⏩ The Gloucester Start: Friday March 7th
Parish plan questioned | Cadets go undercover | Things to do this weekend
Good morning, welcome to Friday’s Start. We’re set for a good weekend of sunny weather and as ever in my Friday bulletins there’s some ideas for how to spend it if you’re staying in Gloucester. Here’s today’s round-up.
⁉️ City council leader Jeremy Hilton has been asked to explain what he meant by saying previous budgets had been ‘fiddled’ by Conservatives. He said he couldn’t remember making the comment. - Gloucestershire Live, via the Local Democracy Reporting Service
☁️ Weekend weather: Today is less settled than of late with overcast skies, but mild throughout. A much brighter weekend ahead though with sun forecast and temperatures hitting 16C.
🚨 Threats of violence were made to a charity shop worker at the Salvation Army outlet in Eastgate Street. A shopper who overheard the confrontation came to the woman’s aid, who police want to speak to. - Gloucestershire Live
🏠 County councillors have agreed to set aside £1.7million to top up payments to households hosting Ukrainian refugees. The payments can reach £600 a month and the scheme will run for three more years from April. - Gloucester News Centre, via LDRS
⚖️ Guilty pleas have been entered by a man who killed a passenger in his car and seriously injured another in a crash while drunk. Artur Mieszczak, from Swindon, caused the fatal incident in Witcombe in 2023. - Gloucester News Centre
❌ Undercover operations using police cadets have been carried out in shops around the county to find businesses selling corrosive substances to underage customers. Several will now be written to by Trading Standards. - Punchline Gloucester
🗳️ A plan to potentially absorb surrounding parishes into a ‘Greater Gloucester’ council in any devolution reorganisation could face stern opposition, it’s been suggested. ‘Tanks were almost on the streets’ the last time a bid to take Upton St Leonards into Gloucester City Council control was made, a meeting heard. - Gloucestershire Live, via LDRS
🩷 Inspiring women from in and around Gloucester got a mention in Parliament yesterday. Ahead of International Women’s Day tomorrow, city MP Alex McIntyre hailed the work of, among others, city councillor Carol Francis and the Gloucester-Hartpury rugby team. - Alex McIntyre on Facebook or read the exchange in Hansard
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📌 There’s a new cafe in The Oxebode. Spudz and Subz, specialising in jacket potatoes, sandwiches and breakfasts. has opened in the former Yanto’s unit. It’s been the ‘dream’ of its owners for a while. More here.
📌 Eastgate Indoor Market has a new business calling it home too. Eastgate Fresh Fruit and Vegetables is the newest addition, coming to Gloucester after 10 years in Bristol. More here.
📌 Project Grow is an urban community farming collective growing GOOD food around the city for community food projects including Wiggly Charity. Come join in their Tuesday growing session starting at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub from 10am. No experience needed. Learn how to sow, grow and harvest seasonal chemical free vegetables.
Things to do this weekend
📽️ Dogman, Wicked, Captain America: Brave New World, Bridget Jones and Anora all showing at Sherborne Cinema | All weekend, various times | £6/£7 | Details
🚶 Historical Guided Walk through Gloucester, from St Mary de Crypt | Saturday, 11am | £7 adults, £2/£3 children | Details
🎵 Another Audience Without Jake Thackray - a show celebrating Thackray’s work - at The Folk | Saturday, 7.30pm | £15 | Details
🩷 International Women’s Day Event - a space for women-owned businesses, creatives, and the wider community to connect, share, and inspire each other - at Eastgate Shopping Centre | Saturday, 11am-5pm | Free | Details
😂 Comedy with Larry Dean: Dodger at Gloucester Guildhall | Saturday, 7.30pm | £18 | Details
👧 Karen’s Kids’ Diner returns for its second and final weekend at Eastgate Shopping Centre 👇
The top posts from Thursday’s Start:
🚧 City crest on new gates ‘fell off into our hands’, say podcasters
❓ Devolution - the options and who wants what
⚖️ Woman denies manslaughter of care home resident