What’s next for Swindon’s entertainment scene?

By Staff Reporter - 26 March 2019

Arts and Culture

Our fair borough of Swindon has been called the jewel in the crown of Wiltshire, and for a variety of good reasons. There is an almost unlimited number of things to do here for residents, tourists, adults and children alike.

Children and young adults can enjoy ice skating, farm visits, parks, trampolining and cinemas, to name but a few. Whilst adults can treat themselves to an exhilarating nightlife scene, fantastic shopping and the theatre. The date of the MFOR Music Festival has already been set for this summer and will take place on the 27th July in Lydiard Park (which has just celebrated 75 years of public ownership) whilst the Swindon music festival begins tomorrow (26th March) at the Wyvern theatre and kicks-off the upcoming spring entertainment in Swindon.

Speaking of kick-offs, our football club Swindon FC obviously contribute greatly to the entertainment scene in the town and are still pushing for a Play-Off place in order to achieve promotion, perhaps fans will be traveling to Wembley come the end of the season for the Play-Off finals. Sport remains popular with Swindonians which is why taking a night at the Swindon Stadium to watch and bet on the greyhounds is always a great night out.

For those who do fancy a gamble every now and again, the horse racing season is almost upon residents of county Wiltshire. Bath racecourse will host a quintessential British pastime in late spring where you can try your luck on the horses or just enjoy a nice day out in the sunshine (hopefully) with some great food and drink.

Swindon certainly has a lively, interesting and wide-ranging entertainment scene which is why it is strange that we are still yet to see a casino in our borough - the closest casino to Swindon is currently in Reading. London is full of swanky and luxurious casinos that wouldn’t look out of place in a James Bond movie, so it is curious why there is not a casino located in Swindon. Swindon is home to several great bars and restaurants including Rios Brazil, the Greek Olive, Rudis and The New Inn, all of which offer a fantastic night out and would certainly benefit from a casino within the town.

Swindon should take advantage of opening a casino establishment, after all, the casino industry is a booming one if online casinos are anything to go by. Online casinos operating in the UK have a revenue of over £5 billion. Given this statistic, it is possible that a luxurious brick and mortar casino in Swindon could be popular to not only residents who wish to continue their nights out after taking in a meal at the Greek Olive, but a casino would also be a beacon to tourists staying outside of London. Currently, Swindonians can only visit UK online casino sites like PlayFrank or travel to Reading or London in order to get a casino experience.

Whether or not a casino is will come to Swindon or not remains to be seen. Certainly, it would add to the entertainment scene of our town. Although casinos can come in different shapes and sizes, Swindonians would want a casino that is greater than those nearby – that goes without saying.

In 2011 Swindon Council stated that it would welcome a casino to the town, the feeling was that a casino in Swindon would bring with it significant economic benefits to the town. However, eight years have passed since then and Swindon has still not added a casino to its entertainment scene.

The town may also benefit from a higher form of culture. The historical site of Salisbury is not too far away from Swindon whilst us Swindonians ourselves are accustomed to a good standard of living. The Wyvern theatre already gives us opera and ballet, our towns entertainment scene could benefit from a dedicated art gallery.

It might also be an idea to ensure that children are not stuck inside during school holidays. A great way to inspire children to come off their games consoles and stay physically healthy is by giving them access to good sports facilities. Investment into sporting facilities would benefit children and young adults whilst it could also ensure that Swindon can compete with its local neighbours Bristol and Reading on the sporting scene. It would also help children to access their true potential, and maybe soon we might even have an Olympian hailing from our great town.

Subscribe to The Link

Registered in England & Wales. No: 4513027, Positive Media Group, Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon, SN1 4BJ