
nightlife, with a wide range of pubs, wine bars, clubs and
restaurants. It has a Michelin two-star restaurant, Le
Champignon Sauvage. In 2006, Cheltenham was voted the best
place to live in Britain.
The districts
of Cheltenham include Arle, Benhall, Charlton Kings,
Fairview, Fiddlers Green, Hesters Way, Leckhampton,
Montpellier, Oakley, Pittville, Prestbury, The Reddings,
Rowanfield, St Marks, St Pauls, St Peter's, Springbank,
Springfields, Swindon Village, Tivoli, Up Hatherley, Whaddon
and Wyman's Brook. |
