Cheltenham
A friend was moving there, so it was agreed that I'd hire a van and drive him and his partner down overnight. Found his new flat (eventually), had a snooze and them went out to see what entertainment was on offer.

First pub on the right, seems ok. Andy asked the barmaid what people did for entertainment. "Oooh, not a lot round here." Bright smile "We get a lot off fights, though." We take our drinks and sit down. Taking the piss out of the Scots, we reckoned. Turned over a beermat. It's sticky. That'll be the blood between it and the table... "Fuck me," says Andy, "she wasn't joking."

Oooookaaaay, let's finish our drinks (quickly) and move towards civilisation. Ah, this looks better, nice shiny glass and mirrors place. I wander up to the bar and order some drinks." A huge young black guy in a suit overhears me speaking, towers over me (I'm 6 foot 2, so that's a lot of towering) and in a voice that has my sphincter loosening (and not in a good way) demands "Where you from, man?"

"Err, Edinburgh." I say, getting my mental running shoes on. "Edinburgh? That's a fucking great place man."
(Haviland drinking like they're going to ban beer., Mon 2 Nov 2009, 15:25, 4 replies)

You talked to
a black bloke!!!!!!! fuck me.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Mon 2 Nov 2009, 15:35, closed)

My brother lives in Cheltenham
i'm not overly fond of the place. Trendy arsehole pubs for trendy arseholes (but that's every town centre really).
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Mon 2 Nov 2009, 15:52, closed)

I lived there for a couple of years as a boy
It wasn't great, but the Big Fish chip shop on the Bath Rd did portions so huge that our family of 5 (all large and greedy) could be fed on two portions. They were 20p each.

/old
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 2 Nov 2009, 16:09, closed)

Cheltenham...
Good Points:

[1] It's 8 miles from Gloucester.
[2] Festivals - we've got em! Horse Racing / Science / Music / Literature, etc.
[3] Leafy, and pretty, lots of green, Montpellier and Imperial Gardens.
As long as you don't live in Whaddon / Hester's Way / Coronation Square.
[4] Nice pubs and bars [avoid the Wetherspoons and you're ok.]
[5] Lots of restaurants from easily affordable up to proper posh, just about
any kind of food you could mention.

Bad Points:

[1] Slightly too many people live there, but otherwise - it's been home for me now for the best part of 20 years. I'm happy enough living there for the reasons above.

There's nothing particularly bad about the town at all - and "beermat stuck to table with blood" is sheer fantasy [sorry to say]. Copperfields shut down *years* ago...
(caescarna Hell's Roomba, Tue 3 Nov 2009, 13:26, closed)