Tonight, I saw a fire engine flying at Shrewsbury Road once again.

This is almost 4 times in a row between October and now that the fire brigade responded. Could be almost 10 times in a row a fire engine arrived in the SN3 area. Recently was two days ago. A fire engine woke me up at 6:45AM and it arrived at Shrewsbury Road.

Whats with the repeated incidents in that part of Walcot East?

Check out this interesting video published over the weekend https://youtu.be/RAuxlYszIf4?si=zFIga_17a0qVpWMS

Seven Capital's plans for 710 high rise flats around the Oasis will scupper future plans to bring back the canal properly. Thoughts?

The canal route ran along where muggers alley currently is.

Do you think the canal should be restored alongside the Oasis? Seven Capital said it would cost millions for the Canal Trust to buy the land off them, to create enough room for a towpath either side.

Do you think SBC have well and truly made a right mess of the Oasis in terms of its wider knock on effects?

Those in favour of the future canal plan are planning to object en masse to the Seven Capital planning application once it is submitted soon.

Sorry if this is not directly related to Swindon , but I was walking my dog around Goldfinger in Highworth last night and I saw a fully naked old man walking around casually.

Has anyone else seen him? and can I report this to the police?

Hello Swindon!

We are starting a new and free social group for people aged 75+ in Swindon who are isolated, lonely, and struggling to reconnect with their community. Could you spare a couple of hours a month to help us out?

As we head into the winter months, some of our older guests are finding it more difficult to get to and from the group - we have a small list of older people who would love to attend, but can't get to the group on their own...That's where you come in! The group is launching in January and will be at the Castle Inn 2pm-4pm first Sunday of the month. We are looking for volunteer drivers who are compassionate, kind and have a few spare hours (just once a month) to:

• Pick up our lovely guests and bring them to the group.
• Stay for a cuppa, a chat, and maybe even a biscuit or two. 
• Then give them a lift back home, simple as that!

It’s a small gesture that makes a huge difference. Plus, you’ll meet some wonderful people along the way! Let me know if you would like more information and and I look forward to hearing from you... ellie.plummer@reengage.org.uk for more info or Apply to become an activity group driver to help now!

I am. It might be different to how it was before. But times change, and personally I’m really excited to take my 2 kids there and have a great time.

Sick of all the negative attitudes towards it, especially from a group that claim to want to “save” it

Can’t help but feel this town would be a lot better with some positive vibes going on

Hello my friend is looking for a good place to get massage for her bad back pls advise

Does anyone know of the most haunted place in Swindon? Or have any stories of experiences?

https://preview.redd.it/2imh8it7ea3e1.png?width=2552&format=png&auto=webp&s=71d1a65c86c017e3f4a9cd1ef31406f18e0b2d47

Hello good people of Swindon.

I'd like to gauge interest as to how many people would be interested in attending regular fighting game meetups? I moved to the area just over a year ago, and I loved going to my fighting games locals.

So please reply to this thread if you're interested in playing any Tekken / Street Fighter / Guilty Gear Strive / Mortal Komat / KoF or any other fighting game in person. If there's enough interest I'll go about looking at a venue and getting the gear for us to play on. There could be the occasional tournament too!

The only other nearing fighting game local that I know of is in Bristol, which is a bit far to be convenient.

This image was recently added to the swindonoasis.co.uk site showing a potential new layout of the pool.

I'm going to be flying out from Heathrow for about 7-8 days over the Christmas period and I feel like based on price/reliability of trains and taxis, parking at Heathrow feels like the best option? Now I'm just wondering if anyone has done this before, or knows the best way to go around this. I'm also new to the UK so any advice is much appreciated haha

Hello everyone. I've just moved to Swindon, and I'm looking for quality restaurants. If you have any recommendations, I'd be much obliged. I enjoy pretty much all cuisines, and price is no obstacle.

I used to get them from the best ever brownie in the outlet but one day they told me they don’t take cash anymore & since i don’t have a card, i haven’t been there since. Their ones were really good. Any other suggestions?

So I moved here a few months ago from a small town and have gone out a few times (both with family/the gf and by myself in an effort to meet new people lol, I'd like to have some friends here) and it's always dead. Honestly the pubs in my old town were actually better on a weekend and that's really saying something 😂. Hardly anyone my/my gf's age seem to ever be out, it seems to always be old people tbh. Been to a few different pubs now and they were all like this. Went clubbing the other night and that was meh too. Are there any decent pubs/clubs in this town? Places where people in their 20s go? Been told the Old Town's pretty good but I went up there once and it didn't seem like much to me. I've been told a few times that the nightlife is crap here and everyone goes to Bristol lol.

Saw some great bands at the Vic on Friday. Anyone on here also like heavy music and have recommendations for any bands? Especially recommendations for bands that may be touring in or near Swindon in the next year, but recommendations regardless of that would be great 👍

Today I am about to go to Damascus Falafel, but the weather right now is slightly horrid; it leads to doubts of that shop being present. That Syrian shop isn't an indoor brick restaurant.

The shitty 1 BHK apartment I am renting does not have sufficient bins for recycling. A house was converted into a block of flats by the landlord, but all 4 flats share 1 plastic recycling box, and none of the other tenants make any effort to put the garbage out in the front. I have done it multiple times.

I raised a complaint to the council but only briefly mentioned this single recycling box issue to the managing agent.

But whose responsibility is it to make sure that the rental flats have an appropriate waste disposal system for all the flats the landlord has created?

I feel like it’s the landlord’s, but how is the council allowing landlords to make these flats without a proper waste disposal system?

Is this legal? What are my rights? In the past, I’ve not had much luck with the council. I want to now hold whoever is accountable and start writing formal complaints, or I will drop the garbage either at the letting agent’s or council’s doorstep.

Any good sauna in Swindon

Hi all. I work for a charity that helps people going through addiction. They've gone through detox and working hard to sort a new life for themselves. Is there any housing that may accept housing benefits, even perhaps on spare rooms.co.uk or alternative sites? We have exhausted all options but he needs to rely on finding somewhere that will accept him with housing benefits. He's doing his best to turn his life around, and we want to help his journey. He's come to love Swindon as he's from London. He doesn't want to return to London as that's where his life fell apart and also to avoid old friend circles and temptations. Just need to know if there's any spare room schemes that might accept him. Thanks in advance

Buses are always turning up late, even school and college buses.

Separate bus stops just outside the bus station without any timetable or bus route number serving.

There are no warnings on the websites and no general notice.

Its a pain in the bum when you go to school college or work that is a few km away.

Someone should make a song about Swindon's buses based on that "Where tf is my fucking train London Underground" song

Bored

Hi I’ve just moved to Swindon. I’m looking to start running (or join) a dnd game running every two weeks. If you’re interested shoot me a message.

James

Swindon has plenty going on depending how you like to spend you time. Its biggest weak spot is that it isn't very pretty, because people forgive a place a lot if it's pretty. I thought I could share some inspiration for how some people enjoy their time in Swindon.

What's on lists don't ever do it justice. I'm just sharing the things that I personally like or people that I know like. There's lots more if you are into fitness but that's possibly easier to find. And I'm not listing college courses, cinemas, cafes, bars, restaurants and pubs, as they're easy to search for. Stuff you might not think to search for though...

Ice Rink Wildcats ice hockey games. Health Hydro pool (reopening next year). Twigs open events. Lower Shaw Farm. Richard Jefferies summer events. Swindon Folk Club. Swindon Festival of Literature Swindon Festival of Tomorrow Swindon Open Studios Pottery studios (Bare glaze and Eastcott) Town Gardens Bowl summer programme Arts Centre Wyvern theatre Various museums (Museum of Computing, STEAM, Swindon Museum & Art, Lydiard House, Richard Jefferies, Railway Village House Museum- open days only) Faith and humanist communities Activist communities Philosophy talks Science talks Writing groups Football matches Escape games People get involved in various charities as trustees and volunteers. Choirs Swindon Growers Swindon Old Town Comedy Club Book groups Mordon Sporting Hub There are lots of sport groups but the friendly open ones I'll mention are Beehive pub cricket club and Swindon Softball. Archery clubs Aerial arts School of the sword Martial arts Larp community Art classes Stitch social Swindon Pub quizzes Meetup.com groups Firestorm games run some gaming events There are quite a few independent shops in Old Town. Some people like the Outlet centre as well. Gigs at the Vic and Levels, occasionally seen some good musicians.

Pop up events: Wassail at Twigs, Carols in various churches and in the cow shed at lower Shaw Farm, Old Town Christmas festival, Christmas craft fairs, Swindon Pride, Swindon Shuffle, storytelling shows, wine tastings, Ukraine Fest, festival of light, chilli & cheese festival, Swindon Polish day. Lydiard park sometimes has events.

Green spaces: Lydiard Park and Coate Water are the most popular. I recommend Moulden Hill country Park and Stanton Country park, they are very big. Shaw Forest and Peatmoor lagoon are also nice. Centrally some green spaces are Lawn wood, Queens Park and the Town Gardens, as well as the old railway track from old town.

Then on top of all that, people like whats on the doorstep. Cotswold water park is really close, if you live in North Swindon especially it's just 10 minutes drive or a flat cycle. Barbury castle and the ridgeway are nice. Clouts wood in Wroughton too.

Also pretty close, is Womad festival, though it'll be moving site, it is moving apparently not far from where it has been. Took me 20 minutes to drive back home where it had been located. Same for Minety music festival. And Festival on the farm, a 3 minute drive from Swindon. We're also very close to Avebury and Cirencester.

Hope that's a bit of inspiration! ❤️

Are there any outside Manchester Road that have good Turkish restaurants that have those pizza wraps? They look nice and I want to try one. Not to mention Manchester Road has a dirty reputation, with poorly hygiened shops.

Since spring 2023, the town centre was left to rot. Even during 4-5pm rush hours on winters or summer season.

But this time though, the town centre got bustling again, right amount for Christmas, aswell as the summer season earlier this year.

I was out to buy shawarma from that Syrian street shop, and it was packed. Even the Brunel shopping complex was busy, with activity almost as significant as pre 2022.

Evening rush hours now are almost up to normal standards in the town centre.

The nasty, anti-social, troubled young people and teens (who seem to have been troublemakers at school that would be in ice several times), were not so present.

Seeing the slight revert restored some hope.

Hopefully the town centre returns to a good state when the regeneration completes, with better quality management.

I’m looking for a support group that I can meet in person but I can’t see any online