Visit this dedicated section throughout 2021 for regular updates including hot lists packed with advice, business resources and funding sources; expert insights from Gloucestershire business leaders to inspire and inform; as well as positive news stories from both the county’s business and lifestyle sectors.
#BackToBusinessGlos is proudly supported by BPE Solicitors, Hazlewoods and Aston Lark, which all share in our passion to support Gloucestershire as we bounce back from such a challenging time. Find out more about these leading organisations below.
BPE Solicitors is headquartered in Cheltenham with access points in London, Cirencester, Bristol and Oxford. It has more than 130 staff including 70 fee-earners.
Many clients have been retained for decades and the firm has supported young businesses in their growth to become multi-million pound, multi-national operations.
BPE Solicitors is an entrepreneurial business working with like-minded businesses and individuals, supporting businesses through their lifecycle, from starting up and structuring to development through growth, joint ventures, buying and selling or floating on the stock market.
Hazlewoods is a UK Top 25 independent Business Advisers and Chartered Accountants, with an established sector expertise hard to find elsewhere. We pride ourselves on a highly personal service, strong values and new ideas.
Our experts provide specialist accountancy, tax, audit and business advice to individuals and businesses of all shapes and sizes. Hazlewoods, has more than 380 staff and a wide range of clients locally, nationally and internationally.
With an office in Cheltenham, plus 45+ more across the UK and Ireland, Aston Lark is one of the top five independent Chartered insurance brokers and employee benefits advisors in the country.
We understand that, to our clients, insurance isn’t just insurance because business isn’t just business.
Aston Lark. The smarter way to insure your business.
Offering everything from discounted tickets to bespoke bus services, Stagecoach West is helping to support businesses in Gloucestershire, encouraging more people to commute by bus.
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From mandatory vaccinations to flexible working requests, SoGlos shares 6 legal considerations for employers as they welcome staff back to the office – as part of our #BackToBusinessGlos campaign.
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As part of our #BackToBusinessGlos campaign, SoGlos handpicks eight pathways being taken by businesses in rebuilding Gloucestershire’s economy.
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The legacy of the ongoing pandemic on employees’ mental health is double edged – while the strain is real, Gloucestershire employers can take simple steps to have a positive impact on their team’s wellbeing.
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From vintage cinemas and Norman castles to microbreweries and craft centres, tap into a world of local history, culture and good food when exploring the Forest of Dean’s towns and villages.
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From cult dessert clubs to repurposed prisons, discover 9 unique places to eat in the Cotswolds that are sure to impress visitors and make local foodies’ lists of favourites.
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Whether you want to explore the Regency town on foot or bike, discover some of the amazing new venues that have opened or head to the theatre, find your happy place when you visit Cheltenham in 2021.
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Positive signs for the economy are widespread, but concerns remain over cash flow. SoGlos has tracked down nine potential pots of money which might help businesses in Gloucestershire grow.
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With adaptable spaces, around the clock access, dog-friendly offices and on-site bars, flexible workspaces could be the way forward – according to Clockwise in Cheltenham.
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County organisations aren’t just surviving during the pandemic, but are thriving – with SoGlos showcasing 10 interesting examples of Gloucestershire businesses which are growing at an impressive rate.
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If you are starting or running a business of any size, Gloucestershire has some incredible organisations ready and willing to support you. SoGlos handpicks eight of these useful resources, as part our #BacktoBusinessGlos campaign.
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Some incredibly exciting things are happening in Gloucester in 2021 – from £100-million pound development projects and cool, new foodie destinations to some of the most popular events returning to the city. And we can’t wait…
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You may be an expert in your field and have an incredible business idea, but everyone can benefit from support when starting a business, and that is exactly what Start and Grow Enterprise is there for – offering free training, courses and support from its headquarters at The Growth Hub in Gloucester.
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When it comes to recruitment, there’s a lot more to consider than just finding the right hire, according to Cheltenham-based Willans LLP solicitors.
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Ford Construction continues to make a name for itself for quality, which inspired us to find out more about The Temple Guiting House, one of the individual projects in the Cotswolds helping build its enviable reputation.
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Cheltenham is full of incredible businesses with passionate people and teams behind them who love what they do – just like Erol Uray at the Queens Hotel.
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Cheltenham has a wealth of incredible independent shops, bars, pubs and restaurants, with passionate business owners behind them who love what they do – just like Melanie from Dunkertons Cider.
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Regular, rapid Covid-19 testing is still so important to keep people in the county safe as lockdown restrictions are extended to July 2021, according to Gloucestershire County Council.
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Help keep employees healthy and happy with SoGlos’s dedicated guide to workplace wellness in Gloucestershire.
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We know to beware of cybercrime, but in the chaos of the last few months that has simply not been a priority – Cheltenham IT specialists ReformIT shares its simple, clear advice about how to protect your business.
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Few areas have attracted so much speculation since the pandemic began as the important economic driver that is the property sector. Imdaad Sulaiman, of Converse Law, provides the clarity about where we are in Gloucestershire, and tells us why he is confident the county is well-placed to recover.
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If you are looking to grow your business, through better marketing, raising your profile, understanding your financial position, exploring overseas trade options, building your network - whatever it might be - this team of experts is there to help you.
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Campden BRI’s reputation as a master of testing, analysis and the application of science across the food, drink and many other sectors is world-renowned, skills it is now also using to help keep businesses open during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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The Budget 2021 has revealed that the Stamp Duty Holiday is being extended until September 2021. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, SoGlos finds out everything you need to know from Gloucestershire-based property experts, Naylor Powell.
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The Budget 2021 has revealed that the Stamp Duty Holiday is being extended until September 2021. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, SoGlos finds out everything you need to know from Gloucestershire-based property experts, Naylor Powell.
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With the furlough scheme scheduled to end in April 2021, Davies and Partners solicitors shares its advice on the right way to deal with redundancies.
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With employers across Gloucestershire unsure of whether they can insist on employees being vaccinated against Covid-19 – and either not employing or dismissing those who refuse – Cheltenham-based Sherbornes Solicitors Ltd shares some insight and advice.
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Work has now officially started to deliver what is, for food and drinks lovers, one of the most eagerly anticipated developments in Gloucestershire – Gloucester Food Dock.
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Construction work has started at Hartpury University and Hartpury College on a new £5 million catering hub and conference venue.
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A Moto GP race at Silverstone saw a Gloucestershire fast-food catering and logistics business mark four decades in partnership with the world-famous venue.
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Cheltenham-based BPE Solicitors played a key role in the takeover of a specialist London-based stock market business, helping to create one of the biggest companies of its kind globally.
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The threat of cyber security, a client base ranging from circuses to cheese manufacturers, and cooking a mean curry - ReformIT's director Neil Smith is the latest Gloucestershire business leader to reveal all in the SoGlos 10 questions challenge.
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Insurance broker Aston Lark is giving small businesses in Gloucestershire the chance to win a £20,000 grant to help them recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
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TruffleHunter, whose Cotswolds-based business sells products inspired by the sought-after fungi, is on target to see turnover pass £8 million as demand continues to grow.
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Work to build phase one of the £102 million The Forum in the centre of Gloucester, billed as 'transformative for the city', starts officially today.
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Wealth management firm Raymond James has announced the launch of a new branch in Cheltenham.
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Advanced engineering firm Versarien is increasing production of the revolutionary material graphene to help make possible the High Speed 2 rail project – with some other highlights outlined in its annual results.
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As it runs towards a crucial vote on its next five-year term the influential city centre business group, Gloucester BID has received a resounding thumb’s up from its governing body.
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Details of a £15 million buy-out of a Tewkesbury telecoms firm have become clearer after a Cheltenham law firm was thanked for its part in the deal.
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While towns and cities nationwide scramble to find their new place in a post-pandemic world, Gloucestershire is in a ‘brilliant position to prosper', says its most powerful businesswoman of the last decade.
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A new walk-through PCR Covid-19 testing facility has opened at Coronation Square in Cheltenham.
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A new £2 million business park built from re-purposed shipping containers is the next stage of Hartpury University and Hartpury College’s investment plans.
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A surge in mergers and acquisitions activity in the first six months of 2021 has kept Hazlewoods’ corporate finance team busy – so far handling £422 million of deals.
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The curtain has gone up on an 11-bedroom luxury boutique hotel beside Cirencester’s Barn Theatre, revealing a stunning transformation of the town’s historic Ingleside House.
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Business leaders and political masters behind three transformational projects in Gloucester have called on the government to back them with £20 million of funding.
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From free resources to start-up grants, the Forest of Dean District Council is doing everything it can to support local businesses as they reopen post-lockdown.
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A major waterside redevelopment in Stroud and projects to future-proof some of its most historic buildings have received a significant boost in the form of £1 million of funding.
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A Stroud restaurateur has revealed big plans for the Ship Inn, as the Brimscombe Port pub becomes part of his growing business empire – due to open in July 2021.
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A firm which specialises in helping develop business leadership skills has practised what it preaches – thinking on its feet to deliver a course which could prove a vital in helping companies out of the pandemic.
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Just over a year after it revealed it was spending £13 million on its Forest of Dean factory, Suntory Beverage and Food GB&I has announced a further £6 million investment.
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Details have been unveiled of an ambitious £20 million investment programme to bring jobs and new sports, education and community facilities to the Forest of Dean.
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Lance Bradley’s leadership of Gloucester Rugby during the pandemic, the focus on local businesses and community, has produced a ‘stronger and vastly improved’ club.
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A manufacturer from the Forest of Dean, whose buildings have been used at major sports stadiums from Old Trafford to Twickenham, is looking to near double its workforce to 245 staff.
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A Cotswold-based builder of homes for some of our smallest and most treasured animals has seen US sales surge through lockdown by 87 per cent – and predicts this is just the beginning.
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Steering a business through the pandemic requires all eyes on the road – but when Forge Motorsport boss Pete Miles did look up he was surprised to learn 2021 marked the firm’s 25th birthday.
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With a return to work checklist, cyber essentials, risk assessment templates and more, as Gloucestershire emerges from lockdown, Aston Lark's free Covid-19 Business Recovery Toolkit is proving a useful guide.
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A construction firm from Cheltenham can build stronger foundations for its future after HMRC awards it nearly £40,000 for innovation.
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A serious investment in new Cheltenham accommodation for its trainee airline pilots has put the name Skyborne on the news radar again in Gloucestershire.
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Filming outside GFirst LEP’s headquarters has prompted speculation about whether the powerful business group has found a new chairperson to replace the outgoing Diane Savory.
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A share of £1 million set aside to help businesses in Gloucestershire grow is still available, but it is going fast and the deadline to apply is now looming.
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Up to £300,000 of funding for green improvements is available to Gloucestershire businesses through Severn Wye Energy Agency, but the money is expected to go fast.
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The UK arm of a fast-growing European fintech firm has crunched the numbers and declared Gloucestershire is the UK county most likely to recover strongly from the pandemic.
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After finally getting the go ahead for his multi-million pound investment the boss of a new climbing-focused leisure centre believes 60 new jobs and a 2022 opening are now within reach.
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It is difficult to sum up how important retail reopening is for Stroud’s Five Valleys shopping centre and its businesses, but centre manager Dionne Moore captures it well when she describes it as their D-Day.
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The Quadrangle has announced which business will be first to take up tenancy in the Cheltenham landmark, once the ambitious development project is completed in April 2021.
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Backed by Bill Gates, millions of pounds of government money, and GFirst LEP, a firm developing the world’s first commercial zero-carbon passenger plane is moving to the Cotswolds and creating jobs.
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Gloucestershire-based company M5 Motorhome Hire saw a huge increase in bookings last year and 2021 is set to be even busier, with more families looking to holiday in the UK as a result of the pandemic – with a bigger fleet and a new Cheltenham headquarters planned.
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A pioneering firm of accountants from Gloucestershire has launched a dedicated business specialising in cryptocurrency and blockchain.
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An ambitious accountancy and law firm has announced the takeover of a Gloucestershire tax specialist just days after opening a Cheltenham office, revealing it is also recruiting.
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The decision allows a new hotel, offices, business space and car parking to go ahead in the centre of Gloucester as part of the transformative £107 million Forum Digital scheme.
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With lockdown closing the face-to-face physical training side of his business, a Gloucestershire fitness instructor launched an app which is now jostling for position in a multi-billion pound marketplace.
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An Aladdin’s cave of treasures looks set to appear near Stroud, as the town’s famous auction rooms prepares to not just re-open, but invest in a new headquarters to house its wares.
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Gloucestershire companies can get back to business safely with rapid workplace testing for Covid-19, arranged by Cheltenham-based CHB Medical.
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Businesses in the Cotswolds have welcomed news that work has started on a new £4.48 million digital skills centre at Cirencester College.
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More than 40 new apartments, roof-top gardens, business premises and retail units can be built in the middle of Gloucester, making possible a key part of the multi-million King’s Quarter redevelopment of city.
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A land deal and a new Growth Hub service for Cheltenham have been announced, paving the way for a £5.2 million business centre to boost the town’s economy.
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The former Debenhams department store in Gloucester has a new owner, adding to the multi-million pound investment already underway in the city centre.
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As goody bags tempting you to business events go, Gloucestershire College’s promise it can help show you how you might access £40,000 for growth is right up there.
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Ambitious plans for a new music venue and recording studio for young people in Gloucester, by county charity The Music Works, are well and truly on track.
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Demand has done anything but gone to sleep for a bedding company started by a Gloucestershire husband and wife team, with sales growing by several hundred percent.
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Developers behind the long-awaited Gloucester Food Dock have confirmed work has begun to progress one of the city’s most exciting schemes.
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‘This is an unprecedented time for entrepreneurs and the brave dreamers’ who want to start businesses, according to Gloucestershire property experts Perry Bishop – which has just launched a new commercial property division in Cheltenham.
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Cheltenham foodies wondering what will move into the former Café Rouge could now have their answer – as the Promenade building looks set to become the next Franco Manca.
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Luxury footwear and fashion brand, Dune, has opened a new outlet store at Gloucester Quays.
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A brand-new Vietnamese street food restaurant will be opening at Cheltenham’s Brewery Quarter in 2022.
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Board N Bites is Cheltenham’s very first board game café, providing great entertainment for those wanting an alternative occasion out of the house.
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Cheltenham’s highly anticipated new boutique cinema has finally revealed when it will open its doors.
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As The Music Works gets ready to unveil its £1.8 million new music venue in Gloucester, SoGlos got to see inside The Hub, before it officially opens this September 2021.
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With the Cotswolds getting its very own version of Monopoly, three local charities have the chance to be featured on the Community Chest spaces on the board.
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Gloucestershire beer fans can enjoy a can of discounted Battledown Brewing Co. beer, with £1 from each can being donated to Hospitality Action.
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Got a good aim? Put it into practice at a new axe throwing venue, coming to Cheltenham in September 2021.
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Flight Club, the home of social darts, has revealed plans to open a venue at the Brewery Quarter – promising ‘a spectacular bar and restaurant, an electric atmosphere and mind-blowing experience’.
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Popular craft beer brewery, Brewdog, plans to open its first and only bar in the county.
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The Cheltenham Trust is opening the new Garden Bar Orangery in Imperial Gardens this August 2021.
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See Olympic gold medallists, drag queens, comedians, podcasters, politicians, writers and more appear at Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2021, with the Festival Village set to make a return and a new youth programme launching too.
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Reopening to full capacity with The Play That Goes Wrong was thankfully not prophetic, as Cheltenham audiences relaxed into the Everyman Theatre’s new guidelines seamlessly.
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Following its £1.5 million transformation, SoGlos took a tour of Cheltenham's impressive new nightclub Home & Botanic.
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Enjoy a delightful drink in Stow-on-the-Wold’s newest cocktail bar, taking over the Old Stocks Inn’s coffee shop in 2021.
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Cirencester’s Barn Theatre is bringing BarnFest back this August 2021, with a line-up of comedy, music and magic, including Tweedy the Clown’s new solo show.
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Gloucester’s nightlife will come alive once more as more lockdown restrictions are eased on Monday 19 July 2021.
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After being delayed in June, England’s Covid restrictions are finally easing on Monday 19 July 2021 – and, as well as meeting up with unlimited friends indoors, here’s everything you can do in Gloucestershire from Freedom Day…
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The free Gloucester Rhythm and Blues Festival is set to boogie on back to Café René this summer.
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Offering everything from Biscoff and Oreo flavoured pancake cakes to its sell-out mixed boxes, SISU Pancakes is opening in Cheltenham this August 2021.
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Take a trip back in time this August 2021, when Gloucester Goes Retro returns to the city.
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After being postponed in 2020, the iconic Malvern Autumn Show is making a comeback – promising a long weekend of seasonal fun this September 2021.
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Dubbed the 'easiest family holiday in the UK', Cotswold Farm Park is launching a pop-up glamping village this summer, for festival-themed family staycations in luxurious bell tents – and dogs are welcome too!
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The historic Cotswold venue is reopening its indoor rooms and exhibitions for the first time since lockdown began in March 2020.
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Cheltenham’s Fire Station is opening a brand-new darts venue, 180 Club, this July 2021.
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With everything from visiting the museum, taking a trip to one of the cinemas, immerse yourself in virtual reality or escape from zombies — there’s so much to experience in Gloucester.
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A new interactive experience is helping families to discover the secrets of Slimbridge Wetland Centre, as the WWT attraction launches its free Wetland Heroes app.
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Families are finally being welcomed back to Stroud’s outdoor pool at Stratford Park.
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The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury will be relaunching its live programme with outdoor performances of (Almost) A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
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A new dockside bar is set to open at Gloucester Docks, as Gloucester Brewery unveils major expansion plans expected to see its beer production reach a million and a half pints a year.
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Recharge your batteries at the Cotswolds’ newest luxury spa, which is creating new jobs as well as moments of calm.
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A £100,000 grant from the High Streets Heritage Action Zone will see a programme of community led arts events happening in Gloucester’s Westgate area.
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With everything from a floral archway and designated flower wall, Bourton-on-the-Water’s Bourtanical is the perfect brunching backdrop – and a strong contender for the Cotswolds’ most Instagrammable restaurant.
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A date has been set, and a very apt film named, for the anticipated reopening of Gloucester’s much-loved independent Sherborne Cinema.
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With a new circus-themed tipi that can safely seat up to 40 diners, The Bathurst Arms near Cirencester has reopened as an alfresco dining venue with a bang.
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A new alfresco dining experience is coming to Ellenborough Park as it launches its outdoor dining carriages, this April 2021.
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Laura Leigh Hair and Beauty in Cheltenham is giving NHS nurses free haircuts from now until September 2021, as part of the Hair for Heroes campaign.
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Sandersons Boutique department store is opening its third UK venue in Stroud with a concession from Cheltenham-based designer fashion house Holland Cooper.
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A designer clothing brand popular with celebrities and royals, including The Duchess of Cambridge, is opening a new discounted outlet store at Gloucester Quays in April 2021.
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As lockdown restrictions start to ease, visitors are encouraged to return to the Cotswolds – with Cotswold District Council reminding them to stay safe while exploring the area’s historic town centres, quaint villages and famous beauty spots.
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Imperial Haus is Cheltenham's newest venue set in the former home of Boogie Lounge and will open in May 2021.
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A new meal kit delivery service, with all the ingredients sourced from suppliers in the Cotswolds, has been launched by Doorstep Foods in Tetbury.
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The Stroud chutney makers, Kitchen Garden Foods, have launched a punchy new range of rubs, pickles and sauces – dubbed ‘NAFF’, short for Not Another Fridge Filler!
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A stylish 11-bedroom luxury boutique hotel is opening in Cirencester, creating jobs and promising to boost the town’s tourism industry.
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The Coconut Tree is opening a ‘pop-up on the lawn’ venue at St Paul’s Church in April 2021, right next to its popular restaurant in Cheltenham.
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After John Lewis announced it was closing eight stores, Gloucestershire shoppers will be thrilled that Cheltenham’s John Lewis is here to stay – with the doors reopening in April 2021.
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Ritual Coffee Roasters in Cheltenham is set to open its doors to the public this Easter 2021, with street food favourites The Woozy Pig providing brunch to take away too.
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Popular Gloucester bakery, Hetty’s Kitchen, has announced that it is opening a new venue in Stroud in May 2021.
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The team behind Cheltenham’s popular The Butterfly Box is opening a new café in Gloucester Park – with frothy barista cappuccinos, Biscoff cookies and more being served from the spring.
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Promising to help take the stress out of buying a new home, Gloucester-based Brunsdon Financial has launched B Mortgage Services.
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The man behind The Cotswold Guy, who counts David and Victoria Beckham as customers, is opening a boutique farm shop in Guiting Power.
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Find 30 life-sized elephant sculptures at Sudeley Castle, near Cheltenham, when the attraction reopens this April 2021.
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The Museum of Gloucester is setting out plans to future-proof the venue and create ‘the quality museum that a historic city like Gloucester deserves’.
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The Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2021 line-up has been announced – with some big names to tune into during the free, two-day digital musical extravaganza this May bank holiday weekend.
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Urban Fox, a new bar combining cupcakes and cocktails, is opening in Cheltenham – in the former home of Door 4 in Montpellier.
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Enjoy a private picnic inside a luxury bell tent as Cowley Manor launches new alfresco dining options this April 2021.
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Days out at Westonbirt Arboretum are about to get even better, with three brand new dining experiences coming to the Cotswold attraction this spring 2021.
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The Woozy Pig is launching The Woozy Container Kitchen, a new Cheltenham destination for dirty burgers – with Ritual Roasters’ coffee and deliveries from the converted shipping container too.
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English Holiday Cruises will be one of the first river cruise companies in the UK to start sailing again in May, following the latest lockdown.
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After being postponed due to the pandemic last year, The Hooley from Giffords Circus is set to open this May 2021.
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After more than a year of closure, the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham has unveiled that it will be reopening to full capacity audiences with three big feel-good shows, this summer.
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