Let’s first talk about Cheltenham and then, we will explore the best parking spots there, both free and paid.
Cheltenham, also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town on the outskirts of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. It is located on the River Chelt, from which it gets its name, and was first mentioned in the 9th century. Cheltenham, on the other hand, became well known as a health and holiday spa resort in the 18th century as a result of mineral springs discovered there. The spa water is still available for tasting at the historic Pittville Pump Room.
The town is known as the “most complete Regency town” in the country, with much of the original architecture still standing. Cheltenham has several listed buildings, including the town hall, municipal offices, and the synagogue.
Cheltenham is well-known for its many cultural festivals, including literature, jazz, science, paranormal, folk, cricket, and food and drink festivals.
The horse racing Cheltenham Festival, which includes the Gold Cup competition, is the largest festival, with prize money second only to the Grand National. Since 1815, horseback riding has been a major industry in the town, and the festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. National Hunt racing takes place at the racecourse.
Cricket, football, and rugby are also popular in Cheltenham. It also has one of the largest croquet clubs and serves as the headquarters of the Croquet Association. Sandford Park Lido also has a lot of sports activity, such as swimming and water polo.
Cheltenham’s museums and art galleries host a variety of exhibitions throughout the year. Art can be found throughout the town, including a Banksy piece and statues such as Neptune’s Fountain and a life-sized bronze Emperor penguin. Cheltenham also has a thriving theatre scene, with four venues, including the Grade II-listed Everyman Theatre. Composer Gustav Holst, Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien, and opera singer Dame Felicity Lott are among those who were born in Cheltenham.
In addition to a population of over 116,000, Cheltenham attracts nearly 2 million visitors each year. If you don’t know where to look, this can make parking in town difficult and expensive. On this page, we’ve compiled a list of all the free parking options in town – check out the map below for a quick overview, or continue reading for more details.
Now let’s explore, where we can find Free and Paid Parking Spaces in Cheltenham!
Important Note:
While UKFreeParking.com takes every step to ensure that the parking information provided is accurate at the time of writing, local ordinances, parking availability, parking prices, and parking regulations change with time.
UKFreeParking.com accepts no responsibility for any fines or tickets received as a result of using our website.
Please ensure that you park your vehicle safely and responsibly every time, making sure to adhere to local parking rules, signs, and regulations.
Free Parking in Cheltenham
Residential Streets
We all know residential streets in our own towns where we can park for free, saving us money on parking in town. This can be more difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the area, which is why we’ve compiled a list of Cheltenham residential streets with no parking restrictions. The lists are organized by street direction from the city center and include postcodes and walking distances.
North
Parking to the north of Cheltenham brings you closer to the Racecourse (further out streets are preferable for this). Pittville Park and the Pump Room, as well as Cheltenham Town FC’s home ground, are also more accessible from the north.
- Stoneville Street GL51 8PH – 0.8 miles
- Charles Street GL51 9HH – 0.8 miles
- Hudson Street GL50 4HF – 0.9 miles
- Folly Lane GL50 4BT – 0.9 miles
- Sydenham Road GL52 6EF – 1 mile
- West Approach Drive GL52 3AD – 1.1 miles
- Walnut Close GL52 3AG – 1.2 miles
- Culross Close GL50 4NF – 1.2 miles
- Saville Close GL50 4NE – 1.2 miles
- Monica Drive GL50 4NQ – 1.3 miles
- Cleevemount Road GL52 3HG – 1.3 miles
- Hill Top Road GL50 4NW – 1.3 miles
- Cleevelands Drive GL50 4QB – 1.4 miles
- Paddocks Lane GL50 4NX – 1.4 miles
- Welland Lodge Road GL52 3HH – 1.4 miles
East
Though there are fewer parking options to the east of Cheltenham, these are some of the more convenient streets to park in because they are all within a mile of the town center.
- Hewlett Road GL52 6AZ – 0.8 miles
- Duke Street GL52 6BS – 0.8 miles
- Brighton Road GL52 6BA – 0.8 miles
- Westdown Gardens GL52 6AX – 0.9 miles
- Jersey Avenue GL52 2SZ – 0.9 miles
- Kings Road GL52 6BH – 0.9 miles
- Cranham Road GL52 6BQ – 1 mile
South
You will have easier access to the University of Gloucestershire park campus and Cheltenham General Hospital if you park on one of the further-out streets in a southerly direction. As you walk into town, you will pass Sandford Park, Montpellier Gardens, the Imperial Square & Gardens, and Cheltenham Town Hall.
- Southwood Lane GL50 2QH – 0.5 miles
- Lypiatt Road GL50 2QJ – 0.5 miles
- Andover Street GL50 2EL – 0.7 miles
- Painswick Road GL50 2ER – 0.8 miles
- Ashford Road GL50 2EW – 0.8 miles
- Gratton Road GL50 2BS – 0.9 miles
- Francis Street GL53 7NY – 1 mile
- Edward Street GL50 2DA – 1 mile
- Upper Norwood Street GL53 0DU – 1.1 miles
- Fairhaven Street GL53 7PL – 1.2 miles
- Naunton Way GL53 7BQ – 1.2 miles
- Fairfield Avenue GL53 7PN – 1.2 miles
- Naunton Lane GL53 7BT – 1.3 miles
West
Parking to the west is less convenient if you want to be close to the town center. These roads, however, are closer to the Cheltenham Spa train station.
- Sussex Avenue GL51 8AW – 1.2 miles
- Roman Road GL51 8AA – 1.2 miles
- Devon Avenue GL51 8AP – 1.2 miles
- Norfolk Avenue GL51 8DE – 1.4 miles
- Hillfield GL51 7BQ – 1.5 miles
- Milton Road GL51 7ES – 1.6 miles
- Oldfield Crescent GL51 7BA – 1.6 miles
- Swanswell Drive GL51 6LP – 1.7 miles
- Shakespeare Road GL51 7HR – 1.9 miles
Remember that you are parking on residential streets at your own risk. Before leaving your vehicle, look around for signs restricting parking. Remember to follow on-street parking rules such as not obstructing driveways, junctions, or entrances; keeping noise to a minimum, especially at night; and never parking on double-yellow lines or reserved parking spaces.
Free Overnight Parking in Cheltenham
arking in Cheltenham
If you are staying in Cheltenham, you may be wondering where you can park your car overnight. Every day from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., the following two streets are free to park on:
- Montpellier Street GL50 1RS
- Promenade GL50 1NW
More streets become available to park in after 8pm every evening, and remain so until 8am the next day:
- Crescent Place GL50 3PG
- Clarence Street GL50 3NX
- Wellington Street GL50 1XZ
- Grosvenor Place South GL52 2RX
- Gloucester Place GL52 2RJ
- Grosvenor Street GL52 2SQ
- Rodney Road GL50 1HT
- Cambray Place GL50 1JS
There are also some official car parks that are free overnight, from 8pm-7am Sunday-Friday, and 8pm Saturday-9am Sunday, as follows:
- St James’ Street GL52 2SH
- Bath Parade GL53 7HN
- Rodney Road GL50 1HT
- Royal Well GL50 3DS
- High Street GL50 3HQ
Cheapest Paid Parking Options in Cheltenham
We sometimes prefer to pay for parking because it is more convenient and secure than parking on the street. Cheltenham has several affordable options, and we’ve compiled a list of the best value car parks in town to save you time. They are listed in order of distance from the town’s geographical center:
- Sherborne Place GL52 2RS – £2.90 for 2 hours
- North Place GL50 4DT – £2.40 for 2 hours
- St Georges Road GL50 3DT – £2.90 for 2 hours
- Chelt Walk GL50 3PR – £2.90 for 2 hours
- West End GL50 3HU – £2.50 for 2 hours
- Bath Terrace GL50 2BA – £1.50 for 2 hours
- Commercial Street GL50 2AZ – £1.50 for 2 hours
Cheltenham is a lovely old town full of beauty and culture. We hope that the information on this page assists you in finding parking easily and freely so that you can enjoy your time there without worry.