SoGlos rounds up Gloucestershire's biggest business news of the year, highlighting the stories which captivated readers across the county in 2025, from the biggest new developments to influential individuals.
The Golden Valley development, the Gloucestershire Business Awards 2025 winners and a visit from Jude Bellingham were just some of the biggest business news stories on SoGlos this year.
As New Year's Eve approaches, SoGlos rounds up the biggest business news stories of 2025 – from exciting new openings to celebrity visits.
Curated by SoGlos's editorial team, based on reader numbers; social media traction; interest from and impact on county individuals and organisations, these are the stories which captivated the business community this year, in no particular order...
The 50 most influential people in business in Gloucestershire
Shining a spotlight on the individuals behind the businesses and celebrating their professional achievements, as well as those of their companies, the list has been shared far and wide – Ecotricity founder and climate activist, Dale Vince, even shared the list with his enormous following. Thanks, Dale!
The landmark cyber innovation centre is set to provide 2,500 new homes, 1.25 million sq ft of commercial space and 12,000 new jobs – with work on phase one due to commence in spring 2026.
Once complete, the site will be home to a 13,000 sq m store with an in-house bakery, butchers, opticians, hearing centre and cafe; 600-space car park; and a petrol station, creating around 250 jobs over the next five years.
The striking, 15,000 sq ft foodhall is 50 per cent bigger than the previous M&S store at Kingsditch Retail Park and offers a fresh new look, an in-store bakery serving coffee and even a cheese barge.
Two Gloucestershire locations named as UK's best places for jobs in 2025
Outperforming London on the list, Gloucester placed eighth in the top 20 and was praised for its high employment rate, strong growth and balanced housing options; while Cheltenham came 17th and was noted for its strong job availability, competitive salaries and number of high-growth enterprises.
As well as taking a tour of the factory where his Ice Kick drink is exclusively produced, he also took the time to meet and greet fans who waited patiently outside, too.
Gloucestershire Business Awards 2025 winners revealed
The incredible celebration saw the very best of Gloucestershire's business community take home awards in 20 competitive categories, with Aqua Construction being crowned the 'winner of winners' as the overall Business of the Year 2025.
First look at Cotswolds Designer Outlet
One of the most hotly anticipated openings of 2025 was, of course, Cotswolds Designer Outlet near Tewkesbury – and SoGlos's first look was one of the biggest stories of this year, too.
Even the rain couldn't dampen our spirits as we got a sneak peek of the outlet before it officially opened to the public, revealing some of the biggest name stores opening there and giving readers a taste of what to expect.
Plans for the luxury health club with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, state-of-the-art gym, top-class racquet facilities, exercise studios, spa, garden and children's play areas were officially approved in July, aiming to open in late 2026.
Cheltenham's iconic The Daffodil restaurant becomes residential
One of Cheltenham's most iconic buildings, The Daffodil – which was put up for sale in 2024 – had its planning application for change of use to convert the property into a residential home approved.
Granting permission to transform the empty restaurant into an six-bedroom home, it went back on the market in April with an impressive set of artists' impressions and a cool £2,000,000 price tag – but despite dropping the asking price to £1,850,000, as yet the property still hasn't been sold.
The one-acre site, which is located close to 725 new homes at Twigworth Green, has five fully let retail units and 35 car parking spaces, providing what Robert Hitchens asset manager described as 'much-needed facilities for the residents of Twigworth' and 'a great service for commuters on the A38.'
Optimising IT joins world-leading technology group
Optimising IT's merger with Lyra Technology Group was big news in October, with the firm saying the new partnership gave it the ability to 'scale sustainably, improve continuously and stay ahead in a fast-changing tech landscape'.
The merger saw founder Gary Smith step down, but managing director Todd Gifford continue in his role to drive long-term growth and strategy, with the firm continuing to operate under the Optimising IT name, maintaining its B Corp status and keeping its offices across the south west.
The Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire
And finally, this one is hardly a surprise – SoGlos's round-up of the Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire was once again one of the most popular business stories of the year.
With everything from multi-billion-pound construction groups and finance firms to UK-leading cyber experts and even fashion labels loved by royalty, this year's list was an epic celebration of Gloucestershire's diverse and successful business community.
