Hidden Cheltenham trails are coming back

Sunday March 1, 2020

In 2018, the BID worked with The Cheltenham Trust to launch the Hidden Cheltenham Trail.  The trail guides people to places of historic interest and tells the stories that have been overlooked, forgotten and in some cases even written out of history of the people, places and communities of the town. 

There are 12 points of interest, each with a specially designed place marker in front of them, from The Brewery Quarter to Montpellier.  

Last year, the BID launched a special Easter trail, encouraging people of all ages to have fun whilst they discovered parts of the town they would not otherwise have visited. More than 300 families, from across Gloucestershire and neighbouring counties, took part in the trail, visiting 26 different businesses. 

With such success, the BID ran the Hidden Cheltenham summer tail, drawing in another 250 families and engaging a further 24 businesses.  

Melanie, the owner of Toys to Grow in Regent Arcade said: ‘It was amazing. Brought loads of people here who didn’t know I existed, and I have had people coming back. Can’t wait for the next one’  

The trails are designed to be fully inclusive, encourage educational and physical activities and bring people from all walks of life together.  The BID got behind the No Child Left Behind Campaign and we were nominated for an award in the Physical Activity category. 

Both the Easter and Summer trails will be back this year, offering something different for families.   

The Easter trail will run for 10 days during the Easter Holidays when participants will collect puzzle pieces to complete 12 different puzzles.  They will visit 48 BID businesses to collect their puzzle pieces and see the points of interest. Starting at The Wilson, they will collect a trail pack, which includes a printed map, instructions and a puzzle booklet. They can then take their completed puzzles back and get a special Easter prize – and it won’t cost them a penny. 

The BID would like to thank all the businesses who have become a part of the trails, giving their time and treats for goody bags.  We look forward to working with more of you during the forthcoming trails.