⏩ The Gloucester Start: Monday May 19th
Air quality improves | Stone pie given to King | Car boot reopening
Good morning, welcome to Monday’s Start. This is edition number 108 of your free daily bulletins about our city. If you’re finding them useful, please do send to a friend or hit share - word of mouth helps so much.
⛅ Today’s weather: More overcast and slightly cooler.
☁️ Air quality has improved in Gloucester to the point that pollution monitors can be removed. Lower pollution levels in three central areas follow a national trend driven by newer, cleaner cars replacing older vehicles. - Gloucester News Centre, via the Local Democracy Reporting Service
🏡 Affordable new homes are set to be built at Gloucester’s former railway depot site. The land off Great Western Road has planning permission for 315 homes, with 113 of those now set to be delivered by Bromford Housing Association after a deal was struck. - Gloucestershire Live
🚗 The new operator of Gloucester Car Boot says it could become one of the biggest in the country. Capital Boot Sales won the licence to operate the site at Hempsted Meadows and is set to reopen it this summer, operating all year round. - Gloucestershire Live
🩸 Further industrial action has been announced by NHS staff at Gloucestershire’s hospitals in an ongoing dispute over pay banding. Phlebotomists - blood sampling specialists - marked their 50th day of action last week, with more strikes happening until at least June 1st. - Gloucestershire Live
🍺 The ‘pure Gloucester’ tradition which sees a group of medieval characters test the quality of ale at city pubs using a stool and leather breeches has marked its 20th anniversary. The Assize of Ale was brought back in 2003 and, the Covid pandemic excepted, has taken place every year since. - Call Me Will
🥧 Gloucester has gifted a stone carving of a lamprey pie to King Charles. It took up residence in Highgrove last week and follows the historic tradition of the city giving the delicacy to the monarch on special occasions. - Highgrove Gardens
↪️ See how it came together by sculptor Deborah Harrison using stone from Llanthony Priory 👇
🔥 A private ambulance burst into flames on Eastern Avenue on Friday, closing the road. Residents said they heard an explosion before seeing the vehicle engulfed in flames. No-one was hurt. - Gloucestershire Live
💪 Gloucester MP Alex McIntyre has revealed he’s lost seven stone in weight since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes earlier this year. He hosted an event in Parliament to mark Diabetes UK’s 10 year vision to transform prevention. - Alex McIntyre
🟪 Gloucester has been awarded a Purple Flag for the eighth year running, an award which marks somewhere as offering a safe and welcoming night out. Judges visited earlier in the year. - Punchline Gloucester
🧇 Sweet treats will be served up from a new waffle house opening tomorrow. The Wafflers, in Northgate Street, will welcome its first customers from 5pm 👇
☕ Starbucks is opening a new branch in Quedgeley. The coffee giant has applied for planning permission for signage at a site in Kingsways Business Park, of Naas Lane. - Gloucestershire Live
💰 Gloucester’s Beatrix Potter links are well-known - and could even net you some serious cash. A Tailor of Gloucester 50p coin has been listed on eBay in excess of £20,000. It’s described as ‘extremely rare’. - Northern Echo
🚨 Police and crime news
🚨 A man was left with possible fractures and needing hospital treatment after being attacked with baseball bats in Matson. A 35-year-old man has been arrested. - Gloucestershire Live
🚨 A woman armed with a bread knife near Gloucester Cathedral has been arrested on suspicion of robbery after allegedly threatening passers-by to hand over their mobile phones. - BBC Gloucestershire
🚨 Four arrests have been made after the suspected stabbing of a driver on Westgate Island. He was allegedly attacked through the window of his car while waiting at traffic lights, with the suspects traced to the city centre. - Gloucester News Centre
🚨 Gloucester’s crime rate is the highest in the county, despite a fall in the total number of crimes being recorded. The figures for 2024 show 15,343 crimes were reported in the city, 115 for every 1,000 people. - Gloucestershire Live (interactive)
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📌 The Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility 2025 Community Fund is now open. Local groups in Hunts Grove, Hardwicke, Quedgeley, and surrounding areas can apply for a share of £33,500 to support projects with environmental, social, or community benefits. Past funding has supported village halls, defibrillators, toddler groups & more. Apply by early August. More details.
📅 Things to do today and tomorrow
🏉 Walking Rugby at Gloucester Cathedral | Today, 9.30am | Free | Details
🏹 Archery for 7-16-year-olds at The Friendship Cafe | Every Monday, 7pm | £2 | Details
🖌️ Let’s Paint beginner painting class at The Boat on The Docks | Tuesday, 6.45pm | £20 | Details
🎭 Cutting Out theatre by Viv Gordon Company at Gloucester Guildhall | Tuesday and Wednesday, 7.30pm | Pay what you can | Details
😂 Comedy Night at The Roastery, Riverside | Tuesday, 7.30pm | £10 | Details