The Railway is a gloriously independent, candle-lit neighbourhood pub on New Street in central Cheltenham, run with love and home to Smokey Phi Phi's Thai street BBQ — hot, smoky, wood-fired Thai food served alongside the drinks. It hosts an open-mic night for local performers and keeps a community-focused, DIY spirit, with real ales, world-class ciders, spirits from small local distilleries and a lovely beer garden with an open fire. Musicians typically bring their own PA, keeping the grassroots, anything-goes feel for both originals and covers. It's a warm, characterful spot that pairs authentic Thai street food with Cheltenham's live-music underground.
New Street · Every last Thursday of the month · Free
The Railway Open Mic
New Street's thursday open mic.
Open mic at a glance The Railway · Cheltenham
Thursday
Open mic night
May 2026
Listed since
01 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
—
Sign-up time
Verified
Listing status
Run a Cheltenham open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 1 August 2026
The Railway Open Mic — Quick Facts
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:00
Sign-up walk-in
Slot length–
EntryFree · all ages
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The RailwayNew Street
Cheltenham GL50 3QL
New Street, Cheltenham — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team
Highlights
Free entry for all
Walk-in sign-up
Music welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
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About The Railway
About This Open Mic
Every last Thursday of the month in New Street, Cheltenham
Kicks off at 20:00
Free entry for performers and audience
Slot length — we’re on it, no info yet
Gear & backline — we’re on it, no info yet
Part of the Cheltenham open mic directory
The Night
The Railway is a gloriously independent, candle-lit neighbourhood pub on New Street (GL50 3QL) that hosts an open mic on the last Thursday of every month. Expect real ales, an open fire, a lovely beer garden and Thai street food from Smokey Phi Phi — the music sits warmly alongside the room rather than blasting over it. It's free to come and play; turn up and speak to the team on the night.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Railway’s Thursday night runs.
20:00Kick-off
23:00Venue closes
Every last Thursday of the month Free entry
Find The Railway
New Street, Cheltenham GL50 3QL
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. Bring your own gear.
Part of the Cheltenham live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Cheltenham's The Railway open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at . Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Cheltenham open mic nights for alternatives.
BYO PA, mics and instruments.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Cheltenham mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
New Street, Cheltenham GL50 3QL.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Cheltenham regulars across the Cheltenham open mic scene. Cheltenham open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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