⏩ The Gloucester Start: Friday June 26th

Schools set to leave troubled trust | A417 'switch' delayed | Things to do this weekend

Jun 26, 2026

Good morning, welcome to Friday’s Start. I hope you have a great - and hopefully slightly cooler - weekend ahead. Back on Monday.

☀️ Today’s weather: Slightly cooler but not by much.

📚 Eight specialist and mainstream schools are set to leave the SAND Academies Trust which its trustees have said is no longer sustainable. Milestone School, Calton Primary and Tredworth Infant and Nursery Academy are among those affected. - Punchline Gloucester

🚧 Work that would have led to drivers being able to use a two-mile stretch of the new A417 Missing Link has been delayed to next weekend because of the heat. The ‘traffic switch’ will now happen on July 6th. - Punchline Gloucester

⚠️ Warnings have been issued to parents buying popular squishy toys after nearly 2,000 were seized by Gloucestershire Trading Standards in recent weeks. Many were copies or suspected counterfeits of top-selling brands. - Gloucester News Centre

🛍️ Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm Road club shop will only be open on matchdays once the new Macron store opens in Gloucester Quays on July 3rd. The former Heritage bar was turned into a shop and coffee bar by the club less than a year ago. 👇

🚨 Police and crime news

These are the latest incidents reported via the police’s neighbourhood-level Your Community Alerts service.

🚨 There’s been a spate of car break-ins in recent days in various parts of the city:

Toyota Yaris entered on Robin Hood Street and ID, medication and a passport taken
Vauxhall Zafira entered on Spread Eagle Road and Ford Focus entered on Ladybellegate Street. A passport, Armenia watch, toys, purse and keys were stolen across both incidents.
Citroen entered on Robinson Road and a purse stolen.
A ‘heads up’ unit was stolen in a car break-in in Oakleaze.
Ford Puma entered on Quayside Way and a bag with a torch, bank card and medication stolen.
A bank card and loose change were stolen in a car break-in on Harker Close, and a van and car were entered and rifled through on Secunda Way.
Front window smashed on a car in The Lampreys and a CarPlay system and sunglasses taken.
Bank cards were stolen and then used from cars in Swan Road and Kingsholm Road.

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📌 SONGS FOR A SUMMER DAY. Join the Ecclesiastical Insurance Staff Choir, directed by Vicki Field, and Gaudeamus for a relaxed and entertaining summer coffee concert at St Mary de Crypt. With Sue Honeywill at the piano, the programme will feature a wide variety of music, from reflective and uplifting pieces to lighter favourites full of warmth and summer spirit. Enjoy tea, coffee and homemade cakes in one of Gloucester’s most historic churches, and spend an enjoyable morning with friends, music and good company. Saturday July 11th, 11.30am, free admission, donations welcome. Refreshments available. Details here. - Thanks to subscriber Seb for these details

📌 Marvel Quiz Night at Coro Lounge! Monday June 29th. If you’re a know-it-all about all things Marvel, this one’s for you! £2pp entry, maximum teams of six. Be here for 6pm for the quiz to start at 7pm. The perfect evening to get out of the sun (oh yeah, we have air con!!!) and have a laugh with your friends. See you there!

📅 Things to do

I’d love to hear about any new events, clubs, group meetings or other interesting things to do for this section. Get in touch via the submission form or email thegloucesterstart@gmail.com

🎤 Open Mic Night at The Thirsty Pine | Friday, 7pm | Free | Details

🎶 Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye Tribute at Wotton Hall Social Club | Friday, 7pm | From £15 | Details

🎸 Soul Strutters Live at Cafe Rene | Friday, 9pm | Free | Details

🏍️ Cotton Motorcycle Rally at The Folk of Gloucester | Saturday, 11am-4pm | Free | Details

🍓 Strawberry Fayre at Hucclecote Methodist Church | Saturday, 1pm | £1 adults | Details

🖋️ Nature Journal Workshop at Museum of Gloucester | Saturday, 2pm | £5 | Details

🎻 Ministry of Sound Classical plus support at Kingsholm Stadium | Saturday, from 4pm | Prices vary | Details

🎮 Nintendo Gloucestershire at Gloucester Guildhall | Saturday, 6pm | Free | Details

🎭 Hamlet The Musical at Kings Theatre | Saturday, 7.30pm | £15 | Details

🎟️ Tom Jones plus support at Kingsholm Stadium | Sunday, from 6pm | Prices vary | Details

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