Morning, MK 👋
This week, Milton Keynes is preparing for more robots, a familiar city-centre venue is getting a new lease of life, and there’s a packed few days ahead for markets, music and things to do.
Also this week: six new padel courts get an opening date, a new inclusive community space launches at Xscape, and we’ve found everything from Oktoberfest to Pokémon cards for your weekend plans.
Let’s get into it. 👇
In today’s Loop:
🤖 Delivery robot wars are coming to MK
🎤 A familiar venue gets a new lease of life
🎾 Six new padel courts get an opening date
🍺 Oktoberfest takes over Campbell Park
🧺 Markets, music and plenty to do this week
IN THE LOOP
MK’s delivery robots are getting some competition
Milton Keynes’ little white delivery robots are about to get some company.
Deliveroo is bringing Coco Robotics to the city, making MK one of the first places in the UK to get its new autonomous delivery service. The robots travel at walking pace and will carry orders from local restaurants, including Smoke and Pepper.
There’s no exact launch date yet. Coco starts in Canary Wharf this month, with Milton Keynes following in the coming weeks and months.
After eight years of Starship, it looks like the pavements are getting competitive.
The old Bistro Live is getting a new life
The former Bistro Live site on Midsummer Boulevard is becoming House of Montra, a new venue for live music, comedy and late-night events.
It starts tonight with open-mic comedy, before live bands arrive on Fridays from 16 October and Saturday nights follow later in the month. The full venue opens on 29 October.
The bit we particularly like: they're actively looking for local comedians, bands and DJs at every level, including people looking for their first proper opportunity on stage.
QUICK LOOP
🧩 A new inclusive space is opening at Xscape
The Yard:MK opens at Xscape this Friday, created especially with neurodiverse children, young people and SEND families in mind. There’ll be sensory-friendly activities, gaming, STEM, creative spaces and support for families, although everyone is welcome. The free launch event is already close to capacity at the time of writing.
🎾 Padel is coming to Willen Lake
Milton Keynes is getting a new six-court padel club at Willen Lake, opening on 17 October. Four courts will be covered and two outdoors, with beginner sessions, coaching and social games planned. All six will also be suitable for adaptive padel and wheelchair users.
🥕 There’s an urban farm hiding in Wolverton
Tucked between houses on Windsor Street is The Urb Farm, a 2.5-acre market garden growing seasonal fruit, veg and honey while helping young people outside mainstream education gain skills and experience. You can actually shop there too: its farm market opens every Tuesday, plus the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
🚌 Woburn Sands gets live bus boards
Two Woburn Sands bus stops now have real-time departure screens, at the Recreation Ground and Turnpike Road. They also include an audio option for visually impaired passengers and Marston Vale Line train times. A combined live bus-and-rail information board in the town centre is planned next.
WHAT’S ON
💬 Practise your English over a cuppa
THU 8 OCT · 11AM-12PM · CENTRAL LIBRARY · FREE
Central Library's weekly English Conversation Club is back this morning, offering a relaxed place for anyone who speaks English as a second language to practise through conversation. There's no need to register, just turn up.
😂 A big Thursday night of comedy
THU 8 OCT · 8PM · THE RESIDENCE · £10
Britain’s Got Talent finalist Daliso Chaponda headlines Funhouse Comedy at The Residence in The Hub. Pam Ford and Kent Cameron are also on the bill, with Stevie Gray hosting the night.
🎤 Have a go at open mic night
THU 8 OCT · 8:30PM · THE WHITE HORSE · FREE
Musicians, singers, comedians, poets and spoken-word performers can take the mic at The White Horse in Stony Stratford. It runs every Thursday and entry is free, whether you're performing or just there to watch.
🇺🇸 Nashville comes to Campbell Park
FRI 9 OCT · CAMPBELL PARK · FROM £15
Campbell Park's Oktoberfest weekend starts with a country takeover on Friday. Country Roadshow: Summer in Nashville fills the big tent for the night, before the traditional Bavarian celebration takes over on Saturday.
🐕 Catch Curious Incident before it leaves MK
TO SAT 10 OCT · MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is in its final few days at Milton Keynes Theatre. The new production of Mark Haddon’s much-loved story runs until Saturday, so there are only a few chances left to catch it.
📸 Explore Blue Lagoon through a camera lens
SAT 10 OCT · 9:30-11:30AM · BLUE LAGOON, BLETCHLEY · FREE
A free guided photography walk around Blue Lagoon is taking place on Saturday morning as part of the reserve’s Trails, Tales & Lanterns programme. The series explores the site’s wildlife, history and landscape following improvements to its walking and cycling routes. Places are limited, so booking is required.
🪑 Take an empty chair and meet someone new
SAT 10 OCT · 10AM-1PM · THE HIVE, WHITEHOUSE · FREE
A simple idea for World Mental Health Day: an empty chair, a cup of coffee and someone willing to listen. Sawubona and Empty Chairs are hosting a free community coffee morning at The Hive for anyone who wants some company, is new to MK or simply fancies a conversation. There’s no pressure, no agenda and everyone is welcome.
🧺 Browse Woburn Sands Community Market
SAT 10 OCT · 10AM-2PM · MEMORIAL GREEN, WOBURN SANDS
Woburn Sands Community Market returns to Memorial Green on Saturday with locally produced food, drink and independent traders. Local microbakery Piccolina says it's bringing a new Butter Bar, with homemade flavoured butters to go with its loaves. It takes place on the second Saturday of each month, so it's one to remember for future weekends too.
🍺 Oktoberfest takes over Campbell Park
SAT 10 OCT · CAMPBELL PARK · £15
Saturday is the main event at Campbell Park, with the huge bier tent turning Bavarian for MK Oktoberfest. Expect steins, live entertainment and plenty of lederhosen as the annual celebration returns for another year.
🏒 Catch MK Lightning under the lights
SAT 10 OCT · 7PM · PLANET ICE
Milton Keynes Lightning are back on home ice on Saturday night, taking on Sheffield Steeldogs in League & Cup action. If you’ve never been, it’s one of MK’s better-value live sporting nights and a very different Saturday evening from the usual pub or cinema.
🎧 Underground house comes to Stonebridge
SAT 10 OCT · 7PM-1AM · LION & SUN TAVERN
A smaller one for the night owls: Common Ground returns to Stonebridge after its summer launch with six hours of underground house and techno. Local DJs Jobi, Chris Brabrook, Spennewyn and Glen Moran are on the decks, moving from deeper grooves into tougher late-night sounds.
🐑 Shaun the Sheep gets spooky at MK Gallery
SAT 10 to SUN 11 OCT · MK GALLERY · FROM FREE TO £9
A new Shaun the Sheep Halloween film starts screening at MK Gallery this weekend. The Beast of Mossy Bottom sees Shaun attempt to rescue the farm’s pumpkin patch, with things predictably getting out of hand. There are screenings on Saturday and Sunday, including a relaxed screening on Sunday morning.
🎠 Hear the fairground organs come back to life
SAT 10 to SUN 11 OCT · MILTON KEYNES MUSEUM
The museum’s annual Organ Festival brings its historic fairground organs back to life for the weekend, from tiny music boxes to the huge instruments that once provided the soundtrack to travelling fairs.
Under-fives go free, and normal museum admission gives you return visits for a year.
🏊 Try a family activity for free
SAT 10 to SUN 11 OCT · 9AM-4PM · BLETCHLEY LEISURE CENTRE · FREE
Bletchley Leisure Centre is opening its doors for a weekend of free activities and taster sessions, whether you're a member or not. There’s family swimming, swimming lesson tasters, gym activities and children's entertainment across the weekend. Some sessions need booking in advance.
🥖 Spend Sunday at Wolverton Street Market
SUN 11 OCT · 10AM-2PM · THE SQUARE, WOLVERTON · FREE
The Square fills with independent traders on Sunday, including Plant Bass’d, Really Good Sausages, Humble Unbakery, Cheese on Towcest and plenty more. There'll also be live music from Robyn Kitchen, alongside local community groups and businesses around the square.
🃏 Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and more take over Unity Place
SUN 11 OCT · 10:30AM-4PM · UNITY PLACE · FROM £2.50
Milton Keynes is getting its first UK Card Shows event on Sunday, with traders and collectors taking over Unity Place. Expect Pokémon, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering and plenty of opportunities to buy, sell and trade cards.
🚐 Take a ride through MK without a driver
TUE 13 OCT · 9AM-5PM · CENTRAL MILTON KEYNES · FREE
Delivery robots aren't the only autonomous machines hitting MK next week. As part of MK Tech Week (12-16 October), Ohmio's self-driving shuttles will be carrying passengers around Central Milton Keynes on Tuesday, including between the station and MK Gallery. Anyone can hop aboard and experience the technology for themselves.
💃 Mamma Mia! arrives in MK
FROM TUE 13 OCT · MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
Mamma Mia! begins a two-week run at Milton Keynes Theatre on Tuesday, bringing Sophie, Donna and a frankly unreasonable number of songs you already know the words to.
🎸 Catch MK’s next generation of musicians
WED 14 OCT · 6:30PM · MK11 · £5
Milton Keynes College’s Level 3 music students are taking over MK11 for their first live showcase of the year. The students will perform sets on one of the city’s grassroots stages, making this a cheap way to see some of MK’s emerging young musicians right at the start.
🧠 Fancy a pub quiz?
A few confirmed quiz nights around MK this week:
THU 8 OCT · 8PM - MIDSUMMER TAP, CMK · FREE
SUN 11 OCT · 8PM - SHIP ASHORE, WILLEN
MON 12 OCT · 7:30PM - OLD BEAMS, SHENLEY LODGE · £2
TUE 13 OCT · 8:30PM - FOX & HOUNDS, STONY STRATFORD
WED 14 OCT · 8PM - WARBLER ON THE WHARF · £2
THAT’S YOUR LOOP
That’s your Loop for this week.
Spotted a new opening, local event or something happening around MK that deserves more attention? Just reply to this email and let me know. I read every one.
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See you next Thursday,
Jake
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