Newbury is a town of about 32,000, about 60 miles west of London on the River Kennet. Its old town centre contains many 17th century buildings, but Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former airbase at Greenham Common.

Newbury is served by two railway stations, Newbury and Newbury Racecourse, which both lie on the Great Western Main Line between London and Bristol. The M4 motorway runs 3 miles to the north, with the Newbury Junction 13 at Chieveley.

Newbury was the site of two English Civil War battles, the First Battle of Newbury (at Wash Common) in 1643 and the Second Battle of Newbury (at Speen) in 1644. The nearby Donnington Castle was reduced to a ruin in the aftermath of the second battle.

On the outskirts of Newbury is the world headquarters of the mobile network operator Vodafone, which is the town's largest employer with over 4,000 people.

There is a wide range of arts provision in the Newbury area - The Corn Exchange providing a main focus for both professional and amateur live performances. The Watermill Theatre is prolific and internationally renowned, and New Greenham Arts is building a reputation for supporting new and emerging artists. Annually the Newbury Spring Festival showcases classical music in a variety of venues, and The Newbury Comedy Festival has rapidly become a key feature in the town's cultural calendar.