⏩ The Gloucester Start: Thursday April 3rd
Election candidates finalised | Incinerator 'more expensive than landfill' | Bar's 2015 prices for one night only
Good morning, welcome to Thursday’s Start. If you can find a couple of moments to hit share, forward to a friend or just generally help spread the word, that would be wonderful. Here’s today’s bulletin.
☀️ Today’s weather: Temperatures are creeping up with more bright sun for much of the day. It’s also set to be fairly blustery with gusts of wind of 30-35mph predicted.
💷 Gloucester City Council paid back £7,501 in unused community funds to housing developer Barratt Homes. The money could have been used on a skatepark but the deadline for spending it expired. - Gloucester News Centre, via the Local Democracy Reporting Service
🔥 The Javelin Park incinerator is costing taxpayers more than landfill did, according to campaigners. Community R4C say the facility has cost £42million in its first five years in operation, with extra costs coming. In response, the county council said it has generated ‘tens of millions’ in reserves. - Gloucester News Centre, via the LDRS
🗳️ Nominations have closed for anyone wanting to stand as a candidate in the Gloucestershire County Council elections on May 1st. You can see who’s standing in the Gloucester seats via the links here. - Gloucester City Council
🏖️ A Brockworth couple have won a seaside villa in Cyprus worth more than £500,000. Andrew and Anna (their surnames aren’t given) picked up the keys after entering a competition. - Gloucestershire Live
🛍️ Independent shop The Candle Tree is leaving Gloucester after eight years. It will continue online after its owner said she wants to leave the premises while still successful. - Candle Tree 👇
🌡️ Gloucester City Homes will spend £5million upgrading its properties to be warmer and more energy efficient. The social housing provider has had £2.2million in government grants to help. - Gloucestershire Live
🎥 Film crews were shooting a national TV advert in Gloucester city centre. Howdens Local Insurance has moved into the former Clarks unit in Eastgate Street and the branch is being used in a nationwide promotion. There’s also a family fun day there on April 12th to support the Pied Piper Appeal. - Gloucester News Centre
👨👩👦👦 Children and family centres across Gloucester and the Forest of Dean are now run by the Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. Its contract started on April 1st after it put together a bid centred on a ‘whole neighbourhood approach’. - Gloucestershire Gateway Trust
🎾 Oxstalls Sports Park has been given an award for making tennis there as inclusive as possible. It’s been awarded the Tennis Opened Up LTA Award by Gloucestershire Tennis. - Punchline Gloucester
🚨 Police and crime news
🚨 Drugs were seized and arrests made in an expanded police operation in Gloucester on Saturday night. Extra officers, many in plain clothes, patrolled the city centre to crack down on late night issues as part of Operation Comet. - Gloucestershire Constabulary
🚨 A police officer was allegedly punched and headbutted by a man in Tuffley. The officer was not seriously injured and a 50-year-old man has been arrested and bailed. - Gloucestershire Live
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📌 Brewhouse & Kitchen celebrates its 10th anniversary this weekend with a birthday celebration. The Gloucester Docks bar and restaurant has live music, kids face painting, free burgers - and is rolling prices back to 2015 rates for the night 👇 - Thanks to subscriber Hugh for this submission
📌 Plenty of stalls are still available for the next Cathedral Quarter Makers Market on April 12th and 13th. They are £30 per day for any local independent makers to showcase their work. Email emily@gloucesterbid.org.uk - more here.
The top posts from Wednesday’s Start:
🎭 How you can get involved in shaping Gloucester’s next cultural strategy
💻 Fasthosts are giving a free website to any business with a GL postcode
📈 See how much your bills are likely to rise by with ‘Awful April’ postcode checker