Why live in cheltenham

The centrepiece is the Imperial Gardens, blooming with flowers and containing a fountain surmounted by a bespectacled Gustav Holst, who was born in Cheltenham and now stands with his baton raised aloft above the water jets. Famous for festivals, visitors from all around the world flock to Cheltenham for the International Festivals of music, literature and science; as well as to Prestbury Park, renowned for horse racing, the main event for steeple chasing being the Gold Cup National Hunt Festival week in March.

Some of the best schooling in England can be found in the area with Cheltenham Ladies College, Cheltenham College and Dean Close being just three long established and well respected schools. Good communication links to major centres via the M5, the M4 and A40 to London, and stunning Cotswold countryside, have made Cheltenham a desirable and increasingly popular place in which to live.

Whether you are looking for a luxury apartment in Cheltenham town centre, a classic town house or country home, Knight Frank in Cheltenham, alongside our Cirencester office, offer a seamless service to both buyers and sellers throughout the Cotswolds. Originally an Anglo Saxon settlement, Cheltenham takes its name from the small river Chelt, which rises nearby at Dowdeswell and runs through the town. In , in a meadow outside the town, pigeons were found to be pecking at what turned out to be salt crystals at a spring.

This find led to the establishment of the town as a Spa but the event which ensured the success of Cheltenham was the visit of George III in to treat his infirmities. Although Cheltenham's popularity as a spa town waned, the town itself continued to prosper, due more to the efforts of a growing band of fine craftsmen, than the 'fashionable set'.

Horse racing began in Cheltenham in , and became a major national attraction after the establishment of the Cheltenham Festival in Families love Cheltenham - and with 12 of the town's primary schools rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, it's easy to see why. Further up the education ladder, Balcarras and Pate's Grammar School have top marks from the education watchdog. The Regent Shopping Centre off the High Street houses more than 50 top-name retailers, while Cheltenham is also known for its growing roster of independent shops.

Antique lovers are catered for in Montpellier, while the Promenade hosts the town's popular farmer's market. If you're looking for something really special then it has to be Le Champignon Sauvage, a Michelin-starred and four AA rosette-boasting eatery that is among Gloucestershire's finest. For lovers of Indian cuisine, Prithvi and East India Cafe mix traditional dishes with modern fusion food.

If horse racing, football or top-flight rugby aren't quite your cup of tea, there are plenty of other options for a day out in Cheltenham. Imperial Gardens and Montpellier Gardens are great options for getting out and about, while the Cheltenham Playhouse theatre puts on brilliant stage productions and shows films.

With plenty of glorious outdoor space on offer across the Cotswolds, there's no shortage of open space to tire out the little ones. The Cheltenham Montpellier Treasure Trail will test the brains as well as the legs as the children go off in search of clues and hidden gems.

In the warmer months, the Sandford Parks Lido lets the kids have a splash around and enjoy an array of slides at the outdoor pool, while the town's leisure centre pool is a brilliant option when the weather is not so balmy.

If you are considering a move to Cheltenham, get in touch with our CJ Hole Cheltenham office who will be happy to talk to you about the area and show you a list of available properties. Global presence Cheltenham may be a provincial town of around , people, but it has international clout. GCHQ has featured widely in the arts, from appearances in countless spy novels to the film Official Secrets starring Keira Knightley and Intelligence , the new TV sitcom, in which American David Schwimmer is drafted in to help Britain fight cyber terrorism.

Job opportunities Notable local employers include aerospace specialist GE Aviation Systems and Superdry, the international clothing brand headquartered in the town.

Streets of stuccoed town houses with multi-panelled sash windows and wrought-iron verandas appeared and many remain today. Buyers seeking an elegant Regency home — the neoclassical style associated with architect Robert Adam and which took off in the early decades of the 19th century — will find the best examples in The Suffolks, a series of roads south of the town centre, and the streets around Bath Road.