please empty your brain below
An important sector of the Leamington community are the Warwick University students (over 5000 of them) as the town is very handy for the campus, which is on the south west outskirts of Coventry.

The town hall is now part of the Warwick Learning Grid, meaning that students don't even need to leave town to do any work. Quite a number are international students and collectively contribute at least £65m per year to the local economy.

James Bunting | 20.02.18 - 12:45 p.m. | #

It must cost you a fortune for these weekly or so gadabouts to the 'sticks' so I can only imagine that you got a decent redundancy pay out from your last job unless you've got another paying occupation on the side that you've kept quiet about Mr. G.

Anyway do keep up the variety of your postings of late because I find them terrifically interesting and long may they continue.

milliem | 20.02.18 - 3:06 p.m. | #

So far this year:
» Coventry, return, £8
» Leeds, return, £16
» Bristol, return, £16
» Royal Leamington Spa, return, £12.50

No banks are being broken here.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 20.02.18 - 3:16 p.m. | #

The print on my screen being rather small, I misread 'bowling green' as 'howling green'. And thought what a splendid thing that would be.

Sarah | Homepage | 20.02.18 - 3:51 p.m. | #

Having been a resident there for five years I can say this: Leamington is middle-class only as far south as the river. On the other side of town (the declassé CV31, where I lived) it's mostly Victorian-Edwardian terraces and industrial land, and has a strong working-class identity. Warwick and Leamington had a Labour MP from 1997 to 2010, and switched back to Labour again last year (the latter probably buoyed by the student vote).

The south side is also where the original village was - that's why High Street is where it is - but most of the urban development is younger than the fashionable north side.

Gabriel | 20.02.18 - 4:10 p.m. | #

As well as Keeping Up Appearances, the town was a major filming location for Chucklevision. Which by some metrics is Britain's second longest running sitcom after Summer Wine.

Gabriel | 20.02.18 - 4:15 p.m. | #

Wow..the second link-laden, beautifully illustrated travelogue in a single day!

You are spoiling us Mr Ambassador...

Frank F | 20.02.18 - 5:08 p.m. | #

Whitehall, 19th July, 1838.

Sir,
  “Viscount Melbourne having placed in my hands the Letter which you addressed to him on the 3rd instant, I have had the honour of submitting to The Queen the respectful Request of the Inhabitants of Leamington that they may be permitted to call that Spa in future the Royal Leamington Spa: And I am to inform you that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to accede to the Request of the Inhabitants of Leamington.”
        I have the honour to be,
            Sir,
              Your Obedient Servant,
                  “JOHN RUSSELL.”

Major Hawkes, M.C.,
  Leamington Spa.

Leamington was nearly beside itself with joy on receipt of the news that the Queen had granted its request. Hoarse with its loyal shoutings at the coming of age and coronation of her Majesty, it still had power enough to make the welkin ring with its present jubilation for itself.…


– T. B. Dudley, From Chaos to the Charter: A Complete History of Royal Leamington Spa (1901), page 280f.

The nascent Royal Leamington Spa Town Council seems to have been less ecstatic in 2001 when the Department for Communities and Local Government demanded £1,200 for them to inherit the Royal prefix bestowed by charter on the borough that existed between 1875 and 1974.

Rich G | Homepage | 20.02.18 - 7:28 p.m. | #

Surely you've got to do the whole Grand Union walk back to London some time, or is this it starting now?

Andrew S | 20.02.18 - 7:43 p.m. | #

I wonder where Roses would be found, if not in RLS?

cau1khead | 20.05.21 - 5:49 p.m. | #











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