GALLERY B·R

Gallery B·R sits in the Cotswold countryside near Stroud, a proper working artist studio space rather than a traditional gallery with stuffy opening hours and velvet ropes. What you get here is direct access to contemporary art in the making - painters, sculptors, and makers working in their studios, often happy to chat about their practice if you catch them on the right day.

The gallery itself focuses on emerging and established artists working across painting, sculpture, and mixed media. It's the kind of place where you can genuinely see the fingerprints on the work, both literally and conceptually. There's no pretension about it. You wander through, spend as long as you need, and leave whenever. Free entry, which is rare enough to mention.

Who'll get the most from it? Anyone with a genuine interest in contemporary art will find it worthwhile. It's not the spot for casual Instagram-hunting, though - you need to want to be there. Families with young kids might find thirty minutes is their limit, depending on temperament.

If you're based at one of the nearby glamping spots - Malmesbury Glamping or Tobacconist Farm are both excellent - Gallery B·R makes a morning or afternoon excursion worth planning into a longer Cotswolds visit. The surrounding landscape is proper beautiful for walks, and Stroud itself has decent cafes and lunch spots.

Check ahead before visiting, as studio galleries operate on their own schedule. Worth ringing first to confirm they're open.