THINGS TO DO

There is more to shopping than shops.

These days, shoppers expect something beyond basic 'retail therapy' when they have planned a trip, especially if they are using it as an excuse to get together with family and/or friends.

So a day's shopping has to be much about the other things you get up to, in-between going in the shops, and in that respect Swindon Town Centre has more to offer.

Choosing somewhere to eat and drink, for example, is all part of the experience, and you may also like to drop in to see the surprising things on offer at the Wyvern Theatre and the popular Swindon Central Library.

The town centre is also home to one of those unique little museums that Britain is so good at throwing up in unlikely places - dedicated to computing.

And as if to pre-empt those who will tell you they would prefer to surround themselves with greenery while taking a break from shopping, two parks spring up, like magic, to provide more choices, only a short walk away.

It's come a long way from its 19th century origins, but now Swindon fits more neatly than you might think with people's expectations for a 21st century town centre.