Wondering what to do in Rugby? Well, our handy guide has you covered. Home to one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in England, the namesake town that gave the world the greatest game in history, and the birthplace of the jet engine; there’s a whole lot of history to this pretty corner of Warwickshire, with plenty of great days out helping you delve into the life and times of Rugby. There’s also a fantastic local theatre for you to visit if you’re looking for entertainment options during your stay in one of our Rugby hotels. On top of that, we’ve cherry-picked our favourite cafés and restaurants for when you get peckish, and filtered down the local conglomerate of bars and pubs to the cream of the crop.
Things to do in Rugby
Shopping
A modern out-of-town shopping centre packed with over 30 retail outlets, cafés and restaurants, Elliotts Field Retail Park is a popular shopping option and just over the River Avon from our Rugby North (Newbold) hotel. Home to H&M, M&S, Nike and River Island, you can also refuel at Nando’s, Costa and Brooklyn Pizza.
Rugby Central in the heart of the town is a covered shopping mall with onsite parking, dozens of High Street brands and plenty of cafés and restaurants to choose from. The shopping mall is home to over 50 stores and is one of the main entertainment hubs in the region, attracting over 100,000 visitors each week.
Lastly, the Rugby Market has been running since 1235 and continues to operate three days a week on Monday, Friday and Saturday from 8.30am to 4pm opposite the Clock Tower in the centre of town. As you’d expect, you can pick up a wide range of goods here, including fruit and vegetables, arts and crafts, flowers and plants, as well as sampling from a wide range of food and drink stalls.
Getting Around
Birmingham Airport is less than 30 miles from Rugby, with the direct train service from Rugby Train Station taking around 45 minutes, roughly the same time as by car. The airport is one of the busiest in the UK, with hundreds of flights available daily across the UK, Europe and further afield. Alternatively, make your journey even simpler by staying the night before you travel at one of our hotels near Birmingham Airport.
On the northern edge of the town, the Rugby Train Station is a six-platform station with regular services to London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Carlisle, Crew and Chester. The station has several toilets and waiting rooms, a shop and café, and is a 20-minute walk from the centre of town and a five-minute drive from our Rugby North (Newbold) hotel.
Shopping in Rugby
