⏩ The Gloucester Start: Wednesday March 19th
Devolution row | Police officer's 134mph mistake | Film fest returns
Good morning, welcome to Wednesday’s Start. A reminder that you can submit news, events, announcements and anything else of interest to Gloucester for inclusion via this simple form. And do please share the Start with friends to help keep it growing.
🗳️ Opinions remain significantly divided on what Gloucestershire should look like post-devolution. Two of the county’s six district councils have joined calls for it to be split into two - east and west. But Gloucester City Council’s leader is among those saying that idea is flawed. A joint letter is due to be submitted to the government this week. - Gloucestershire Live, via the Local Democracy Reporting Service
↪️ Cheltenham Borough Council has been accused of ‘underhand behaviour’ after commissioning its own report on devolution, but its leader denied suggestions it has been working in secret. - Gloucestershire Live, via LDRS
☀️ Today’s weather: Significantly warmer than the past few days with temperatures at 15C, but generally overcast.
💩 Dog walkers leaving poo bags around hedges next to a rugby ground have no excuse after new bins were installed in Podsmead. They’re at the entrances to the path through the memorial ground there. - Punchline Gloucester
↪️ In the same area, the new Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub is almost finished and will open in April 👇
🛍️ Clothes retailer Select Fashion is set to close some stores, which may put the future of its branch in the Eastgate Shopping Centre in doubt. - Punchline Gloucester
🛬 Gloucestershire Airport closed a runway after an incident involving a light aircraft making an emergency landing. One person was taken to hospital. - BBC Gloucestershire
📽️ Gloucester Independent Film Festival returns next month after a sell-out success last year. It’s at the Guildhall on April 12th and features a programme including Signs of Life, Two Big Feet and The Spin. - Punchline Gloucester
🛏️ About £3million has been spent purchasing and restoring one of Gloucester’s most historic buildings into a luxury hotel and apartments. Judges Lodgings in Spa Road is now the highest-rated accommodation in the city, according to its owner. - Punchline Gloucester
💔 A 79-year-old cyclist died 10 days after being involved in a car crash on an unnamed road in Hardwicke, where he was from. Police are investigating. - BBC Gloucestershire
🚔 Police officer Andrew Wood would have been dismissed without notice had he not already resigned for an unauthorised motorway pursuit which hit speeds of 134mph, a misconduct hearing found. He quit while suspended in October last year. - Gloucestershire Live
🚨 A man who contaminated supermarket products by spraying a mixture of his own urine and faeces has been found dead. Sahnoun Daifallah, a former chemist, caused £700,000 worth of losses to four businesses, including a Tesco and a Morrisons in Gloucester, in 2008. - Gloucestershire Live
📌 Community Noticeboard
📌 Join the Gloucester 10K on June 29th, 2025 at Gloucester Park. This fun and scenic route takes you past some of Gloucester’s well-known landmarks - all while supporting local charities. Sign up here.
The top posts from Tuesday’s Start:
🚌 Multi-million pound transport scheme for county moving forward
⚒️ Festival of archaeology returning to Gloucester this summer
🚨 Burglary map shows where the most and least offenders are caught