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. It's a warm, characterful spot that pairs authentic Thai street food with Cheltenham's live-music underground.
Cheltenham · Every last Thursday of the month · No fee listed
The Railway Open Mic
New Street's thursday open mic.
Next night: Thu 26 Nov. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 20 Oct 202620:00
Kick-off
Thursdays
sign-up on the nightThursdays
| Night | Every last Thursday of the month |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | Ask the host |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
158
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Venue website |
03 — The night
Every last Thursday of the monthHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
ThursdaysRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Railway
New StreetGetting there
New Street, Cheltenham GL50 3QL
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
TBC| PA system | TBC |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
New Street, CheltenhamAbout 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.
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. It's a warm, characterful spot that pairs authentic Thai street food with Cheltenham's live-music underground.
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New Street · Every last Thursday of the month
The Railway Open Mic
New Street's thursday open mic. Starts at 20:00.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 20 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Cheltenham open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Railway Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Railway Open Mic runs on the last Thursday of the month at The Railway in Cheltenham, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 20 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Railway’s venue page →
The night starts at 20:00. Sign-up is on the night - get there early to get a slot.
Next nightThu 26 Nov · 20:00Starts in 13d 12h 20m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklineNot confirmed yet
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
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. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightThursdayEvery last Thursday of the monthNext: Thu 26 Nov
Starts20:00start time
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Cheltenham this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
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.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemTBC
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Railway’s Thursday night runs.
Next nightThu 26 Nov · 20:00Starts in 13d 12h 20m
Kick-off20:00Every last Thursday of the month
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
How often
Every last Thursday of the month
Coming up
Thu 26 Nov · Thu 31 Dec · Thu 28 Jan
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Railway
New Street, Cheltenham GL50 3QL
AreaNew Street, Cheltenham
PostcodeGL50 3QL
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. The Railway is in New Street, Cheltenham — use GL50 3QL for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
The Cotswold Inn, The Oil Basin Brewhouse, The Pheasant and The Firefly Beer Haus
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. The kit is not listed yet — ask the host what is provided.
The scene Live music in Cheltenhamthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Cheltenhampay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Cheltenhamacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Cheltenhamevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
What should you charge for a paid gig? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Part of the Cheltenham live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Cheltenham's The Railway open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Cheltenham open mic nights for alternatives.
The Railway has not listed its kit yet — ask the host before you go.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Railway's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Cheltenham open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
The Railway is in New Street, Cheltenham GL50 3QL. Get directions, or see the other Cheltenham open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Cheltenham regulars across the Cheltenham open mic scene. Cheltenham open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is GL50 3QL. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Cheltenham open mics.
Venues Near The Railway
No other gigs are listed at The Railway in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Cheltenham over the next four weeks →
The Railway open mic in brief. The Railway open mic runs every last Thursday of the month from 20:00 (no fee listed). The Railway’s venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. The open mics near Cheltenham are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Cheltenham? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Cheltenham open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Cheltenham gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Railway
All ›More rooms near The Railway: Chestnut Inn, Old Greyhound, Parabola Arts Centre, Parler, Smokey Joe's, The Bath Tavern, The Bayshill, The Bierkeller Showbar, The Chestnut Tree Inn, The Cotswold Inn and The Feathers Sport & Music Lounge.
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