The opening of the new 129-room hotel at Gloucester City Council's flagship development The Forum has been delayed until early 2026.
Contractors working on the project have identified an 'isolated' issue during construction which will see its completion pushed back, with the entire Forum development having been set to open in phases throughout 2025.
A council spokesperson told Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter, that the identified issue required additional work to address, but that 'there is no safety issue that should concern the public'.
The spokesperson did not reveal the exact issue for the hotel delay, but said the project's early phases had been set back by the discovery of both an unmapped 24-inch gas main and the remains of a 13th-century friary.
Once completed, the Hotel Indigo Gloucester – part of the IHG hotel group – will bring 'a stylish new urban retreat' to The Forum, with boutique rooms and suites 'blending style with comfort' along with a restaurant, cafe and rooftop bar providing 'breath-taking panoramic views' of the city.
It comes with The Forum having just won 'project of the year' at the prestigious Michelmores Property Awards 2025, with judges describing its 'reinvigoration' of Gloucester's city centre as 'frankly brilliant'.
The £107 million development combines the Hotel Indigo, 135,000 square feet of Grade A office space, 'deluxe' specification apartments, retail units and a 398-space car park.
Its No2 Cathedral Walk building is complete and occupied, with Fasthosts and sister company IONOS moving in last year, while all of its other office spaces are structurally complete and ready for tenant fit-outs.
The council spokesperson confirmed the multi-storey car park and public open spaces are due to open in the autumn; and recruitment for the hotel is 'well underway'.
They said: 'Construction teams continue to work hard to deliver a high-quality development at The Forum that everyone in Gloucester and surrounding areas can be proud of, as it nears completion.
'We’re pleased with the progress, while recognising that any development of this scale is complex and takes a great deal of work.'
