As we continue to celebrate the Adver’s 160th anniversary we are pleased to present 160 reasons why we love Swindon.

No-one is saying Swindon is perfect and our town has sometimes been criticised for allegedly lacking history, character, heritage and culture.

In the next few stories you will find 160 examples of why the Adver thinks Swindon and the surrounding area has all of these and more.

We celebrate the festivals, institutions, achievements, facilities and environmental aspects that – in the opinion of the newspaper that has served Swindon since 1854 – make this town and its environs a colourful, multi-faceted and community-spirited place to live and work.

90 OASIS: The leisure complex from which the ‘Britrock’ band took its name was built for £3 million in the mid-1970s on the site of the former GWR wheel and stamping shops. With its lagoon style pool, twisting water slides and glazed dome roof it has been at the heart of Swindon’s leisure and recreation activities for almost 40 years.

91 OLD TOWN: Bordered by Wood Street, High Street, Newport Street and Devizes Road, the historic heart of Swindon retains much of its quaint old world charm. With its many listed buildings and conservation status it is sprinkled with shops, bars and restaurants.

92 OLD TOWN FESTIVAL: It began more than 20 years ago as a nod towards the town’s Victorian heritage but has since evolved into a week-long celebration with a wide range of entertainment, from ghost walks and a fayre to a dog show and concerts.

93 OLD TOWN PUBS: There was no lack of alehouses in the ancient hill-top market town of Swindon and although many have been consigned to the history books the area remains well served with excellent drinking houses – some old, some new – all within easy walking distance of each other. Try them all, if you will!

94 OLD TOWN RAILWAY CUTTING: Created as part of an 1880s railway network, a stretch of former track from Old Town station towards West Swindon has been transformed into a rural linear parkway for cyclists, dog walkers and anyone who fancies a stroll through the countryside without leaving Swindon.

95 OPEN STUDIOS: For two weekends in September artists from in and around Swindon open their studios to the public and exhibit their works at locations from pubs to parks. A specially produced map enables enthusiasts to plan an arty weekend or two around this event. 96OUTLET VILLAGE: Created from cavernous Grade II listed Victorian railway workshops, the £40 million Outlet Village was the UK’s largest retail regeneration project when it opened in 1997. Visiting the complex, Prince Charles was delighted at the way this “cathedral of industry” had been reinvented.

97 PROSPECT HOSPICE: Funded for and by the people of the Swindon area in the grand tradition of the GWR Medical Fund, the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton brings care, comfort and confidence to thousands of patients and their families. It is the only dedicated end-of-life care service for a 300,000 strong community.

98 PUBLIC ART TRAIL: From a welded steel cow and a bronze ram to a full sized statue of a curvaceous Diane Dors, Swindon has a fine assemblage of public art largely owing to donations from developers. In 1995 the council was moved to state: “Swindon has more public works of art than anywhere else in the country.”

99 QUEEN’S PARK: A grassy oasis of serenity, Queen’s Park was created in two phases on the site of a redundant brick works between 1949 and 1964. A designated Grade II listed park with lake and tree-lined walks, the tranquil retreat’s Garden of Remembrance was opened by the future Queen in 1950.

More to follow

We are not saying, by any stretch, that our list of 160 Reasons Why We Love Swindon is definitive. Indeed, a number of possible inclusions were omitted after careful consideration. Others which perhaps should have made the supplement but have not have simply fallen under the radar. If you feel we have missed out any worthy inclusions please let us know and we will be happy to incorporate them in a follow-up article.
Please email: leightonbarry@ymail.com or write to Reasons We Love Swindon, Swindon Advertiser, 100 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3BE