Life in Leam

If you’re curious to explore Leamington Spa and learn about some of the people and events that shaped the modern town, then the free guided walks offered by the Leamington History Group are exactly what you need. Each year, new walks are added, including some specifically for children this year!  Paula Fletcher leads the overall walks programme and shares some of the facts she finds most fascinati...

What lies behind the white columns and portico of the beautiful building on Spencer Street opposite Leamington Assembly?  It turns out what originally was a church has been remodelled in to a beautiful co-working and event space as part of the cultural and creative quarter development. I crept into the crypt and met Simon Reeve, The Fold's Managing Director to learn about what goes on there, both...

Just 10 mins drive from Leamington is a scene of such serenity, fragrance and beauty that you'll think you're in a dream.  Ian and Pippa Jamie first planted lavender here in 2019, and for a few weeks each summer it transforms the landscape visually, aromatically, and audibly as the myriad of bees, butterflies and other insects feast on its fragrant nectar. During this magical time, they open the f...

If you’re a classic car fan, then Pump Room Gardens in Leamington hosts a must-see event every summer, Cars at the Spa.  Now in its 7th year, it showcases around 300 cars from the early 20th century right up to modern day classics.  Free to attend, and also featuring live music, food and drink, it’s a perfect day out.  It also raises money for good causes. Simon Evans and Linda John of organisers...

13-14th June 2026 sees the full return of the legendary Leamington Peace Festival.  A feature of Leamington summers since 1978, until sadly interrupted by the pandemic. It's back in its full glory thanks to an organising team guided by original founder members and powered by a new generation of volunteer enthusiasts. I met with two of this super-team, Jennie Devine and Leila Clare to get the insid...

Comedy improv is alive and well in Leamington the shape of Leamprov, a group that performs monthly in town (also at the Edinburgh Fringe) and hosts weekly improv workshops for the curious.  I went to one of their shows, and then sat down with Jet and Kate from the troupe to understand why they do it, how they do it, why people watch it and how you can get involved. https://www.meetup.com/leamprov/...

The folk music scene in Leamington has just taken a leap forward with the revival of the Heart of England Folk Club and its free “Foak at the Oak” performances which run every fourth Tuesday evening at Oak House on Upper Holly Walk. Organisers Campbell Perry and Ruth Noble (who together perform as folk duo Harper’s Dove) tell how they were inspired to restart the club after some decades’ hiatus an...

Once a month, 40-50 people gather at Temperance to share views on a topic that they choose at the start of the meeting.  Attendance is free and is open to all, and the emphasis is on learning through hearing diverse views. Chaired by Paolo Turrini, the Temperance Philosophy Club is celebrating over 20 meetings now. Many people just go to listen, some expect to just listen but soon feel able to spe...

Once again, Pump Room Gardens will be awash with music, sequins, flags and fans as this year’s Eurovision Festival lands this Saturday 16th May.  A day-long extravaganza of kitsch starting at 11am.  Aaron Probert-Walker from CJ’s Events shares all the fabulous details and his hopes for a record-breaking attendance this year. https://www.cjseventswarwickshire.co.uk/events/eurovision-festival-16th-m...

Two of Leamington’s most loved live-music venues, Temperance and Southbound Café Bar are joining forces to host Leamington’s first ever South Town Blues Festival which runs 8-10 May.  Showcasing a mix of local and national talent, the festival will feature over 25 acts, with some performances ticketed and some free to walk in. Southbound founder Carl Harris, and Temperance’s new co-owner Emma Colb...

Leamington-based community choir Sing it Loud was co-founded by Seb Farrall and Rosie Sayers in 2014. The devastating news of Seb’s death in a cycling accident on 30th March 2025 - his 32nd birthday - stunned the members of Sing it Loud where he was Musical Director, as it did the many other choirs, orchestras and music groups that he had established and nurtured in the Coventry and Warwickshire a...

Co-located in Bedford Street with the Library of Things, The Leamington Eco Hub is a brilliant resource if you’re interested in local environmental or ecology projects - and it also offers facilities such as meeting spaces if you have a project of your own! I met Directors Sam and Judith to find out what’s going on locally (a lot it turns out) and how you can get plugged-in. https://leamington-eco...

Whether you’re an established musician, just starting out and wanting to try your first instrument or just love listening to live or recorded music, chances are Presto Music has something for you.  I met Nichola Robey who started managing their Leamington store in 2025.  She’s passionate about helping customers find their best vibe, and has a talented musical team to draw on.  Offering live recita...

Many of the best conversations and connections happen over good food. That simple truth combined with a passion for fresh food cooked from first principles inspired Raj Darji to quit the corporate life and start Scratch Cook Social in 2023. Based in Leamington, he now provides restaurant-quality food for private and public gatherings, either through the venues’ own kitchens or from his own food tr...

Wander around Leamington and there’s a good chance that you’ll encounter one of the extraordinary murals that adorn many of our buildings.  Together they are curated as the Leamington Mural Festival, a year-round celebration of this vibrant street art. I met festival curator Tim Robottom - who is also a professional street artist himself - and wasted no time in tapping his expertise on the process...

If you need special tools for a DIY project, are planning an event and need some extra catering equipment, are looking for some new hobbies to try out or are just keen to avoid buying and storing things that you only need occasionally – then the Library of Things is worth a look.  Founded by Maurice Herson, the library which is co-located with the Eco Hub in Bedford Street has a growing and divers...

Anyone with a taste for quality artisanal chocolate will probably know Cenu Cacao in Regent Street; the passion project of Rosemary Ndukuba, who turned her own love of chocolate into a Leamington treasure. In this episode she explains how she got started, which movie is a constant source of inspiration for her, her own favourite chocolates and how her recently opened café in Lillington is heraldin...

Tucked behind a discreet doorway on Bedford Street is a luxurious beauty and wellbeing centre with more than 25 years of expertise and ten tranquil treatment rooms. I stepped inside for my very first facial treatment before sitting down with Managing Director Gurdip Chatha and founder Amy Selby-Hammond. We talked about how beauty therapies have evolved over the years, why more men are now discover...

Whether you fancy a different sort of competition with your friends, want to develop a latent talent or just need to feed your inner Viking, then a spot of axe-throwing might be just what you need.  Enter AJ Janney who started his axe throwing venture in late 2025 and is welcoming would-be throwers from age 8 and up.  In this episode he explains the joys of axing a bullseye, how he helps novices s...

Since 2022 a group of Leamington-based volunteers has been fundraising to procure, equip and send ambulances to Ukraine – originally through the Polish Centre and later through a specially formed Community Interest Company, Belveder.  In this episode, Dawid Kozlowski explains how this remarkable initiative got started, what’s involved in sending ambulances and other supplies to Ukraine, and how to...

An intriguing arrival in Leamington town centre is The Spicy Librarian, a bookstore specialising in all flavours of romantic fiction, where in addition to buying and browsing, you can also get a coffee, cake, cocktails, wine or beer to complement your reading experience. I met D, the Spicy Librarian herself and best-selling dark romance fiction author J Rose to understand the inspiration behind th...

I recently recorded an inspiring conversation with Maddie Webb and Cassie Leedham of Lighthaus Arts soon after they had moved into their brand-new Stoneleigh Arms arts hub on Clemens Street. Their mission is to break down the barriers to being an artist, and engaging with art. Last weekend on 7th February they held their official launch event and of course I was there with a microphone to capture...

Recently opened on Park Street in Leamington. Bricks’n’Pieces is known mostly as a LEGO shop.  But as Keith Hanna explains it’s so much more.  In addition to buying LEGO and other STEM* games and puzzles, you can pull up a chair, borrow one of over 50 LEGO sets and build it right there and then - from skyscrapers to spacecraft and even flowers.  And you can also grab a hot drink or juice and a sla...

African drumming on djembe and other instruments is a very accessible and powerful way of learning a musical skill, while also relieving stress, boosting mood and connecting with other people.  Leamington is fortunate to have an African drumming expert in residence in the person of Vieux Bakayoko who is restarting his open drumming workshops every Tuesday evening at the Band Factory in Leamington....

The Leamington History Group is known for its extensive archives, the historic walks around town and various talks about its history.  It also commissions films which graphically bring to life particular periods or events in Leamington’s development.  The latest in this series is Leamington at War, a 30min documentary about World War Two and how the town was both impacted by the war and contribute...