Hallowe'en events see spooky goings on in Newbury with ghost town family train, frightful fun days and a Psycho Path pub crawl

Things are about to get spooky in Newbury.

Residents will be treated to four days of Halloween events next week as the Festival of Frights comes to town.

Parkway Shopping and Newbury Business Improvement District (BID) have teamed up for the event, which aims to provide people with free activities for all ages, while also providing local, independent businesses with a boost.

There will be three fiendishly fabulous free events – a town centre-wide Ghost Town Family Trail, Frightful Fun Days for families at Parkway Shopping, and an adults-only fancy dress Psycho Path Pub Crawl, the first of its kind for Newbury.

The events will take place from Wednesday, October 26 to Saturday, October 29.

The Ghost Town trail will take visitors to independent businesses, including Bernie’s Barbershop and Store in The Arcade, Isabel’s Retro at Parkway Shopping and Camp Hopson, while pubs on the pub crawl include The Catherine Wheel, The Dolphin and The Newbury.

There will also be Halloween-themed arts and crafts activities taking place at the Corn Exchange, on Northbrook Street from The Watermill Theatre, and at Parkway Shopping.

Warwick Heskins, Newbury BID chair and owner of The Catherine Wheel pub, said he was excited about the event.

“The hospitality sector is suffering tremendously from all the knock backs we’ve encountered going as far back as 2020 - the start of the pandemic,” he said. “We need all the support we can get right now to keep our businesses afloat and ensure that an evening economy exists in Newbury.

“I'm pleased that Newbury BID has been able to put on its first-ever adults-only and free evening Halloween event for the town. We’re hopeful that this will have a direct benefit on our businesses as we showcase the fabulous venues on offer to encourage visitors on the pub crawl to enjoy their evenings locally with us, for Halloween and beyond.”

Bernie England, owner of Bernie’s Barbershop and Store, added that the events are a positive opportunity for the town.

“I’m looking forward to taking part in Newbury’s Halloween offering this year,” he said. “Being tucked away in The Arcade, so many wonderful independent businesses, such as DUO Hair and Design, Shoemaker Books and Coffee Shop, and even Inn at Home and B the Lifestyle Store on the adjacent street, can be forgotten about.

“By including The Arcade as one of the locations on the trail, I hope visitors will explore this side of town more often, visit us again in-store, or tell their friends about our unique and independently-owned ‘Bernie’s’, as a result.”

You can find out about all the Halloween events taking place in Newbury town centre by clicking here – www.visitnewbury.org.uk/newburys-festival-of-frights

Alison Drummond, BID operations manager, added: “We saw huge engagement from the public with our collaborative Halloween event last year and received lots of positive feedback.

“We’re confident that this year’s Halloween offering will be a big hit, as we continue to deliver free and family-friendly options, with the introduction of a new adults-only option this year, enabling us to cater to a wider audience and support even more local businesses.

“We sincerely hope that the activities we’re putting on will pay off for the businesses that occupy the respective areas.”