Swindon news, September 2026: day by day
36 stories from September 2026, under the day each one is about. Stories marked Looking back were written later from the published source and show the date Swindo published them.
Wednesday 30 September 2026
- Looking backFour-day Continental Market announced for Swindon town centre
Looking back, 30 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council announced a Continental Market for the town centre from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 October, with street food from around the world.
Things to do · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Tuesday 29 September 2026
- Looking backSwindon South MP says Great British Railways could own new trains
Looking back, 29 September 2026: Heidi Alexander, Swindon South MP and Transport Secretary, said the Government would consider letting Great British Railways own newly ordered trains outright, with GWR due to move into public ownership on 13 December 2026.
Transport · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Monday 28 September 2026
- Looking backSwindon needs at least 120 more foster carers, council summit hears
Looking back, 28 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council said 120 children in its care were placed outside the county and that it needs at least that many more local foster carers.
Community · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Sunday 27 September 2026
- Looking backSwindon Half Marathon 2026: thousands run from Coate Water
Looking back, 27 September 2026: thousands of runners set off from Coate Water Country Park at 9am for the Swindon Half Marathon, the second running of the race since it was revived in 2025.
Sport and fitness · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Friday 25 September 2026
- Looking backAround 450 children attended Revolution Performing Arts summer clubs
Looking back, 25 September 2026: Revolution Performing Arts said around 450 young people took part in 12 days of its summer holiday clubs in the Swindon area, and that winter holiday clubs were being planned.
Arts and culture · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Thursday 24 September 2026
- Looking backSouth Marston firm Billet Precision, founded by three friends, makes Formula 1 parts
Looking back, 24 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council highlighted Billet Precision, a precision engineering company on South Marston Industrial Estate set up by three former apprentices, after the council leader toured the firm.
Business and economy · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
- Looking backSwindon Local Plan 2043: final public consultation opens
Looking back, 24 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council opened a six-week consultation on the draft Swindon Local Plan 2043, the last chance to comment before it goes to the Secretary of State for examination.
Council and services · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Wednesday 23 September 2026
- Looking backStop smoking campaign launches as figures show 17,900 smokers in Swindon
Looking back, 23 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council backed the regional 'What Will You Miss?' stop smoking campaign and said about 17,900 people in Swindon still smoke, with around 230 deaths a year from smoking-related illness.
Healthcare · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Tuesday 22 September 2026
- Looking backSpudBros Express opens at Swindon Designer Outlet
Looking back, 22 September 2026: jacket potato brand SpudBros opened a SpudBros Express at the Designer Outlet on Kemble Drive, Swindon, its first site inside a designer outlet.
Food and drink · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
- Looking backSouthern Connector Road bridge repairs planned to start in December
Looking back, 22 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council said it was seeking a contractor for first repairs to the bridge on the Southern Connector Road, so that New Eastern Villages lorries can stop using Merlin Way and Wanborough Road.
Transport · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Sunday 20 September 2026
- Looking backSwindon Open Studios 2026: artists open their doors for the first weekend
Looking back, 20 September 2026: artists across Swindon and nearby villages welcomed visitors into their studios for the first weekend of Swindon Open Studios, with a second weekend on 26 and 27 September.
Arts and culture · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Saturday 19 September 2026
- Looking backPlans for 11 storage units behind Newport Street in Old Town divide neighbours
Looking back, 19 September 2026: a planning application for 11 storage units on vacant land behind Newport Street in Old Town, Swindon, drew support from one resident and questions from another.
Housing and living · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Friday 18 September 2026
- Looking backMayor taps first keg as The Tuppenny's Oktoberfest opens in Old Town
Looking back, 18 September 2026: Swindon's Mayor, Cllr Neil Hopkins, tapped the first keg to open the fifth Oktoberfest at The Tuppenny on Devizes Road in Old Town.
Food and drink · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Thursday 17 September 2026
- Looking backGreat Western Hospital uses separate heart attack test ranges for women
Looking back, 17 September 2026: Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it has assessed men and women against different thresholds on a key heart attack blood test since 2018, to avoid missing heart damage in women.
Healthcare · Source: Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Published on Swindo
- Looking backVolunteers clear Haydon End pond to protect great crested newts
Looking back, 17 September 2026: volunteers joined Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Swindon Borough Council for a day of habitat work at a pond in Haydon End, part of a network of around 25 Swindon ponds that are home to great crested newts.
Parks and nature · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Wednesday 16 September 2026
- Looking backRecycle Week 2026: food waste still going in Swindon rubbish bins
Looking back, 16 September 2026: checks on a small sample of bins during Recycle Week found food waste still going into general rubbish in Swindon, the council said, with each tonne recycled saving more than £150.
Council and services · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Tuesday 15 September 2026
- Looking backMoredon pavilion reopens as Central Swindon North Parish Council's headquarters
Looking back, 15 September 2026: the former cricket pavilion at Moredon Sporting Hub, once at risk of demolition, had been officially opened the day before, 14 September, as the headquarters of Central Swindon North Parish Council after a £220,000 conversion.
Council and services · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
- Looking backTG Jones on Regent Street closes, taking its Post Office counter with it
Looking back, 15 September 2026: the TG Jones store on Regent Street in Swindon town centre, formerly WHSmith, was reported to have closed as part of a national restructuring, with the Post Office service inside it lost.
Shopping · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Monday 14 September 2026
- Looking backConsultation opens on charging for post-16 SEND school transport in Swindon
Looking back, 14 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council opened a consultation on charging young people aged 16 to 18 an annual fee for SEND home-to-school transport from September 2027, closing on 26 October.
Education · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
- Looking backThe Forum to leave The Brunel for Bath after almost 24 years in Swindon
Looking back, 14 September 2026: The Forum, the independent streetwear and menswear shop at 31-32 Brunel Plaza in Swindon town centre, announced it is moving to Bath after almost 24 years in the town.
Shopping · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Sunday 13 September 2026
- Looking backRoyal Mail lorry overturns at M4 junction 15 near Swindon
Looking back, 13 September 2026: a Royal Mail lorry overturned at junction 15 of the M4 near Swindon shortly after 7am, spilling fuel and partly closing the junction; the driver had minor injuries.
Transport · Source: Wiltshire 999s · Published on Swindo
Saturday 12 September 2026
- Looking backChildren's drawings turned into mural on Greenmeadow Shops bus shelter
Looking back, 12 September 2026: Haydon Wick Parish Council repainted a vandalised bus shelter at Greenmeadow Shops in Swindon with a mural based on ideas from local schoolchildren.
Community · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Friday 11 September 2026
- Looking backNew £95,000 play space opens at Crowdys Hill School
Looking back, 11 September 2026: a new play space for primary-age pupils opened at Crowdys Hill School, a special school in Swindon, built over the summer with more than half the £95,000 cost met by the council's highways contractor.
Education · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
- Looking backAaron Drinan shortlisted for League Two Goal of the Month
Looking back, 11 September 2026: Swindon Town striker Aaron Drinan was shortlisted for the Sky Bet League Two Goal of the Month award for August for his long-range strike against Cheltenham Town at the County Ground.
Sport and fitness · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Wednesday 9 September 2026
- Looking backSwindon's first town-wide History Festival runs through September
Looking back, 9 September 2026: Swindon's inaugural town-wide History Festival, organised by historian Dr Rosa Matheson, was under way after a meet-the-authors launch at Central Library, with events throughout September.
History · Source: The Ink · Published on Swindo
Tuesday 8 September 2026
- Looking backSTEAM announces Golden Age Festival for 26 September
Looking back, 8 September 2026: STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon, announced a one-day Golden Age Festival for Saturday 26 September, with 1930s to 1950s music, air raid shelter tours and 20 per cent off entry.
Things to do · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Monday 7 September 2026
- Looking backSwindon Shuffle 2026: 20th festival opens with two more years of UKRI backing
Looking back, 7 September 2026: the Swindon Shuffle music festival was scheduled to run from 7 to 13 September at nine venues, after UKRI agreed to stay on as headline sponsor for two more years.
Arts and culture · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Sunday 6 September 2026
- Looking backMomo King in Old Town announces Together for Nepal charity buffet
Looking back, 6 September 2026: Momo King, the Nepalese restaurant at 52 Devizes Road in Old Town, Swindon, announced an all-day charity buffet on 13 September to raise money for flood relief in Nepal.
Food and drink · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Saturday 5 September 2026
- Looking backTrinity Hall restoration on Victoria Road uncovers Victorian roof and floor
Looking back, 5 September 2026: Equippers Church, which bought Trinity Hall on Victoria Road in Swindon earlier in the year, was uncovering the 1899 building's timber roof, stained glass and herringbone floor as it restores it as a church and community space.
History · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
- Looking backSwindon Town 3-1 Colchester United: Drinan hat-trick takes Town second
Looking back, 5 September 2026: Aaron Drinan scored a second-half hat-trick as Swindon Town came from behind to beat Colchester United 3-1 at the County Ground and go second in League Two.
Sport and fitness · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Friday 4 September 2026
- Looking backRolleston Arms and Level 3 up for sale; public meeting called on their future
Looking back, 4 September 2026: with the Rolleston Arms and the Level 3 music venue at 73 Commercial Road on the market for around £450,000, Swindon Culture Collective called a public meeting to discuss their future, including community ownership.
Arts and culture · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Thursday 3 September 2026
- Looking backThreshold wins three years of funding for Swindon Next Step homelessness programme
Looking back, 3 September 2026: Swindon homelessness charity Threshold secured three years of government funding for Swindon Next Step, a programme of free weekly groups and courses for people affected by homelessness.
Community · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
- Looking backProspect Hospice opens its 18th charity shop, in Watchfield
Looking back, 3 September 2026: Prospect Hospice opened a new charity shop at 4 Majors Road, Watchfield, its 18th shop and its first new one in two years, opened by Swindon Town goalkeeper Lewis Ward.
Shopping · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
Wednesday 2 September 2026
- Looking backThames Water moves its Swindon contact centre to 1 Newbridge Square
Looking back, 2 September 2026: Thames Water was reported to be moving its Swindon contact centre from Walnut Court at Kembrey Park to about 35,000 sq ft of offices at 1 Newbridge Square in the town centre.
Business and economy · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo
- Looking backMore than eight tonnes of waste cleared in Swindon's Big Town Centre Clean-Up
Looking back, 2 September 2026: Swindon Borough Council said more than eight tonnes of litter, vegetation and fly-tipped waste had been removed from the town centre in August, with over 250 volunteers taking part.
Council and services · Source: Swindon Borough Council · Published on Swindo
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Looking backPlastic Free Swindon coordinator Ben Bell on reuse and repair
Looking back, 1 September 2026: Ben Bell, who coordinates Plastic Free Swindon, said recycling alone will not solve plastic pollution and pointed to a Swindon Hub project that refurbishes old laptops and phones.
Community · Source: Swindon24 · Published on Swindo