As 2025 draws to a close, it’s been a year filled with community spirit, memorable events, and stories that reflect the heart of Andover. Across the Love Andover website and the airwaves of 95.9FM Andover Radio, the town has celebrated achievements, stood together in challenging moments, and enjoyed plenty of great local culture. Here’s our round-up of the top moments from 2025.
January set the tone for 2025 in Andover, with major decisions, a staple of the town closing it’s doors, exciting announcements and a renewed focus on local voices shaping the month.
Green light for the future of The Lights
Early in the year, councillors approved plans to demolish the former Poundstretcher building, clearing the way for the long-anticipated New Lights Theatre project.
The decision marked a significant milestone in Andover’s cultural regeneration, bringing the town a step closer to a modern theatre and arts venue designed to boost the town centre and enhance Andover’s creative offering.
New attraction planned for Riverside Activity Zone
January also brought excitement for families and thrill-seekers as Riverside Activity Zone announced plans for a brand-new laser tag arena, scheduled to open in February.
The announcement signalled further investment in Andover’s leisure scene, adding another interactive experience to one of the town’s most popular activity hubs.
Cameo & Vinyl closes its doors
January also marked the end of an era for Andover’s nightlife, as Cameo & Vinyl confirmed it had closed its doors during the first week of January.
The closure was confirmed by Cheltenham-based operators Epic Bars and Pubs, who had been running the venue since November 2023. The company said the decision was made so it could focus on its other venues across Salisbury, Basingstoke and its upcoming site in Fleet.
The building, previously known as Chaplins, Flicks and Life, has been a long-standing part of Andover’s night-time economy, and its closure marked a notable change for the town centre at the very start of 2025.
More local voices on Andover Radio
Community broadcasting took a big step forward as Andover Radio announced a wave of new local presenters, reinforcing its commitment to representing the town it serves.
Listeners were welcomed to new voices on the airwaves, including:
- Jacques Joubert
- Dave Allon
- Pete Burden
- Bob Wylde
- Dan Finch
The move strengthened Andover Radio’s local identity, ensuring more stories, opinions and personalities from across the community were heard throughout the year.
February was a landmark month for Andover, bringing bold cultural ambition and hands-on excitement to the heart of the town.
A spectacular new theatre revealed
Test Valley Borough Council unveiled detailed plans for Andover’s new theatre and performance venue, set to be built in the town centre with a capacity of up to 1,000 people.
The proposed venue is designed to become a flagship cultural space for Andover, supporting large-scale performances while also offering flexible, multipurpose facilities for a wide range of events.
To bring the vision to life, the council has been working closely with specialist architects Burrell Foley Fischer (BFF), alongside a team of technical experts. The design aims to retain the spirit of The Lights while delivering a modern, future-proofed venue that meets the needs of performers, audiences and the wider community.
The demand for a new theatre was first identified during consultation on the Andover Masterplan, which saw more than 4,100 residents share their views on the town’s future. The response was clear: almost 80% of residents said a new town-centre theatre was a priority, underlining just how important cultural investment is to the community.
Laser Tag launches at Riverside Activity Zone
February also delivered excitement on a very different scale as Riverside Activity Zone celebrated the official launch of its brand-new Laser Tag Zone.
The attraction opened to the public on Saturday 1 February 2025, giving players their first chance to experience the high-energy, action-packed arena. The launch event was met with an overwhelmingly positive response, with families, friends and groups eager to try out Andover’s newest interactive experience.
The successful opening marked another step forward in expanding Andover’s leisure and entertainment offering, particularly for young people and families.
March was a standout month in Andover’s 2025 calendar, defined by live music, creative energy and exciting news for the town centre.
Andover Rocks 2025 strikes a powerful chord
March was dominated by Andover Rocks 2025, as the full venue list and line-up details dropped ahead of a hugely successful weekend.
Across the town, venues were transformed into live stages, delivering a proper celebration of local music, performance and creativity. From emerging artists to well-loved local acts, Andover Rocks once again showcased the depth of musical talent in the area.
Beyond the entertainment, the festival also made a real difference — raising £5,000 for a charity supporting people with mental health challenges through musical intervention therapy, reinforcing the powerful link between creativity and wellbeing.
New food and drink venues announced for the High Street
March also brought welcome news for Andover’s hospitality scene, with two new food and drink venues announced.
Andover residents were told to look forward to the arrival of Powder Monkey, the Hampshire-based brewing company set to take over occupation of the lower Guildhall on the High Street. The move promised to bring locally brewed beer and a fresh social space into the heart of town.
At the same time, plans emerged for Vicolo Lounge, as planning applications revealed proposals to transform the former Barclays building, which had stood empty since the previous year.
Two applications were submitted, including one for outdoor seating, strongly hinting at a lively café-bar atmosphere that could add further vibrancy to the High Street and encourage more daytime and evening footfall.
