By 
This week’s local news in one place, plus what’s on this weekend and what’s coming up next week. The main stories: the government plans to put Stratford and Warwick under one new council from 2029, Orbit will do its own repairs in the district from April, a rare witchcraft book linked to Macbeth is coming to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and a run of village housing plans has drawn objections. It’s Halloween weekend, with fireworks on Friday and Sunday.
On this page
The council and public services
- One council for Stratford and Warwick: the government is minded to replace the district and county councils with two unitary councils, with Stratford and Warwick districts sharing one from April 2029. What happens next.
- Orbit repairs: the housing association will bring repairs in-house in the district from April 2027, councillors heard on Wednesday. Read more.
- Scam warning: fake council tax refund emails are going round. How to spot them and what to do.
- Double yellow lines start outside Stratford High School on Alcester Road on Monday 2 November. Read more.
- Grammar school places: KES and Stratford Girls’ Grammar School plan more places for children living within 13 miles from 2028, and families can comment until 27 November. Read more.
- Planning Committee: a decision on the Bearley training centre was put off on Wednesday, and officers decide most applications from 31 October. Read more.
- Flooding: the MP, Manuela Perteghella, told the Commons about the Shipston Area Flood Action Group’s natural flood management work with landowners, Hansard shows.
Buildings and planning
- Village housing plans: objections to 265 homes south of Henley-in-Arden, homes at Clifford Chambers, Watery Lane, Ullenhall and behind Broom High Street, and a new plan at Gaydon two years after an appeal was lost.
- Bearley: a scrap metal yard plan has drawn village objections.
- Shipston: the new Sainsbury’s has applied for its signs ahead of opening. Read more.
- Roads: a 50mph limit for the Shottery relief road, and where safety fixes stand at the Birmingham Road junctions.
- Every new application is in Planning this week, and new shops and licences, including the Avon Market coming to the old Paperway shop, are in New in Stratford. Search near your home with Planning near me.
Culture and community
- Sir Patrick Stewart, who spent 16 years at the RSC in Stratford, has died aged 86. Read more.
- A 1584 witchcraft book linked to Macbeth has been bought by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Read more.
- House prices: the district average rose 1.3% in the year to August. Read more.
- Remembrance: service dates and times for Stratford in 2026.
- Awards: a Rother House Medical Centre GP won an Outstanding Contribution to General Practice award at the Best Practice Show, the Stratford Herald reports.
This weekend
It’s Halloween weekend. The Riverside Halloween fireworks are on Friday 30 October, with costume parties, the ghost walk and a late opening at Compton Verney on Saturday 31 October, and the Stratford Rugby Club bonfire on Sunday 1 November (gates 5pm, fireworks 7pm). The Stratford Literary Festival runs until Sunday, and the Waterside Upmarket is on Sunday from 10am to 5pm. After a foggy Friday morning, the forecast is dry for Friday and Saturday, and cooler on Sunday. Our Halloween weekend guide and the what’s on this weekend page have the details.
Next week and beyond
- Monday 2 November: the new double yellow lines on Alcester Road come into force. See all Stratford road closures.
- Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 November: more Bonfire Night displays near Stratford, including Shipston, Warwick, Kenilworth and Hatton. Dates and tickets.
- Sunday 8 November: Remembrance Sunday in Stratford, with town centre roads closed.
- Saturday 14 November: the Christmas lights switch-on. Everything else for the season is in our Christmas in Stratford guide.
Last week’s round-up is here. All our stories are on the Stratford-upon-Avon news page, and buses, trains and roads right now are on Stratford Live.
Alex Harrington
Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.
