🏇 WHADDON ROAD 🏇
Cheltenham Town Complete Travel Guide – 2026-27 Season
ℹ️ 2026-27 Season Guide: Mike Garlick became the majority owner of the club in August 2025. All information has been researched and verified for 2026-27. Always check ctfc.com for the latest ticketing and matchday updates before you travel.
🏟️ ABOUT WHADDON ROAD
Whaddon Road – officially the EV Charger Points Stadium for sponsorship purposes – is one of English football’s most charmingly compact grounds. Built in 1927 on the former site of the Berkeley Hunt kennels, the ground has been home to Cheltenham Town since 1932 and sits in a quiet residential corner of north-east Cheltenham.
It has a capacity of 7,066, with a mix of seating and terracing spread across four covered stands. Away supporters are housed in the all-seated Hazlewoods Stand behind the goal, added in 2005. The Main Stand (Jelf Stand) along the western touchline is the oldest structure, dating from 1963, while the Colin Farmer Stand on Wymans Road is the largest, home to the vocal “1887 Red Army” supporters.
It’s a proper old-fashioned football ground squeezed between suburban streets, with a real community feel.
Cheltenham Town – The Robins – were formed in 1887 and have had one of non-league football’s most remarkable rise-and-fall-and-rise stories. After decades in the Southern League, they won the 1998 FA Trophy at Wembley before clinching the Conference title in 1998-99 to enter the Football League for the first time, later reaching as high as the third tier.
Relegated back to the National League in 2015, they bounced back immediately as Conference champions with a record-breaking 101 points, then won the League Two title in 2020-21 before dropping back to League Two in 2024. Mike Garlick became the club’s majority owner in August 2025. Cheltenham’s main rivalry is with nearby Forest Green Rovers, a fixture cheerfully known as “El Glosico.”
📊 STADIUM SPECIFICATIONS
| Capacity | 7,066 (mix of seating and terracing) |
| Opened | 1927 (home to Cheltenham Town since 1932) |
| Address | Whaddon Road, Cheltenham, GL52 5NA |
| Away Section | Hazlewoods Stand (all-seated, behind the goal) |
| Away Allocation | Typically up to 1,100 seats (extra capacity available for larger followings) |
| Record Attendance | 8,326 vs Reading (FA Cup 1st Round, 17 November 1956) |
ℹ️ Entry to the away end is via turnstiles tucked between a house and the adjacent bowls club – a uniquely British football experience.
🚗 GETTING TO WHADDON ROAD
Cheltenham is a well-connected Regency spa town in Gloucestershire, sitting just off the M5. Whaddon Road is about 1.5 miles north-east of the town centre in a quiet residential neighbourhood. The nearest station, Cheltenham Spa, is roughly 2 miles away, so a taxi or bus is the sensible option for the last leg.
🗺️ STADIUM LOCATION MAP
Whaddon Road Address: Whaddon Road, Cheltenham, GL52 5NA
🚂 BY TRAIN – The Regency Town is Well Connected
Why Trains Work: Cheltenham Spa is a well-served station on the Great Western main line, with direct services from London Paddington, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff. It’s about 2 miles from Whaddon Road – too far to walk comfortably – but a taxi costs around £9 and takes roughly ten minutes.
Journey Times to Cheltenham Spa:
🔴 London Paddington: Around 2 hours 10 minutes (direct)
🟠 Birmingham New Street: Around 50-60 minutes (direct)
🟡 Bristol Temple Meads: Around 45 minutes (direct)
🟢 Cardiff Central: Around 1 hour 15 minutes (direct)
🔵 Gloucester: Around 12 minutes (direct)
🚕 Taxi (10 minutes – recommended): Taxis queue at the rank outside the station and cost around £9 to Whaddon Road – by far the quickest option, and leaves you maximum time for a pre-match pint in town.
🔗 Useful Link: National Rail Journey Planner
🚗 BY CAR – M5 Access from All Directions
From M5 (Junction 10): Take the A4019 towards Cheltenham, then follow signs via Swindon Lane and Prestbury Road to Whaddon Road. From M5 (Junction 11): Follow signs via Princess Elizabeth Way and the town centre towards Prestbury Road.
🅿️ Parking: Parking is limited around Whaddon Road due to the residential setting, with very little on-street space and a small club car park. The best option is a town centre car park (£3-5), followed by a taxi or the 30-minute walk via Winchcombe Street. Cheltenham Racecourse, just north of the ground, occasionally offers matchday parking – worth checking in advance.
🍺 PUBS & FOOD IN CHELTENHAM
Cheltenham punches well above its weight as a pub town – a Regency spa town with a vibrant nightlife and a genuinely excellent craft beer scene.
🍺 SANDFORD PARK ALEHOUSE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
An outstanding real ale pub in the town centre – CAMRA National Pub of the Year in 2015, and Cheltenham CAMRA Pub of the Year in both 2023 and 2025. Ten cask lines, sixteen keg lines, a lovely beer garden, and genuinely excellent food. A must-visit for any beer-loving away fan.
Details: 20 High Street, GL50 1DZ | Price: ££
🍺 DEYA TAPROOM ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cheltenham’s own acclaimed craft brewery, with a taproom near Cheltenham Spa station – perfect for those arriving by train. Exceptional draft and canned beers from one of the country’s leading craft breweries, plus good food from an on-site truck. Gets busy, so arrive early.
Details: Near Cheltenham Spa station | Price: ££
🍺 KEMBLE BREWERY INN ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A traditional backstreet boozer near the route to the stadium, CAMRA-listed and known for real ales and a proper local pub feel. Good for pre- or post-match, and welcoming to away supporters.
Details: Fairview Street | Price: ££
🍺 ROBIN’S NEST (AT THE STADIUM)
The club’s own supporters’ bar at Whaddon Road welcomes both home and away fans for just £1 entry. Serves drinks and bar snacks, opening before the match.
🍽️ FOOD
Concourse facilities at Whaddon Road offer standard matchday fare – pies, burgers, hot dogs. There’s a fish and chip shop 150 yards past the stadium on Whaddon Road, plus another near the Sudley Arms on Prestbury Road. The Promenade and High Street in town have plenty of restaurants and chains, including Nando’s and Byron Burger.
🏨 WHERE TO STAY IN CHELTENHAM
Cheltenham is a fantastic overnight destination – a beautiful Regency town with excellent independent hotels alongside dependable chains. Book well ahead around the Cheltenham Festival race meeting in March, when prices spike significantly.
£ Premier Inn Cheltenham Town Centre
Reliable and affordable, opposite the Brewery Quarter and within easy reach of The Promenade.
🔗 Booking: premierinn.com
££ The George Hotel
A stylish, centrally located hotel near the Town Hall with a smart, modern design and free access to a nearby gym.
🔗 Booking: thegeorge-cheltenham.co.uk
£££ Hotel du Vin & Bistro
A boutique hotel in an elegant Regency townhouse near the Montpellier district, with a superb bistro and wine cellar – a genuinely special stay.
🔗 Booking: hotelduvin.com
🎯 THINGS TO DO IN CHELTENHAM
Cheltenham is one of England’s finest Regency towns, with brilliant free attractions, and the Cotswolds right on the doorstep – a destination worth making a proper weekend of.
🏆 TOP ATTRACTIONS
Cheltenham Racecourse
Home of the legendary Cheltenham Festival every March. About a mile from Whaddon Road, with racing throughout the year.
Pittville Pump Room & Park
A stunning Grade I-listed Regency building where you can still sample the natural spa waters, set in beautiful parkland close to Whaddon Road – a lovely spot for a pre-match stroll.
The Promenade & Montpellier District
One of Britain’s finest shopping streets, leading into the chic Montpellier district of independent boutiques and wine bars – genuinely one of the most attractive town centres in England.
⚽ MATCHDAY TIPS
🔊 Loud Little Ground: The compact, enclosed nature of Whaddon Road means atmosphere carries brilliantly – your away end will sound loud here.
🚕 Take a Taxi from the Station: Cheltenham Spa is too far to walk comfortably – save your energy for exploring the town instead.
🏇 Festival Season: If visiting near the Cheltenham Festival in March, expect higher accommodation prices and a busier town.
💭 FINAL THOUGHTS
A trip to Whaddon Road is one of the hidden gems of the League Two away day calendar. Yes, it’s a small ground – but that’s precisely part of its charm. Squeezed into a residential neighbourhood with a proper mix of terracing and seating, it’s exactly the kind of traditional English football ground that gives the EFL its unique character.
But what really elevates a Cheltenham away day is the town itself – one of England’s finest Regency towns, with a world-class pub scene, brilliant restaurants and free attractions, and the Cotswolds on the doorstep. An award-winning pint at the Sandford Park Alehouse or the DEYA Taproom is worth the trip alone.
Our advice? Get the train to Cheltenham Spa, taxi into town for a proper pub session, then taxi out to Whaddon Road for kick-off. A friendly, welcoming club with real football soul.
🏇 Up the Robins! ⚽
📞 USEFUL CONTACTS
🏇 Cheltenham Town: ctfc.com
🚂 National Rail: nationalrail.co.uk
🚌 Stagecoach Bus: stagecoachbus.com
ℹ️ Visit Cheltenham: visitcheltenham.com
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John Herman is a Leeds-based, would-be football writer and founder of Football Nonsense. Blending fan passion with sharp opinion, attempting to tackle the game’s biggest debates, from the terraces to the boardroom, with honesty, (attempted) humour, and heart.