Stroud Area Guide

Are there local transport links nearby?

Stroud is well served by local transport links. In the town centre, there's Stroud railway station, which has frequent services to Gloucester, Cheltenham, Swindon, Reading and London.

There is also a regular bus service, and coach services pass through the town on the routes Bath Spa-Scarborough and Hereford-London Victoria.

What's the local food and drink scene like?

With its varied selection of independent cafes and restaurants, central Stroud is a great place to be if you like good food. Popular eateries include JRool Bistro, Spice House, which serves fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and Fat Toni's Pizzeria.

Stroud also has some of the major chains, such as Dominoes.

If you fancy a quiet drink, Stroud is home to a number of attractive pubs, including The Clothiers Arms and The Prince Albert Inn, which has open mic nights and live music.

Alternatively, it's just a 19 minute train journey to central Gloucester and all of the bars and clubs a big city can offer.

How does Stroud rate for sport and leisure facilities?

Residents of Stroud have access to the centrally located Stratford Park Leisure Centre, which has a range of indoor and outdoor facilities. Inside, there’s a swimming pool, gym, group exercise classes, sports hall, squash courts, sauna and steam room. Outside, there’s an astro turf pitch, tennis courts and another swimming pool.

Aside from the leisure centre, Stroud has a variety of sports clubs including rugby, swimming and hockey, as well as an annual half marathon. Route 45 of the National Cycle Network also passes close to Stroud, running through the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty between Stroud, Stonehouse, Nailsworth, Cirencester and Swindon.

What can you do on a sunny day?

If the sun is shining, Stroud couldn’t be better placed for you to enjoy it. In the centre of the town, there’s Stratford Park, 56 acres of open space with facilities to suit a range of recreational activities.

The surrounding countryside is also perfect for outdoor activities. The Camp Riding Centre offers family horse rides in the Cotswolds, and has a large range of horses and ponies to cater for different ages and abilities. If you’d prefer to stay grounded, there are also a huge number of walking routes in the area.

What can you do on a rainy day?

If the weather takes a turn for the worst, the Stroud area offers residents a number of indoor attractions. Woodchester Mansion is a Victorian Gothic revival masterpiece, around 5.9 miles from Stroud. The attraction hosts regular events, such as the Family Hawk Walk experience.

There’s also the Gallery Pangolin, 3.8 miles away in Chalford, and the Museum in the Park, in Stroud itself.

For cinema fans, there’s the centrally located Vue multiplex at the Merrywalks Centre, which shows all the latest blockbusters.

What's Stroud like for food and retail shopping?

As previously mentioned, Stroud is known for its eclectic mix of independent shops, which sell products ranging from fairy paraphernalia to antiques. Alternatively, the Merrywalks Centre has a range of high-street shops, including Wilkinson’s and Argos.

For some more serious retail therapy, head into Gloucester, where you’ll find all of the major brands.

If it’s food you’re after, Stroud Farmer’s Market, the winner of Radio 4's Best Farmers' Market in the country in 2010, is held every Saturday. The market has around 50-55 stalls, depending on the season, and there are occasional cooking demos from local celebrity chef Robert Rees.

Stroud is also home to the majority of the big supermarket chains, including Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

What does Stroud offer in terms of entertainment?

When it comes to entertainment, Stroud has something to suit all ages. The Cotswold Playhouse Theatre is located centrally, and shows a range of productions for children and adults. There’s also the yearly Stroud Fringe Festival, which runs for three days and showcases a variety of musical acts.

For the kids, there’s Go Bananas , a soft play venue in Ebley.

Are there decent local amenities such as libraries and health centres?

Stroud is well served by local amenities. As well as books for loan, Stroud Library runs a number of clubs, including Baby Bounce and Rhyme and Computer Buddies.

Stroud General Hospital is on Trinity Road, and there are also a wide variety of health centres.

What's the local traffic and parking like?

There are a number of pay and display car parks in Stroud, including long-stay car parks at the Merrywalk Centre, London Road, Parliament Street and Cheapside. There are also a number of short-stay car parks around the town centre.

How well is the area served by primary and secondary schools?

Stroud is home to a number of popular and reputable primary and secondary schools. Primary schools include Chalford Hill Primary School, which received a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating in 2013, Foxmoor Primary School, which is rated as ‘Outstanding’, and Thrupp Primary School.

Secondary schools include Marling Grammar School for boys, which is rated as ‘Outstanding’, Thomas Keble School, which is rated as ‘Good’, Archway School, which is also rated as ‘Good’ and Stroud High School, an all-girls school which is rated as ‘Outstanding’.

To find out more about buying or renting a property in Stroud, call or visit the local Andrews branch