Newbury Showground — Local services in Great Britain

If you like big flat fields with a constant drone of motorway noise, you're in luck. Look no further, this place is the place for you.

We pulled off the motorway and almost got hit, head on, by a delivery driver attempting to go the wrong way down the slip road. Good try! We then got honked at as we indicated and pulled in to the showground gate. So we know that the locals are a friendly bunch!

We were camping for an event and luckily they'd reserved the noisyest pitches, right by the motorway for us! We tried a couple where we could barely here each other, and then settled on a third one where the noise was slightly more of a drone than full on M4 lay by thunder!

They hadn't bothered to open both toilets up (why would you for £10 a night) but the male one that was open was ok. We noted the sign which said no dogs. I wondered to myself why you'd want to take your dog into the toilet. Then I wondered why, even if you did, this wouldn't be allowed. Then I went about my ablutions and left none the wiser.

The noise of the motorway thankfully didn't stop all night so we woke up with that slightly hangover tinnitus that we all love before making breakfast. I completed another run to the loo (without my dog). And then we got ready for the event which we were doing.

As the day rolled on we got more and more scorched but thankfully the motorway produces a nice warm blast of hot air in the prevailing wind direction which kept us slightly more toasty than anywhere else in the area. The fog of pollution also helps lock in the heat so you can almost guarantee to be slightly uncomfortably hot, even on the coldest and wettest days!

By the end of our day we were sad to leave this beautiful spot, with it's excellent transport links, but needs must, and away we went! As there's very few other options the Newbury Showground is a must...

The Covid testing centre is incredibly well organised and laid out. I can see why another commentator found it to have a futuristic sci-fi feel as driving into a field of white tents and cones does feel more like dystopian TV than real life.

You can choose whether to self test or have someone swab you.

I felt very safe as the staff speak to you through your closed car windows; you only open the window twice, once to be given your test kit and once to drop it in a box. They check your details and scan your QR code & test kit bar code through your closed car window.

All the different steps are spaced out so you drive through a surprising amount of cone chicanes. Cars move quickly, I was only ever behind one or two cars for a couple of moments.

Including the time it took me to read the instructions and do my own test, I was back out on the main road within 10 minutes.

Whilst it would be lovely to never need to go there again, I can recommend it and would happily go back there if I needed...

Went to Retro Fest at the showground, which features wings, wheels, speed, steam, music, dance and bands. Parking was very organised, there was free parking in a field on one side of the road, and paid for parking on the showground grounds. Getting to the main event was over long grass which could be challenging for pushchairs or wheelchairs. Once in the venue there were pavements, but inside the tents was grass so again could hamper those in wheelchairs. There was so much to see, from boot fair stalls, vintage and second hand stalls and food, drink, jewellery, new clothes venders and more, to classic cars, steam engines, fairground, live bands and motorbikes. There was due to be hot air balloons but unfortunately the weather didn't allow, but was an excellent day out. You can visit for the day, day and evening, or all weekend, you could camp and park campervans there. We stayed for the day and was really enjoyable, will definitely put it in my diary...