Monday 26th May 2014

Okay – I think this has to be done now. There has recently been some furore in the media about some pointless journalist/celebrity who will be forgotten soon enough, having a pop at Swindon.

It was though a vile pop at the town and, not surprisingly, people have been upset by it. It’s just not on to go about dissing a place that is home to people. Not even if the comments are true and fair – which they are aren’t. So today the local paper, the Swindon Advertiser, have published a list produced by Better Swindon - of whom until now I have never heard - of an A to Z of fab things about Swindon. It’s a fine list too, all of which I agree with, but there are some glaring omissions to it. So here’s my alternative/additional list – many of which I’ve blogged about over the past year.

 

A – Arkells brewery, the Arts, Alfred Williams, Artsite and the Postmodern

B – Brunel, Bluebells, beer, The Blondinis, BORN AGAIN SWINDONIAN - come on, I had to put me in eh? :-)

C – Coate Water, Canal bridge, cycle paths, computing museum – The Museum of Computing

D – Diana Dors , as with Better Swindon the David Murray John Tower.

E - eating – many fab places - Eggelicious for one

F - Football, Faringdon Park

G – As with Better Swindon

H – History, heritage , Hagbourne Copse – see bluebells above, Highworth

I – Intel, innovation – as Better Swindon – also Industry and iconic buildings

J – As with Better Swindon – Jahmene and Juice bars

K – Kids – amazingly well served with tons and tons of parks and open spaces, Ken White - #Swindon mural painter and painter of industrial scenes inspired by the railway, and the creator of Virgin Airways red lady emblem.

L – Lydiard Park, literature festival, leisure facilities – for the moment anyway.

M – the Magic Roundabout, yes Better Swindon there’s musicians and the Mela - also the Museum and Art gallery, Milton Road baths

N – Yep Better Swindon – Nationwide and the National Trust

O – as above – Old Town, and Old Town Gardens, the Outlet Centre, Old Town Gardens artists group, the Oasis leisure centre – again for the moment.

P – Yes People who care – also PUBLIC ART – there’s the West Swindon sculpture trail for a start. There’s the Wish Hounds, the Blondinis and so much more. Poetry - Swindon is the world capital of poetry! The People of Swindon Twitter account.

Q – Queen’s Park

R – Richard Jefferies Museum, Rangoli - actual Indian food – it’s amazing!

S – Swindon college, Swindon Heritage Magazine, Swindon Web, Swindon Link magazine, Swindon Local Flickr, Swindon Viewpoint, STEAM Museum, Second Mouth art group, the Spectrum building of Norman Foster and James Bond fame.

T – Tapas – U Piri Piri and Los Gatos,TWIGS

U – UTC on its way

V –  Visit Swindon – lovely tourist information people.

W – Woodlands, West Swindon for public art and green open spaces, The Western Flyer

X - XTC

Y – Yummy food – some really great places to eat in Swindon now.

Z – yep – see Better Swindon - a Zed list nobody that started all this off.