Local Information
Recreation & Leisure
Kennet Leisure Centre – Stoney Lane
The Kennet Leisure Centre is located adjacent to the Kennet School. The complex includes the George Pickersgill swimming pool with flume, water cannon, water jet and pool inflatable. There is provision for the over 50s, people with special needs, parents and toddlers and early morning, lunchtime and evening lane sessions for adults. In addition the Aqua Action programme offers expert teaching for swimmers and non-swimmers of all ages and abilities.
Harpers Gym offers state of the art facilities for friendship and fitness and exceptional value for money. Activities include circuit training, yoga, aerobics and step. Other sporting activities include badminton, basketball, squash, tennis, netball, 5 a-side football, trampolining and martial arts.
Facilities for young people include Wizzkids (comprehensive structured activity that focuses on enjoyment), Camp Energy (Social Services registered holiday scheme for 5 to 16 year olds) and Party Animals (choose your own style of party from a wide range of wet and dry activities).
For enquiries and bookings t: 01635 871112
web: http://www.leisurecentre.com/centres/28/home/Kennet-Leisure-Centre.aspx
Henwick Worthy Sports Ground
This sports ground is ideally situated on the A4 at West Thatcham with approximately 130 car parking spaces and additional spaces for coaches. There are excellent outdoor facilities with changing rooms, which include nine full-size football pitches, two cricket squares, a full-size floodlit all-weather pitch, tennis courts, a full-size outdoor basketball court and a children’s playground. Sports catered for include football, rugby, cricket, hockey and tennis. There is also scope for large events, particularly through the summer, including an annual kite festival.
For enquiries and bookings t: 01635 519345
The Moors Recreation Ground
There are, at the Moors Recreation Ground in Lower Way, football pitches, a basketball hardstanding and changing facilities. For enquiries and bookings t: 01635 863592
Moorside Community Centre
Moorside Community Centre has a sport hall and a floodlit and enclosed hard-court area for basketball/football etc and an indoor dance hall for young people and the community. For further details t: 01635 871558
Recreation Grounds and Children’s Play Areas
A range of outdoor activities are offered at recreation grounds in the town as follows:
- Siegecross Play Area, Agricola Way Children’s playground, 5 a-side soccer pitch, basketball hardstanding and informal recreation area.
- Longcroft Road Recreation Ground Children’s playground, 5 a-side soccer pitch and informal recreation area.
- Dunstan Green Children’s playground, basketball hardstanding and informal recreation area .
- Memorial Playing Field Basketball hardstanding, tennis courts and informal recreation area with dog exercise compound.
- Turnfields Recreation Ground Children’s playground and informal recreation area.
- Pound Lane Children’s playground and informal recreation area.
- Mount Road Children’s playground and informal recreation area.
- Burdwood Wheelers Green Way. Children’s play area
- Lamb Close Children’s play area
Sports Clubs
Thatcham Town Football Club
Waterside Park, Crookham Hill, Thatcham. BGB Southern League Division 1 (South and West). Thatcham Town Harriers (Boys) aged 6 – 16 years. Thatcham Town (Girls) aged 6 – 16 years. Thatcham Town Ladies Football Club
Contact Steve Berry t: 01635 862016
web: www.thatchamtownfc.co.uk
Thatcham Tornadoes Boys and Girls Football Club
Thatcham Tornadoes Boys and Girls Football Club is one of the largest junior football clubs in the country, providing training and competitive league action for boys and girls aged from 6 to 17. There are currently 20 teams and in excess of 300 players. Matches are played at Henwick Worthy Sports Ground and the Moors Recreation Ground.
For further details t: 01635 841445
Thatcham Town Cricket Club
Top league cricket action can be seen at Brownsfield, Brownsfield Road, the home of Thatcham Town Cricket Club who play in the Thames Valley League, the Berkshire League and the Borders Sunday League. The Club has four senior sides and a number of colts sides. For further details Ian Redmond t: 01635 867695
Thatcham Rugby Football Club
The Club fields two senior sides and plays at the Henwick Worthy Sports Ground. For further details t: 0797 4771701
Thatcham Bowling Club
The Club is based at Brownsfield Road, Thatcham and provides excellent facilities. New bowlers and beginners welcome. Coaching available. For further details (May to September) t: 01635 867044
Thatcham Tennis Club
The Tennis Club is based at the Thatcham Memorial Hall Playing Field, Brownsfield Road. It is a thriving club where adults and juniors are welcome. Contacts are: Malcolm Hannington (Secretary) t: 01635 863927
Newbury and Thatcham Archers
The club has 3 venues around Newbury and Thatcham. Regular meetings are on Saturday mornings 10.00am onwards during the winter season and Friday evenings 7.00pm until dusk during the summer season. Membership is open to adults and to children from age 8 years upwards, and training for beginners is available. Members shoot target, field and clout archery.
Contacts: For beginners to archery to arrange training contact the Club Chairman, Tony Ruddle t: 01635 873619
For experienced archers to obtain details of membership contact the Membership Secretary, Ken Hayter t: 01635 864654
e: info@natarchers.org.uk web: www.natachers.org.uk
Team Kennet Athletics Club t: 07785 560120
Thames Valley Vikings Wheelchair Basketball t: 07775 682987
General Interest
Thatcham Allotment Gardening Club t: 01635 865230 or 01635 863592
Angling Association t: 01635 860382
Cycle It t: 01635 871182
Historical Society t: 01635 867802 web: www.thatchamhistoricalsociety.org.uk
In Stitches Stitching club, meets monthly t: 01635 877087
International Seismological Centre t: 01635 861022
Kennet & Avon Canal Trust t: 01635 569647
Newbury Remote Control Car Club web: www.newburyrcclub.co.uk
Pang and Kennet Valley Countryside Project (FWAG) t: 0118 930 5336
Philatelic Society t: 01635 866942
Rotary Club of Thatcham & District t: 01635 863592 for contact details
Royal British Legion t: 01635 866208
RSPB t: 0118 981 6181
Thatcham 18 Plus Group t: 01235 810361
Thatcham Country Market t: 01635 866653
Thatcham Film Club t: 07795 112 047
Thatcham Round Table t: 01635 863592 for contact details
Thatcham Scrappers Scrapbook crop club, meets fortnightly t: 01635 877087
Thatcham Social Club t: 01635 863578
Thatcham Walkers t: 01635 862505
Thatcham Writers web: www.thatchamwriters.co.uk
United Nations Association t: 01635 86333
Local Attractions
A number of popular attractions can be found in Thatcham and the surrounding areas – discover the wonders of nature and conservation at Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre, explore the castle at Highclere, have a flutter at Newbury Racecourse or let the kids run wild at the Children’s Action Farm.
Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre and Reedbeds
Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre is easy to find, situated just off Lower Way beside scenic Thatcham Lake and close to the Thatcham Reedbeds Local Nature Reserve. The Centre is an ideal place to learn about the wildlife of the area.
There is an exciting range of hands-on exhibits in the Discovery Hall and outside visitors can enjoy a quiet walk around the lake, let off steam in the new “Animal Adventures” playground and refresh themselves at the Lakeside Cafe which is open all summer.
Full programme of summer events. Free admission.
Enquiries: 01635 874381
The Living Rainforest
Experience the sheer beauty of this unique rainforest conservation project created under 20,000 square feet of glass. A stunning collection of dramatic and endangered rare plant species and rainforest creatures including the delightful and highly endangered Tamarin monkeys thrive in tropical temperatures.
Open all the year.
Location: 10 miles north of Thatcham at Hampstead Norreys.
Enquiries: 01635 202444
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse, which was founded in 1905, is known internationally. A popular course with its own railway station, which draws large crowds, it offers a splendid view of the entire course from all enclosures. Race Meetings, usually two-day events, are held throughout the Flat and National Hunt seasons. Car and coach parks are provided and all enclosures have CCTV.
Location: 3 miles west of Thatcham off Hambridge Road, Newbury. 3 minutes by train from Thatcham Station.
Enquiries: 01635 40015
West Berkshire Museum
Located in the 17th Century Cloth Hall and 18th Century Granary in central Newbury, the museum displays cover a wide range of subjects. Local archaeology and natural history are shown on the ground floor with local history, decorative art, costume, rural crafts and the history of the Kennet and Avon Canal upstairs. There are also, on the first floor, two audio-visual presentations of the Civil War battle of Newbury and the story of ballooning.
Location: 3 miles west of Thatcham at Newbury.
Enquiries: 01635 30511
Beale Park
Beale Park is based around a wonderful collection of birds including flamingos, owls, cranes, pheasants and parrots, but also boasts a range of facilities for all ages, a narrow gauge railway, huge adventure playground, giant sand pit, a maze, rare breeds of farm animals, pets corner, deer park, raised flamingo walk, cafeteria, shops and more.
There are river boat trips in summer months, acres of gardens and lawns for picnics, sculpture, ponds and fountains and the National Collection of Model Boats. There are nature trails, an environmental education department and excellent river and lake fishing on day tickets.
Location: 13 miles east of Thatcham off the A4.
Enquiries: 0118 984 5172
Greenham and Crookham Commons
The former airbase at Greenham and Crookham Commons, a nationally important heritage and conservation site including a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is currently being restored to open heathland accessible to the public, and providing a home for unique and important wildlife and grazing stock.
Facilities: Visitor Centre.
Location: 3 miles south of Thatcham Town Centre.
Enquiries: 01635 519347
Highclere Castle
Owned by the Carnarvon family, the Fifth Earl of Carnarvon discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1921. Gardens and Castle open to the public from the first Sunday in July, Wednesday to Sunday, 2pm – 6pm until the first Sunday in September inclusive.
Refreshments and souvenir shop.
Location: 8 miles south-west of Thatcham off the A4.
Enquiries: 01635 253210
Bucklebury Farm Park
Over 60 acres of beautiful parkland in an area of outstanding natural beauty with an adventure playground, picnic area, sheep, lambs and farm pets with free tractor trailer rides to see Red Deer.
Location: 4 miles north-east of Thatcham
Enquiries: 0118 9714002
Children’s Action Farm
Located near Newbury directly on the main road to Basingstoke. All weather safe family fun. Lots of action all year 10am – 5pm (last entry 2.30pm). Idyllic location, picnic area by the lake under big oak trees. All activities inclusive – no extra to pay. Meet the animals with pony rides. Water play and adventure play ground. Several indoor barns with toddler play area/bouncy castle/playhouses. Farmers world with real digging machine and tractor world. Road train rides. Pig racing and bottle feeding lambs. Crazy golf and treasure hunts. Licensed and fully equipped cafe. Necessity Shop.
Enquiries: 01635 269678 / 269666.
email: farmer@actionfarm.com
web: www.actionfarm.com
Schools
The primary school that services the development is the ever popular Spurcroft Primary for children from 3-11. The secondary school is Kennet Secondary school, a co-educational comprehensive for children aged 11-18.
Pre-Schools
Apple Tree Pre-School t: 07709 697545
Bucklebury Pre-school t: 07919 421822
Busy Bees Pre-School Group t: 01635 872339
Lilliput Pre-School t: 07810 842800
Pied Piper Pre-School t: 01635 873814
Playmates Pre-school t: 01635 871460
Thatcham Children’s Centre Pre-School t: 01635 872008
Thatcham Pre-School t: 07831 611145
Primary Schools
Francis Baily Primary
Address – Skillman Drive, Thatcham, RG19 4GG
Telephone – 01635 862188
Fax – 01635860599
email: office.fbaily@westberks.org
Parsons Down Infant and Nursery
Address – Paynesdown Road, Thatcham, RG19 3TE
Telephone – 01635 862475
Fax – 01635 874558
email: office.pdi@westberks.org
Parsons Down Junior
Address – Herons Way, Thatcham, RG19 3SR
Telephone – 01635 866700
Fax – 01635 874499
email: office.pdj@westberks.org
St Finian’s Roman Catholic Primary
Address – The Ridge, Cold Ash, Thatcham, RG18 9HU
Telephone – 01635 865925
Fax – 01635 874892
email: office.stfinians@westberks.org
Spurcroft County Primary
Address – Spurcroft Road, Thatcham, RG19 3XX
Telephone – 01635 871541
Fax – 01635 871592
email: office.spurcroft@westberks.org
Thatcham Park Church of England Primary
Address – Park Avenue, Thatcham, RG18 4NP
Telephone – 01635 862184
Fax – 01635 874563
email: office.stmarys@westberks.org
Whitelands Park County Primary
Address – Sagecroft Road, Thatcham, RG18 3FH
Telephone – 01635 862517
Fax – 01635 874566
email: office.whitelands@westberks.org
Secondary Schools
Kennet School
Type of School – Community Secondary
Specialist College Status – Technology College
Age Group – 11 to 18
Address – Stoney Lane, Thatcham, RG19 4LL
Telephone – 01635 862121
Fax – 01635 871814
email – office.kennet@westberks.org
Trinity School
Type of School – Community Secondary
Specialist College Status – Performing Arts College
Age Group – 11 to 18
Address – Church Road, Shaw, Newbury, RG14 2DU
Telephone – 01635 510500
Fax – 01635 510510
email – office.trinity@westberks.org
Parents who have only recently moved into the area should notify head teachers of the schools they would like their children to attend, giving details of the dates of birth of any children who are, or will shortly be of school age.
Early notification is in the interests of parents and will assist the schools. Further information with regard to educational facilities is available from the EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, West Berkshire Council, Avonbank House, West Street, Newbury.
School Admissions t: 01635 519780 / t: 01635 519771
Councils & Local Authority
West Berkshire Council
Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, Berks RG14 5LD
Tel: 01635 42400
web: www.westberks.gov.uk
Thatcham Town Council
Council Offices, Brownsfield Road, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 3HF
t: 01635 863592 f: 01635 863843
e: enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk
web: www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Places of Worship
Baptist
Thatcham Baptist Church, Wheelers Green Way
Church of England
St Mary’s Parish Church, Church Gate
St. Barnabas Church, Thatcham Park School, Park Avenue
Methodist
Thatcham Methodist Church, Chapel Street
Roman Catholic
Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Bath Road, Thatcham
General Facilities
Accommodation
The West Grange Hotel, Midgeham t: 01635 862351
Regency Park Hotel, Bowling Green Road t: 01635 871555
The Swan, Station Road t: 01635 862084
The White Hart, High Street t: 01635 863251
The Kings Head, The Broadway t: 01635 862145
The Wheatsheaf, Chapel Street t: 01635 862670
Mr J. Avery, 1 Church Lane t: 01635 869098
Mrs J. Baldwin, 33 Green Lane t: 01635 863116
Mrs H. Bosley, 59 Loundyes Close t: 01635 869373
Banks
Barclays Bank, The Broadway t: 0845 755555
Lloyds/TSB, The Broadway t: 0845 0723333
HSBC, The Broadway t: 0845 7404404
National Westminster Bank, High Street. t: 0845 6013399
Building Societies
Newbury Building Society 4 High Street t: 01635 864996
Bus Services
Newbury Buses, Bus Station, Market Street, Newbury t: 01635 567500
Car Parks
Pay and Display
o Rear of Waitrose Supermarket (access from The Moors)
Free Customer Car Parks
o The Co-op, The Broadway
Free Car Parks
o Brownsfield Road (rear of Gilbert Court)
o Brownsfield Road (adjacent to War Memorial)
Chemists
Thatcham Medical Practice (Boots the Chemist) t: 01635 864423
Lloyds Chemist 5 Crown Mead, Bath Road t: 01635 863334
Lloyds Chemist, Kingsland Centre, The Broadway t: 01635 869244
Lloyds Chemist Unit 2, Burdwood Centre, Station Road t: 01635 868538
Citizens Advice Bureau
West Berkshire Citizens Advice Bureau
Thatcham Outreach at Thatcham Health Centre, Bath Road
By appointment only.
Open: Tuesday & Thursday 9.30am – 12.30pm
For appointments call t: 516605
Helpline for Carers t: 864245
Client Advice Line t: 552050
Dental Surgeons
Cedar Dental Care Patel, Roy D. and Colleagues, 3 Bath Road t: 01635 867979
Dental Art Clinic 118 Bath Road t: 01635 863644
Thatcham Village Dental Centre 29 Chapel Street t: 01635 866662
The Broadway Dental Practice Bateman House, The Broadway t: 01635 861076
Weir, T, Elvey, M A and Caur, A J 118 Bath Road t: 01635 863644
Emergency Services
Dial 999 in an emergency
Royal Berkshire Ambulance NHS Trust t: 0118 936 5500
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service HQ t: 0118 945 2888
Thames Valley Police Non-emergency t: 0845 8505 505
Estate Agents
Chancellors 56 The Broadway t: 01635 869440
Chequers Estate Agents 3 High Street t: 01635 876000 f: 01635 876005
Haart 8 Kingsland Centre t: 01635 862666
Halletts 16 High Street t: 01635 877877
Kemp & Co Chapel Street t: 01635 865656
Preece & Co 17 High Street t: 01635 870900
Funeral Directors
Geoffrey Church & Co.
Church Gate, The Broadway t: 01635 868444
Hairdressers
Big Wigz 20 The Broadway t: 01635 863784
Charles Hairdressing 20 High Street t: 01635 862723
Cutting Cabin High Street t: 01635 863325
Guru 6 The Broadway t: 01635 872800
Jane’s Hairdressing Unit 1, 32 High Street t: 01635 861011
Jo Joe’s 18 The Broadway t: 01635 861777
Julians 3 Bradley-Moore Square t: 01635 876969
Julians 4 Burdwood Centre, Station Road t: 01635 869915
Paul Charles The Courtyard, The Broadway t: 01635 871116
Paul’s Hairdressing 31 High Street t: 01635 862233
The Thatch 55 Station Road t: 01635 863407
Ziggy’s Hairworks Unit 3, Kingsland Centre t: 01635 871917
Hospitals
West Berkshire Community Hospital
Benham Hill, London Road, Newbury t: 01635 273300
Royal Berkshire Hospital (Main Casualty), London Road, Reading t: 0118 987 5111
Local Radio
Kick FM
The Studio, 42 Bone Lane,
Newbury. RG14 5SD t: 841600
BBC Radio Berkshire
The Lodge, Caversham Park, Peppard
Road, Caversham t: 0118 946 4200
2-TEN FM
The Filberts, Thompson Walk,
The Chase, Calcot t: 0118 945 4400
Medical Practitioners
Burdwood Surgery
Wheelers Green Way t: 01635 868006
Thatcham Medical Practice
Bath Road
Appointments t: 01635 867171
Enq t: 01635 867171
Medical Services
Alexander Technique Tanya Whannell t: 01635 866409
Thatcham Chiropractic Clinic t: 01635 868691
Thatcham Osteopaths t: 01635 871948
Newspapers
Newbury Weekly News Group
Newspaper House, Faraday Road, Newbury and also at 2 Brookhouse, Northbrook Street, Newbury
Main Switchboard t: 524111
Editorial t: 47000
Newbury and Thatcham Chronicle
50-56 Portman Road, Reading
Advertising t: 0118 9503050
Editorial t: 0118 9503030
Opticians
Leighton Opticians 6 High Street t: 01635 863290
Graham Prichard Kingsland Centre t: 01635 860638
Post Offices
The Co-op Welcome, Unit 4 Burdwood Centre, Station Road t: 01635 869689
The Co-op Welcome 54 The Broadway t: 01635 863223
Tesco, Northfield Road. t: 01635 873251
Public Library
Bath Road t: 01635 866049
Opening Hours:
Monday 9.30am – 5pm
Tuesday 9.30am – 7pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 9.30am – 5pm
Friday 9.30am – 7pm
Saturday 9.30am – 12.30pm
Recycling
Kingsland Centre Car Park: Recycling points for mixed textiles and clothes, plastics, glass, food and drink cans, paper.
Pound Lane: Recycling points for books, mixed textiles and clothes, glass, paper
Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages
Council Offices, Brownsfield Road
Tuesdays 10.30am -12.00pm
(by appointment only – call Newbury number below). For an appointment
Births and Deaths t: 01635 279233
Marriages t: 01635 279230
Shaw House, Church Road, Shaw, Newbury RG14 2DR
Restaurants
Chinese/Oriental
Jade Cottage, 23 High Street : 861880
Mandarin Court 10-11 The Broadway t: 874019
Szechuan Inn, 7 High Street t: 863344
The Little Szechuan Fast Food Restaurant 3 London Road t: 862225 t: 860255
Indian
Nawab 4-5 The Broadway t: 868800
Spice, 35-37 High Street t: 862228
English (pubs with restaurants)
The Swan, Station Road t: 862084
The Mill, Bradley-Moore Square t: 867277
Plough Inn, 81 Chapel Street t: 860340
White Hart, 2 High Street t: 863251
Solicitors
Burton Stancliffe & Co 17 High Street t: 867967
Crumly, Richard The Old Courthouse, 31 The Broadway t: 866166
Gardner Leader Winbolt House, The Broadway t: 863271
Takeaway Food Outlets
Baguette de France The Broadway t: 01635 872287
Best Fry 28 High Street t: 01635 863489
Best Fry 3 The Burdwood Centre t: 01635 869346
Chick King and Fish Bar 1 Crown Mead, Bath Road t: 01635 878911
China Kitchen 4 Bradley-Moore Square, Dunston Park t: 01635 878080
Four Seasons Chinese Takeaway 76 Chapel Street t: 01635 862122
Kings Chinese Takeaway 27 High Street t: 01635 861988
Light Lunch 34 The High Street t: 01635 860666
Little Szechuan Chinese Takeaway 3 London Road t: 01635 862225 01635 860255
Mandarin Court 10-11 The Courtyard, The Broadway t: 01635 874019
Nawab Indian Cuisine 4-5 The Broadway t: 01635 868800
Spice Indian Takeaway 35-37 High Street t: 01635 862228
Szechuan Express 5a High Street t: 01635 869666
Thatcham Tandoori Takeaway The Courtyard, The Broadway t: 01635 876203
Taxis and Private Hire
Broadway Cars t: 06135 847784
CDC Taxis t: 01635 866730
SB Taxis t: 01635 873057
Thatcham Cars t: 01635 862002
Television (Regional)
BBC South
Broadcasting House, Havelock Road,
Southampton t: 023 80 226201
Meridian Broadcasting Ltd
Television Centre,
Southampton t: 023 80 222555
Toddler Groups
Burdwood Baby and Toddler Group t: 863899
Buttercups t: 826304
Drop In At The Well at the Methodist Church
Wednesday 9.30 am – 2 pm. t: 01488 72837
Gingerbread (for lone parent families) t: 201198
Thatcham Baptist Church Toddler Group t: 867054
Thatcham Children’s Centre Drop-in t: 872008
URC Toddler Group t: 866275
Train Service
Thatcham Station
located at the southern end of Station Road, 1.5 miles south of the town centre. There is a regular rail service to Newbury, Bedwyn, Reading and London (Paddington).
For rail enquiries t: 0845 7484950
Travel Agents
Meadway Travel 49 The Broadway t: 877365
Options Travel 20 The Broadway t: 292484
Toucan Travel 2 Kingsland Centre t: 877007
Vetinary Surgeons
O’Gorman, Slater and Main 10 London Road t: 868382
GKG Vets 55a The Broadway t: 868047