Experience the Regency splendour of Cheltenham’s iconic Pittville Pump Room

For almost 200 years Pittville Pump Room has stood as a Cheltenham landmark, the Grade I listed Regency gem which has played many roles across the eras.

A collage of images of Pittville Pump Room exterior (photographed by Mikal Ludlow Photography), Christmas dining event and interior shot of a dome inside Pittville Pump Room.

2025 marks the 200^th anniversary since construction work began in 1825 on Joseph Pitt’s centrepiece of his dream of a town called Pittville, to rival nearby Cheltenham. It took five years to build and to open, in 1830, and to become the largest, and last, Regency spa building in Cheltenham.

The Cheltenham Trust is offering an invitation to a showcase, come and experience what the heritage building has to offer and its unique role at the heart of Cheltenham life. The event will launch this year’s Christmas programme, including elegant festive mistletoe lunches and Jingle Bells Banquet party nights at the pump room; new wedding packages and offers; and corporate opportunities.

Discover the charm, history and versatility of Pittville Pump Room, and experience the wow factor of walking in the footsteps of all those who have passed through its doors since 1830. The venue showcase takes place on Thursday 26 September, 5pm to 7pm, places are limited so pre-booking is required.

Over the past 200 years the pump room has lived many lives as a place for people to meet, socialise, eat, dance, play and even skate. It has witnessed and played vital roles as the place to take the spa waters in Georgian times, as a base for US troops during WWII and as a safe café and meeting place for the community during the social restrictions of the Covid19 pandemic in 2020.

There have been closures and challenges, after WWII extensive renovations and repairs were needed with the building re-opening in the 1960s. As a Grade I listed building, regarded as one of the most important of its kind nationally, ongoing maintenance is a constant, and recently the venue was closed for essential repairs to the ornate plasterwork ceiling and dome. Now fully re-open, the pump room is ready to welcome the next thousands of visitors over the coming years. Important heritage buildings such as Pittville Pump Room need to be relevant and used to continue to thrive, to generate vital income and to be financially sustainable, for future generations to enjoy.

This year the building will resonate to the sound of Christmas celebrations as festive events return, and the pump room is again ready to host all those important life events, both personal and collective, from weddings and parties to concerts, conferences, markets and community celebrations.

We look forward to welcoming you to this very special Cheltenham landmark and to helping keep its heritage thriving for at least another 200 years.

Visit the Pittville Pump Room website for more information.