Saturday roundup of Gloucestershire news - 8th February
Including Cheltenham residents upset at plans for a third McDonalds, a solution to Bourton's coach woes and the last day of a winter ales festival
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McDonalds plans spark fury among Cheltenham locals
Planning permission for the well-known fast food chain to change the former TGI Friday’s restaurant off Gloucester Road has been granted. It means that just off the A40, a third McDonalds is set to come to Cheltenham adding to restaurants already in the town centre and Kingsditch Retail Park.
Asking residents in both Benhall and St Mark’s, it is clear that one of the biggest concerns is traffic. Motorbike dealer Triumph Cheltenham, which is just opposite the site, told Punchline that views are “mixed” among the seven staff employed there. A comment by the business said that traffic is already “crazy” and while a closer McDonalds is something for some people to be happy about, the spokesperson said the impact it would have on locals is something they won’t “relish.”
It is true that at the worst of times journeys into the town centre from Junction 11 of the M5 can be a nightmare but whether McDonalds will take traffic into consideration, locals are sceptical.
Emailing Call Me Will, Benhall resident Leigh Spencer got in touch to say he feels the building of McDonalds will cause so much pain. “I strongly object because there are many factors such as traffic because the road is horrendous as it is, the amount of rubbish, more reason for youths to hang around and loiter in the car park and the smell is going to be horrible for residents.”
Others in the community are not impressed. Lucie Eaton said: “I object predominantly due to the congestion on what is already an incredibly busy road, the smell, the litter and how about an option for an outlet that provides food with nutritional value? We are supposed to be promoting healthy living and this is in complete opposition to that.”
Not everyone agrees though as Mark McClymont said: “If McDonalds had no interest and the building sat there for the next two years, people would still moan. They employ well, they pay taxes well and I’m not sure why people are bothered when 99% of people use McDonalds no matter how often and will probably use this one.”
In a very simple message, Suzie Jane said: “I think it’s a good thing.”
Residents have also pointed out a key section in the government’s national planning policy framework, which states: “local planning authorities should refuse applications for hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distance of schools and other places where children and young people congregate, unless the location is within a designated town centre, or in locations where there is evidence that a concentration of such uses is having an adverse impact on local health, pollution or anti-social-behaviour.”
In a statement given to Gloucestershire Live, a McDonalds spokesperson said: "We are excited about the opportunity to open a restaurant in Cheltenham this summer. The restaurant will bring significant investment to the local area and deliver up to 120 full and part-time jobs.”
A poll is below, so do get involved, share to others AND if you have a comment (keep respectful) on this story or other stories, a link can be found below. Some comments may be used for a ‘readers views’ entry (more on this soon) 👇
In other Cheltenham news…
📊 Borough Council data under the Freedom of Information Act has revealed that 270 complaints were made about graffiti between 2023 and 2024. Cheltenham BID have teamed up with police to map problem areas in the town including hot spots such as Grosvenor Terrace, Imperial Lane and Post Office Lane. New measures were announced in September 2024 as the council said that graffiti is a “persistent issue” and “effects people’s perception of their safety, property values and quality of life.”
🙌 Just under £20,000 has been raised by the Everyman Theatre in aid of Cheltenham Open Door due to the brilliant contributions of pantomime audiences. Over the festive period Aladdin drew in the crowds and the money raised will help Open Door’s work to provide essential services to vulnerable people in the community.
🏠 Plans to bring 70 homes to the former Monkscroft School site in Hesters Way are now available to view for consultation. Borough Council cabinet member for housing delivery Peter Jeffries says new and affordable homes are needed to “get people off waiting lists and into homes they so desperately need.”
📱 Cheltenham mum Ellen Roome is one of four parents who are suing TikTok after they believe their children died after taking part in a viral “blackout challenge” trend. While searches for videos or hashtags for the challenge are now blocked by the video-sharing platform, Ellen has been campaigning for “Jools Law” after she believes he died taking part in an online challenge. Seeking to get the data from TikTok to bring her clarity, Ellen tells the BBC that not giving her access to Jools’s social media account is “morally wrong.”
Photo of the week
The end of Bourton’s coach chaos?
Bourton-on-the-Water is a lovely village although I am a little biased because I have family that once lived in the community. It is common knowledge that the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ is very popular with tourists but in the past year there have been frustrations with coaches blocking roads while dropping tourists off. The nightmare began since the end of 2023 when Bourton Vale car park in Station Road stopped taking in coaches.
No designated coach parking has caused issues but this week Bourton Parish Council members voted to back a proposal by Gloucestershire Highways to make sure coaches do not enter the centre of the village. The new solution involves coaches having to use a drop off and pick up bay near Bourton Industrial Park before parking at Pulhams coaches site. In the long term the idea also involves The Cotswold School, which is looking to improve its parking on site including a permanent space for coaches.
Could this finally put the issue to bed? Lib Dem County councillor Paul Hodgkinson hopes so. He said: “I hope this will take the heat out of this issue, give residents some peace of mind and also help businesses who employ local people. I’m delighted that we have finally reached a solution which will start solving the frustrations everyone has felt on this thorny issue.”
The rest of the weekly news…
🍻 Today (Saturday February 8) is the last day of the Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival at the Watson Hall. Over 70 winter ales, local ciders and perries are on offer including thirst quenchers from Gloucestershire breweries Clavell & Hind, Goffs, Inferno Brewery and more from the county and across the UK. More details here.
🌳 Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS for short) have rounded off their 25th anniversary celebrations with a tree planting ceremony on Robinswood Hill. In partnership with Gloucester City Council, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Gloucestershire Orchard Trust, 25 trees were planted in the new GARAS Orchard. The trees are all local varieties of apple and all mark 25 years of GARAS welcoming people seeking sanctuary in Gloucestershire. Giving thanks to the community who have helped those in need, GARAS want the space to be “a place of reflection, relaxation and connection and nature.”
🗳️ Local elections are going ahead as planned with polling day on May 1. All 55 seats on Gloucestershire County Council are up for grabs, with more on this coming soon. In other local political news, Gloucester City Council is set to approve a budget that will “promote growth and create thriving communities across the city,” Lib Dem council leader Jeremy Hilton said. Some of the key details include funding to develop the Greyfriars Quarter, completion of the Forum project and energy efficiency at GL1. Opposition councillors, who have already expressed their concerns about lack of money, will get their say at a later meeting.
🍷 Some sad news for Minchinhampton as fish and chip shop The Chip Shed has announced its closure. On the theme of food and drink, confectionary business Confection Affection has announced a new opening in Nailsworth AND at the nearby Mills Estate, congratulations to Vinotopia Wine Merchants, named the Independent Drinks Retailer of the Year at The Drinks Retailing Awards.
🚓 A man in his 60s has died following a collision in Cirencester on the morning of Wednesday February 5. Officers are appealing for information. In other crime news, over 100 people were arrested as part of Gloucestershire Constabulary’s annual Christmas anti drink and drug driving campaign in conjunction with the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership and the National Police Chiefs' Council.
🚌 An on-demand bookable bus service is expanding to Newent. Called The Robin, expansion into the town has been described as filling in one last gap of the county’s rural transport network. On the theme of expansion in the Forest of Dean, a business founded by a first-time mother during lockdown, has expanded further to other communities including Clearwell. Kayleigh Spencer-Tonks has a mission to build a supportive community for new families including popular baby classes.
👮 Whilst £88m of government grants will fund Gloucestershire Constabulary’s £168m budget for 2025, the force will raise 4.5% more from the taxpayer via council tax from April. Needing the additional £80m to make the sums add up, while Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson welcomes the target to recruit more police across the country, he feels the government is not giving good enough funds to meet significant challenges such as pay increases. Mr Nelson said: “I have explored all the ways and means possible to get more money from the government, but I am left with no choice but to ask for the maximum increase in council tax."
🏫 Gloucestershire County Council staff are to paint red lines outside 30 schools to prevent parents from stopping or parking at drop-off and pick-times. Numbers of collisions and parking complaints at schools that have recorded high numbers will be involved, including five from each district which have not yet been revealed. Unsafe parking is “definitely a problem” says assistant head teacher of Abbeymead Primary School, Amy Coole, who whilst keen does feel that safety measures will be “hard to enforce.”
🚜 A fourth-generation farmer from Toddington has said that “smaller family farms are just about surviving now” and “will disappear.” Charles Day has serious concerns about the Labour government’s proposed tax policies. The government says it remains “steadfast” in its commitment for farmers such as a £5 billion investment into farming over the next two years and feels its policies are “a fair and balanced approach to fix public services.”
❤️ Tributes have been paid to Ralph Darby, who set up Dursley Ladies Hockey Club in 1986 because his daughter had no chance to play hockey after departing Rednock School. Described as the "glue that held everything together", Ralph contributed to community projects, charities and clubs in the town. A touching story by Alice Knight.
😋 Based at the Krate Village in Whitminster, Hot Box is a food takeaway business worth championing as this story by Gloucestershire Live’s Kim Horton shows. Carl Ashworth from Gloucester found his cooking talent as a teenager and the story about his dad building a custom smoker is worth a read.
I am concerned at the impact on the traffic. The road is already the main route in and out of Cheltenham and adding extra traffic to this is irresponsible. The rubbish, the smell and the seagulls are also something to think about when adding a McDonald’s to such a residential built up area. The site is near children’s schools and bus stops and therefore will also have a negative impact on children. Laura
The traffic is already horrendous !