News from the Shire - Wednesday 2nd April

The latest roundup of news away from Gloucester and Cheltenham…

Dear readers - after a well earned break I am back with my News from the Shire roundup designed to provide you with headlines away from Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Providing links to stories covering Tewkesbury, Stroud, the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean, the message I’ve heard from readers is there needs to be more coverage of rural communities. Of course I still cover our two main urban communities too but this part of my blog is dedicated to other parts of Gloucestershire.

You will receive a county-wide roundup again this Saturday and so far this week we’ve seen the biggest Severn Bore of the year and a recent example of a good positive story I’ve published is the fifth birthday celebrations at Cotswolds Radio.

Based at the Old Prison in Northleach, the piece is below and beyond is your latest News from the Shire roundup.

Tewkesbury

🛍️ Marks and Spencers are the latest addition to the brand new Cotswolds Designer Outlet just off junction 9 of the M5 at Tewkesbury. The shopping centre on the A46 at Ashchurch is due to open in July and other names coming are Wagamama, Mountain Warehouse, ProCook and Puma. Simon Hacker, Punchline

😮 A couple from Brockworth were 'gobsmacked' after finding out they had won a luxury villa worth £540,000. Andrew, 71, from Brockworth, was in disbelief after finding out he was the lucky winner of BOTB's Luxury Holiday Villa competition. Abigail Nicholson, Gloucestershire Live

🏗️ Developer Robert Hitchins Ltd is set to forge ahead with its plan for two new industrial units at Innsworth Business Park. Hitchins was given reserved matters planning permission from Tewkesbury Borough Council for the development. The prominent 6.7-acre employment site, which is now fully ready to develop, is located off a new roundabout on the A40 northern bypass between Cheltenham and Gloucester. Sarah Wood, Punchline

Stroud

🍺 A pub that was on the verge of being rescued from redevelopment into housing by a community-led initiative is once again up for sale. The Rose & Crown in Nympsfield closed in March 2023, sparking efforts to save the last pub in the village. Kim Horton, Gloucestershire Live

➡️ Charities and businesses have been told they will have to find a new home as their current building is being redeveloped. The Science and Technology Park in Berkeley is to be transformed into a small modular reactor for nuclear technology, owners Chiltern Vital Group (CVG) have announced. Edward Rowe, BBC Gloucestershire

💷 A campaign has launched to help buy a beloved beauty spot. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has arisen to buy the fields - known as Rodborough Fields locally - that run from Wallbridge between Arundel Drive, Rodborough Avenue and the Rodborough parish side of the River Frome. James Felton, Stroud News & Journal

📜 Works to restore the UK's oldest anti-slavery memorial have been completed. The memorial arch in the Paganhill estate area of Stroud was built in 1834 to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Specialist contractors have cleaned and repaired stone on the Grade II* listed monument - at a cost of £42,000. Ross Crane, BBC Gloucestershire

The anti-slavery memorial in Stroud has been repaired and restored (Image credit: Stroud District Council)

📣 The Unite trade union is to hold a day of action in Stroud to campaign over energy prices. Continuing its Unite Energy 4 All campaign to demand that nobody should choose between heating or eating, the protest will take place on Saturday, April 12 at 11.30am outside the Ecotricity building at Wallbridge. James Felton, Stroud News & Journal

🏠 Plans have been put forward for more than 250 homes on green fields in Cam. Two separate applications have been submitted to build a total of 266 homes across a 33 acre site behind Draycott. The proposed site is described as ‘former agricultural’ land by applicant Bathurst Ltd. Alice Knight, Stroud News & Journal

☕ A popular eatery in Minchinhampton will manage the running of Woodchester Mansion café from next month. A post on the Woodchester Mansion Facebook page revealed the impending opening: “We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that Henry’s Bakehouse Café will be joining us at the mansion, officially taking over our café from April. Ash Loveridge, Stroud Times

Cotswolds

🚌 There are calls for a public meeting to be held on the “insane” temporary solution to Bourton-on-the-Water’s coach parking nightmare amid fears people’s lives will be put at risk. The parish council voted to support a stop-gap put forward by Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) highways and County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (LD, Burton and Northleach) in February. Carmelo Garcia, Local Democracy Reporter

🚨 A resident has raised concerns after a man selling meat and fish door-to-door was asking questions about properties and vehicles in the area. Alarmed by the nature of the questions, Gloucestershire police are looking to the public for information about the man. The man selling meat and fish was reported in Lower Swell, Stow-on-the-Wold, on Thursday, March 27. Kim Horton, Gloucestershire Live

☕ A brand new café is due to open in Cirencester this week. Phoenix Café is run by a Ukrainian family - Olena, Andrii, Alina, Kris, grandparents Zina and Anatoli and little Ihor and Elina. It is believed to be the first Ukrainian café in Gloucestershire - from the ground up. Opening is this Friday (April 4th). Chris Roberts, Wilts & Glos Standard

🌲 A total of 6,700 trees have been planted at Westonbirt Arboretum since last year. Community groups, schools, and colleges joined forces to help with the planting, between November and April this year. The Silk Wood Community Planting Project saw more than 900 people from 40 groups spend 140 hours planting a mix of mostly native trees, helping to restore three hectares of ancient woodland devastated by ash dieback. Matty Airey, Wilts & Glos Standard

🥖 An artisan bakery is set to open its 14th shop in the Cotswolds. Flapjackery, which is famous for its handmade flapjacks, will open its new shop in Stow on Friday, April 11, at 11am. The shop, located in the town's historic Market Square, will be the first Cotswolds location for the bakery. Nathan Russell, Cotswold Journal

Forest of Dean

🙌 Drybrook U14s girls’ rugby team has been hard at work both on and off the pitch, taking on a large-scale litter pick in Cinderford to help raise funds for their upcoming rugby tour. Luke Davis, The Forester

🏉 The artificial turf pitch to be laid at Cinderford Rugby Club later this summer will be “among the best” playing surfaces in the country. New floodlights being installed allow the club to host under-20 internationals and meet the criteria for Championship rugby, a launch event at the Beavis Memorial Ground was told. Mark Elson, The Forester