You don’t really want to knock a well-intentioned idea like the Council for the Preservation of Rural England Gloucestershire’s (CPRE) attempt to create a comprehensive brownfield database for Gloucestershire in the hope it helps save our countryside and allow development at the same time, but when it’s public money being spent it’s worth asking a few questions.

The inference from the county branch of the CPRE being that if our local authorities in charge of our planning and strategic planning have such a list of brownfield sites already it’s not good enough. Or at least something is not working as well as they think it can.

Pressure to build is enormous. Where to build is often contentious. That people deserve somewhere to live highly emotive. As is protecting the countryside. Even that’s simplifying it.

When we started asking questions it didn’t take long to sense the immense pressure and tension around this particular story.

Local authorities were decidedly considered in their response. Like they had to bite their tongue.

We stepped away for in independent view and asked David Evans of Cheltenham-headquartered Evans Jones chartered surveyors and planning consultants what he thought.

Evans has spent a long career advising on planning matters and is one of the many trying to encourage reform of the planning system, something also promised by our current Government.

‘Would the project help get more houses built where we want them?’, we asked.

You can read his response is below.

If I have ever felt like I’ve asked a stupid question, this was it!

Have you ever started something that sounds positive, done so with good intentions, and suspect you have upset everyone?!

Have a great weekend.

Best regards,

Andrew Merrell

Editor | 07956 926061 | LinkedIn: Andrew Merrell | andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk

This weekend and further ahead…

Friday (today):

Panels of experts from agriculture and business and landowners line up for question-time panels at the Royal Three Counties Show from Business networking too. Plenty of networking events as well. Running tomorrow and Sunday too. More here.

Saturday:

Friends of Cheltenham Samaritans 1st Wine Festival at Pip & Jims, Cheltenham, from 7pm. More here.

Corinium Ales brewery tour and tasting from 1.30pm to 3pm. More here.

Sunday:

Stroud Arts Festival 80th Celebrations: Opera is for Everyone. Free. 2pm and 3.30pm. Booking needed. More here.

Your briefing notes…

💶 Cheltenham’s John Lewis department store, the 180,000 square foot site fronting the town’s high street, is up for sale for £22 million. London-based property investment and management firm Dukeminster has put the building up for sale through agents Knight Frank. John Lewis has more than 16 years remaining on its lease term, which delivers a total rent of £1,879,764 per annum.

👩🏽‍💻A new Youth Advisory Board is being established to ensure that young people play a direct role in shaping the future of Golden Valley, the nationally significant cyber, AI, secure communications and emerging technology development soon to get underway in Cheltenham, according to a press release from the University of Gloucestershire. More here.

🛬 A pilot school based at Gloucestershire Airport that trains staff for some of the world’s biggest airlines has announced a new ‘accessible’ course in its bid to open the door to more people into the high-flying profession. Skyborne’s Fly First pathway is described as a modular training pathway that begins with practical flight experience from day one. The business has its headquarters in Staverton. Cost of the programme is £67,900. More here.

⚖️ WSP Solicitors has announced the expansion of its commercial property and child law teams with the appointments of senior associate David Ashcroft and associate solicitor Jessica O’Shea. The appointments are said to be part of the firm’s strategic growth plan driven by demand for its services. Ashcroft joins the commercial team, bringing with him over 40 years of experience. O’Shea has 13 years’ experience and is a Child Panel-accredited solicitor skilled at representing children in legal proceedings.

🎉 Award-winning Cheltenham-based public relations agency, HeadOn PR, has appointed Amy Broadbent as an account executive in response to growing demand for AI search and digital PR services. Broadbent, 24, joins from national coffee brand SOHO Coffee, where she was PR, social media and community executive.

Congratulations to these three…

We like to keep up on news of our sponsors too, so here’s some…. We wanted to make a point of congratulating the family law team at Cheltenham-headquartered Willans LLP solicitors, which now has three qualified practitioners in Resolution Together.

Family lawyers Jonathan Eager and Kristie Silsby have just completed their specialist training in the Resolution Together model and join partner and head of family law Sharon Giles, who was among the first lawyers in the region to qualify.

The Resolution Together process was developed by Resolution, the national organisation for family justice professionals, to allow separating couples the chance to get legal advice and support jointly from one specially trained lawyer, helping them make informed decisions about arrangements for finances, property and children.

Eager said: “Many couples want to separate amicably and find practical solutions without the stress, delay and expense that can sometimes arise when matters become adversarial.

“It can be particularly effective where there is a shared desire to maintain a positive relationship going forward, especially when children are involved.”

You can read the full story here: Willans strengthens commitment to collaborative divorce with three Resolution Together-qualified family lawyers

The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

Readers who upgrade to become a paid subscriber become part of this CIC too (from £2.30 a week). It helps make us sustainable, allows you to see past the paywalls, comment on our stories, and know you’re making possible the county’s only editorially-led digital magazine dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire about its businesses, charities, education and training sectors.

Raikes is the only independent website approved to use the BBC’s local Government copy. It recognises Raikes as independent journalism.

Subscribe now

‘This will not get housing built!!’ Or will it?

Is nearly £20k of public cash about to be wasted or well spent? A plan to push Gloucestershire councils to drive development onto brownfields sites reveals the simmering tensions around housebuilding.

Nearly £20,000 of Lottery funding has been awarded to a Gloucestershire charity to help it try to influence the development in the county and drive it away from greenfield towards brownfield sites.

CPRE Gloucestershire, the local group of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), has been awarded £16,500 from the National Lottery Community Fund together with £2,576 from the county-based Summerfield Charitable Trust to create a database it hopes will inform planning decisions.

The CPRE said the database, called LandWise, will be “ambitious” and “give communities a stronger voice in shaping development across the county”.

But the scheme received a decidedly cool response from councils which control planning in the county when we asked them about it.

It comes at a time of high tension around housebuilding across Gloucestershire, with local authorities under increasing pressure from central government to build thousands of homes and public disapproval surfacing at almost every turn.

The implication from the CPRE is clear – it believes more could be done to avoid greenfield development and brownfield is part of the solution.

It also states clearly that whatever councils are doing now in this respect, they are failing. Which probably explains the response we got.

Louise Chandler-Mullins, director of CPRE Gloucestershire, said: “We know how much people in Gloucestershire care about our countryside, and our LandWise project will give that care and passion a practical outlet.

“It’s a way for communities to get involved and advocate for the future of our countryside.

“There is untapped potential of brownfield sites across the county that could play a much bigger role in meeting development needs.

“LandWise will help collate that evidence into one place, so it can be properly considered in key development decisions.”

According to the CPRE, “by capturing local knowledge LandWise advocates to close this evidence gap and ensure development decisions are based on the fullest possible picture of available land”.

As we said, we we put it to the councils, it seems to have touched a nerve.

Cheltenham Borough Council sent us a response only to withdraw it and replace it with a joint comment from itself, Gloucester city, and Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Alistair Cunningham, chief executive for Tewkesbury Borough Council and senior responsible owner for the strategic and local plan (speaking on behalf of all three councils named above), said: “Whilst we recognise the valuable role that campaigning organisations play in highlighting land availability and potential sites, any externally produced list would need to be carefully checked for accuracy and consistency before it could be reviewed as part of the strategic and local plan.”

He added: “We aim to support sustainable development and make the best use of previously developed or brownfield land, in line with national policy.

“As part of the emerging strategic and local plan (SLP), the councils have undertaken an urban capacity study.

“Urban capacity studies do more than is included in a brownfield register and give a more detailed understanding of the capacity for housing in our urban areas.

“Planning decisions must always be based on clear evidence, including whether sites are suitable, achievable, and right for the area, its residents, the environment and the local economy.”

According to the CPRE’s State of Brownfield 2025 report there are enough brownfield land across England to support at least 1.41 million homes, a figure it says has increased by 16 per cent in just one year.

It claims more than half of these homes (around 770,000 nationally) already have planning permission, but “despite this brownfield land is still being underused nationally too, while pressure continues to mount on greenfield and rural sites”.

Cotswold District Council has been actively resisting the Government-imposed housing target of 18,650 new homes by 2043 on its patch of Gloucestershire, but it is now reluctantly updating its local plan to accommodate.

Cllr Juliet Layton, the district council’s cabinet member for housing and planning said: “When considering sites for development, the council follows the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which emphasises the importance of prioritising previously developed (brownfield) land.

“The council publishes annual updates to its Brownfield Land Register, which is available on our website. Work is currently underway on the 2026 update.

“However, under the Government’s revised standard method, the council must plan for 18,650 homes over 18 years (just over 1,000 annually).

“Due to the rural nature of the district, with 80 per cent of land in the National Landscape (areas in the UK formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), there is a limited supply of available brownfield sites.

“The council will, therefore, consider all sites which might be suitable for development. Sites with the highest ecological sensitivity are screened out early.

“Recognising the Cotswold district’s renowned landscape, the local plan is being updated to ensure new homes are built in the right places and supported by the infrastructure they need.

“The plan will be reviewed by the council’s biodiversity team to ensure nature recovery is a key priority, including better green spaces and habitat protection.

“The Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), approved by the council in March, will help identify opportunities to improve habitats and create new ones. This will guide developers to contribute to nature recovery across the county.”

A Stroud District Council spokesperson said it also already “applied a brownfield‑first approach to housing delivery and site identification, consistent with national planning policy”.

“In preparing and implementing its local plan, the council seeks to prioritise the reuse of previously developed land wherever it is available, suitable and deliverable, before considering the release of greenfield sites,” said the statement.

“In support of this approach, the council maintains an up‑to‑date Brownfield Land Register, which is reviewed and published in line with the regulations.

“The most recent update was published in December 2025, and it continues to be used as part of the council’s evidence base to inform plan‑making and decision‑taking. The council will provide a further update in December 2026.

“However, as is typical for a predominantly rural district such as Stroud, the availability and capacity of brownfield land iarelimited, and it is not sufficient on its own to meet the district’s government-set housing needs.

“As a result, the council’s strategy necessarily takes a balanced approach.”

It underlined its case by pointing to a project it unveiled just last month – the repurposing of a brownfield site for 13 new homes for social rent at Cambridge Avenue in Dursley (see below).

Forest of Dean District told us it too already maintains an up-to-date Brownfield Land Register, a register it reviews and publishes yearly on its website and uses to form part of the evidence used to inform planning policy and decision-making.

“The register is kept under review alongside our Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal and is used to inform work on the emerging local plan,” said a statement from the Five Valleys’ district council.

“It helps identify previously developed land that may have potential for redevelopment, but it does not in itself determine where development will take place.”

Nevertheless, the CPRE plans to create “a comprehensive county-wide database and digital map of unregistered brownfield sites”; it will then share it with local authorities “to support sustainable planning decisions and encourage greater prioritisation of previously developed land”.

One wonders how different the two local authority and CPRE lists will be. The CPRE is adamant its will add to the data and explains its thinking as follows.

“The project responds directly to national findings that nearly 40 per cent of local planning authorities do not have up-to-date brownfield registers, with almost one in 10 not updated for over five years,” said the CPRE.

“By capturing local knowledge, LandWise advocates to close this evidence gap and ensure development decisions are based on the fullest possible picture of available land.”

Keen for some insight from someone who knows the planning system well and could help us understand whether any of this really will be helpful and result in more homes being built in the right places we turned to David Jones, of property surveyors Evans Jones.

His note back was short, and it looks like we touched a nerve there too. And he is a man passionate about making the planning system work better.

“Having another brownfield land register will not get housing built!!” he said.

The exclamation marks are his.

Three lawyers in Willans’ family law team are now qualified practitioners in Resolution Together, a forward-thinking approach to divorce and separation which enables couples to work with a single lawyer to reach agreements constructively and cost-effectively.

Willans is among a small number of firms in Gloucestershire able to offer the model through multiple specially trained lawyers, increasing local access to an approach designed to reduce conflict and help couples reach agreements together.

Family lawyers Jonathan Eager and Kristie Silsby have completed specialist training in the Resolution Together model, joining partner and head of family law Sharon Giles, who was among the first lawyers in the region to qualify.

Resolution Together is a process developed by Resolution, the national organisation for family justice professionals. It allows separating couples to receive legal advice and support jointly from one specially trained lawyer, helping them make informed decisions about arrangements for finances, property and children without the need for separate legal representation.

The qualification further strengthens Willans’ commitment to helping families resolve issues in a constructive, non-confrontational way.

Jonathan Eager said: “Many couples want to separate amicably and find practical solutions without the stress, delay and expense that can sometimes arise when matters become adversarial. Resolution Together provides another option for those who are committed to working collaboratively and reaching fair outcomes together.

“It can be particularly effective where there is a shared desire to maintain a positive relationship going forward, especially when children are involved.”

Kristie Silsby added: “Every family is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to separation. By qualifying in Resolution Together, we’re able to offer our clients greater flexibility and help them choose the process that best supports their circumstances and goals.

“The model encourages open communication and transparency, enabling couples to make decisions with confidence and clarity.”

Sharon Giles, partner and head of family law at Willans, commented: “It is fantastic to see Jonathan and Kristie achieve this qualification and expand the number of Resolution Together practitioners within our team.

“At Willans, we are committed to helping clients resolve family matters in a way that minimises conflict wherever possible. Resolution Together offers a constructive and forward-thinking approach for couples who are willing and able to work together, and it complements the range of family law services we already provide.

“Having three qualified practitioners is a significant benefit for families in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire. It means more people locally can access specialist support through this innovative model and choose an approach that focuses on cooperation, transparency and finding practical solutions for the future.”

Willans’ family law team advises clients on all aspects of relationship breakdown, including divorce, financial settlements, arrangements for children, cohabitation disputes and pre- and postnuptial agreements. The team is recognised by national legal guides The Legal 500 and Chambers UK for its practical, sensitive advice and commitment to helping clients achieve positive outcomes for the future.

Skyborne, one of the world’s leading airline pilot training academies, is today announcing the launch of Fly First, a modular pilot training pathway that begins with practical flight experience from day one.

Through the programme, trainees will build 175 required hours of flight time for their US FAA Private Pilot Certificate, FAA Instrument Rating, and conversion to a UK CAA Private Pilot Licence over 26 weeks at the academy’s base in Vero Beach, Florida, USA.

UK CAA ATPL ground school can be completed independently at the pilot’s own pace and place of choosing, before returning to one of Skyborne’s UK facilities for the Multi-Engine IR and Airline Pilot Standards Multi-Crew Cooperation (APS MCC) phases of training.

Lee Woodward, CEO of Skyborne, says: “Our industry must make pilot training more accessible, and Fly First, a first for Skyborne, is an innovative opportunity for those looking for a modern, flexible route.

“We know the Integrated Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) may not work for everyone, and this modular structure ensures trainees can balance flight training with personal commitments, spreading the cost of their studies over time.”

Captain Christoper Harris, Head of Crew Training (NPCT), Jet2.com, says: “At Jet2.com, we recognise there is no single route into the flight deck. Skyborne’s Fly First programme offers aspiring pilots a flexible and accessible pathway into the profession, while maintaining the high standards of training that airlines expect.

“It’s a great example of how quality training and broader access can work hand in hand to support the next generation of pilots.”

Skyborne’s Vero Beach campus offers over 350 days flying weather per year and an aircraft fleet of more than 60 fully owned, standardised aircraft. Trainees learn from more than 100 experienced flight instructors and benefit from state-of-the-art training facilities, dedicated career support and Skyborne’s multiple airline partnerships.

Applications for Skyborne’s Fly First programme are open now.

This press release was sent to The Raikes Journal by the 8020 Communications on 9 June 2026.

* If you want to see your releases featured here, and included on our email editions, email the editor.

The Raikes Journal is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read on The Raikes Journal is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors and our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire, the series that follows the financial fortunes of our biggest firms by turnover. You will be able to comment on our stories too. You’ll be helping make this CIC sustainable. Please do join us.

You can do that for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once.

A new youth advisory board is being established to ensure that young people play a direct role in shaping the future of Golden Valley, the nationally significant cyber, AI, secure communications and emerging technology development soon to get underway in Cheltenham.

The board will provide a formal mechanism for young people aged 16-24 to contribute ideas, challenge thinking and advise on issues including skills development, education, careers, inclusion, emerging technologies and community engagement.

Acting as a shadow to the existing Golden Valley Advisory Board, the group will ensure that the perspectives and experiences of young people help inform the development of one of the UK’s most ambitious innovation ecosystems.

The initiative reflects a shared commitment among Golden Valley partners to ensure that the development not only creates jobs and economic growth, but also delivers meaningful opportunities for future generations.

Members of the youth board will come from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, including students, apprentices, early-career professionals and young people with an interest in technology, innovation and security.

Meeting quarterly, members will have opportunities to engage directly with senior leaders, contribute to consultations and pilot initiatives, and help shape communications and outreach activities aimed at young people.

Dame Clare Marchant, DBE, University of Gloucestershire Vice-Chancellor and Skills Lead for the Golden Valley Advisory Board, said: “Golden Valley is a long-term investment in the future of our region and the opportunities it can create for generations to come.

“It is therefore vital that young people have a meaningful voice in helping to shape that future.

“The Youth Advisory Board will provide a platform for young people to share their perspectives, challenge assumptions and contribute ideas that will help ensure Golden Valley remains inclusive, responsible and focused on the needs of future generations.”

Bianca Holland, education and community officer for University of Gloucestershire Students’ Union, said: “Young people will be among those most affected by the technological, economic and social changes that Golden Valley will bring.

“We want to ensure they are not simply consulted, but actively involved in shaping decisions and influencing priorities.

“This Board will help create a genuine dialogue between young people and leaders from across industry, education and the public sector, ensuring that future opportunities are informed by the people who will inherit them.”

Young people interested in joining the board are invited to initially express their interest by completing a short online form.

“A series of online information session will then take place in June and July, providing opportunities for people to ask questions and learn more ahead of making an application via an informal process.

Applications will close on 31 August 2026, with interviews and selection taking place in September before the first meeting of the board in the Autumn.

More information is available on University of Gloucestershire’s website.

This press release was sent to The Raikes Journal by the University of Gloucestershire.

* If you want to see your releases featured here, and included on our email editions, email the editor.

The Raikes Journal is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read on The Raikes Journal is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors and our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire, the series that follows the financial fortunes of our biggest firms by turnover. You will be able to comment on our stories too. You’ll be helping make this CIC sustainable. Please do join us.

You can do that for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once.

Now in its 18th year, the team and volunteers for South West charity The Nelson Trust hosted another successful annual Clay Pigeon Shoot and Evening Charity Dinner at Berkeley Castle on Thursday (21 May).

The action-packed event raised an incredible amount of nearly £70,000

With over 200 people in attendance, event is one of their most popular in the charity’s fundraising calendar.

The shoot saw the Nailsworth Mills Clay Smashers as the overall winners, and the Damson Gin Damsels as the top ladies’ team.

The lunch and evening dinner featured some fantastic auction lots, with a total estimated value of £28,000, including a Majorcan VIP holiday, specialist simulation days for attendees to continue honing their shooting skills, and a stay at one of the Cotswolds’ award-winning inns, The Wild Duck at Ewen.

Every auction lot was donated, thanks to the Trust’s hugely generous support base, led by the Gloucestershire Fundraising Committee.

Christina Line, CEO for The Nelson Trust said: “Every year our amazing fundraising committee host this incredible event, which is a truly unique experience to be part of.

“Every year we are astounded by the generosity of our sponsors, the companies and people donating such high value auction lots and the people who buy tickets and engage fully with the event.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts – the money raised makes a life changing difference to the people we serve. We have the best supporters.”

The funds raised from the days events are crucial to The Nelson Trust’s life-changing services across the South West of England and Wales, comprised of four residential rehabilitation treatment houses for men and women in recovery from substance use and their 10 women’s centres supporting women experiencing domestic abuse, homelessness, involvement in the criminal justice system and trauma.

The Clay Shoot Competition and Evening Charity Dinner will return to Berkeley Castle and the Folly on Thursday 13 May 2027.

This year’s event was sponsored by Enterprise Mobility, Howard Tenens, Nailsworth Mills Estate, The Grapevine Works and Stroud Farm Service, and hosted by the Berkeley family.

If you want to be a part of the action next year, contact fundraising@nelsontrust.com - there are sponsorship opportunities, and pre-sales tickets can be reserved.

To find out more about their services, upcoming events or to donate visit www.nelsontrust.com

Plans to build a new six-storey building at Gloucester Docks have been pulled amid concerns over the impact it would have had on traditional shipbuilders T. Nielsen and Company Limited.

The Canal and River Trust has withdrawn their proposals to build 141 flats at West Quay between Llanthony Road and Severn Road.

The scheme, which had been submitted to Gloucester City Council, were designed to provide a mix of one and two bedroom apartments specifically for rent.

And included refurbishing the existing warehouse to be used as a multi-use social space with gym, games area, parcel storage and reception.

Demolishing two older industrial buildings to make way for the new homes was part of the plans.

However, that scheme has since been withdrawn after talks between the developers and city planners.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Sarah Sawyer (Longlevens), the city council’s cabinet member for planning, said the application was withdrawn because, in its current state, would have had a negative impact on nearby traditional shipbuilders T. Nielsen and Company.

“Our Gloucester city plan explicitly says that any development in this area can not impact on their business, they are world leaders in their field and we want to protect them,” she said.

“We welcome further conversations with the applicant should they wish to make another application in the future to bring this site forward in a policy compliant way.”

Concern over the impact the plans would have on the shipbuilders was also raised by objectors.

“The transverse warehouse behind Fox’s Malting and the public space behind the new Llanthony Road buildings cut into the land required for storage and project work on the shipyard site affecting its operation and viability,” one objector said in their formal response to the planning application.

“Without an agreed way forward, it is difficult to see how this application can be approved in line with the above policies.

“When Gloucester Docks received Heritage Harbour status in September 2024 it was on the recognition of the balance between the modern docks and its past; the heritage skills and work of the shipyard are key in this.”

Councillor Rebecca Trimnell (LD, Westgate), who represents the area at the city council and county council, said is pleased the plans had been withdrawn.

“It is vitally important to protect the historic charm of our dockland area.,” she said.

“The proposed design clashed with the area’s maritime heritage, I was concerned about the impact of this development on the renowned and reputable, historic boat building business Nielsen and Co Ltd.

“Moreover, I felt the height of the development would change the skyline and overall appearance and vibe of the historic dockyard both permanently and negatively.

“It was also totally unrealistic to claim that none of the 141 flats of the proposed development would own a car and therefore there was insufficient car parking to accommodate the size of this development.

“I am in no rush to see another redesigned proposal, but if there is one then it needs to be a significant improvement on this last, withdrawn proposal”

The Canal and River Trust and T. Nielsen & Company have been approached for comment.

By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com

*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service. Why? Only independent, credible journalistically-led platforms that meet the BBC’s high standards win that permission.

Imagine waking up to find AI has told everyone searching online for your business that it has folded when it has done nothing of the sort – and your customers are already reacting.

That’s exactly what happened to a Michelin-starred Gloucestershire restaurant, Lumière.

It is a winner in a marketplace that relies on word of mouth and digital marketing and where such ‘news’ could prove fatal. And if it’s happened once, it will no doubt happen again.

There is a whole debate to be had about AI around this, but what it seems to come down to is that human beings need to mark AI’s homework when it writes us something. We have to be very careful what we put online if we want the internet to grow up big and strong and healthy. As the saying goes, ‘you are what you eat’. Or are we.

A BBC study published last year found significant issues of some form with 51 per cent of all AI answers; 19 per cent of AI answers which cited the BBC content introduced factual errors and 13 per cent of the quotes sourced from BBC articles were either altered or didn’t actually exist in that article.

What is most important in the story below is the very real human element. The impact on the business hit by this was huge. That’s the livelihoods and lifework of a family-run business that helps put Gloucestershire on the map. It could have been fatal. The team is still counting the cost and trying to recover.

And it also cries out for a conversation around ethics too – as well as the responsibilities we have to one another.

All of which means the main read below and its images have taken up most of the room on this email and left little for anything else!

We hope you appreciate our attempt to spread the word and support Lumière. IT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. And we hope the article may even work in its own small way as an education/discussion piece as we begin to learn to live with the latest iteration of the internet.

Have a great week.

Best regards,

Andrew Merrell

Editor | 07956 926061 | LinkedIn: Andrew Merrell | andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk

The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

Readers who upgrade to become a paid subscriber become part of this CIC too (from £2.30 a week). It helps make us sustainable, allows you to see past the paywalls, comment on our stories, and know you’re making possible the county’s only editorially-led digital magazine dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire about its businesses, charities, education and training sectors.

Raikes is the only independent website approved to use the BBC’s local Government copy. It recognises Raikes as independent journalism.

Subscribe now

💻 CyNam is also hosting In Machines We Trust? Our summer headline event is on Thursday 11th June, from 6:00 pm at Hub8 MX, Cheltenham. The event will explore how trust is built, tested, and engineered in machine-driven environments, examining autonomy, accountability, and control as AI systems increasingly influence decision-making. Tickets are just £5. Find out more via CyNam’s events page.

🚜 Three Counties Show Landowners, farmers and rural business owners are invited to put their questions directly to a panel of industry experts, including the head of agriculture, land and development at Willans Solicitors LLP, Adam Hale, on Friday 12 June. On Saturday 13 June there will be a rural careers fair from 4pm. And on Sunday 14 June there will be a panel discussion at 10.15am called Farming for Everyone, all about building inclusive, diverse agricultural communities. Willans’ employment law partner Hifsa O’Kelly will be one of the speakers. Then at 12.15pm another Willans’ partner, John Fisher, will take part in this discussion exploring the legal considerations involved in preserving, managing and maximising the value of traditional rural features.

Iconic Cheltenham restaurant recovering after ‘AI’ mistakenly tells everyone it was closed

Eight out of 10 internet searchers are now satisfied with AI summaries. But what if AI’s sources are wrong and damaging untruths about your business spread? It’s already happening.

This is a story about how an outstanding Cheltenham restaurant was left fearing for its future after being declared closed as a result of a competitor’s overreliance on AI.

Lumière in Cheltenham is not just one of the county’s finest dining experiences: its Michelin star makes it one of the country’s best.

The intimate space off Clarence Parade is the lifework of chef Jon Howe and his wife, front of house and business manager Helen Howe, and the result of a 17-year pursuit of excellence.

Lumière relies on its reputation, generated by that rare alchemy when the finest food and service come together, to ensure its small number of covers are regularly filled by loyal and new customers.

It’s a reputation helped by the digital world where mouth watering images and glowing reviews abound, a world where ‘news’ and ‘rumour’ spreads like wildfire across social media networks unchecked.

Little will cull the enthusiasm for a restaurant like a bad review, except perhaps news it had shut. Imagine that news dropping when it couldn’t be further from the truth. How do you stop that?

That’s exactly what happened to Lumière just last month (May). The damage is ongoing.

Worse still, the source announcing incorrectly it had closed was a work of fiction and was posted by another Cheltenham restaurant, The Nook on Five.

That post even declared itself well-placed to fill the ‘gaping hole’ left by the sad closure of Lumière.

In a town where the hospitality trade is tight and usually supportive the Howe’s would still be in shock if they were not so busy firefighting.

It’s now week four.

“Jon only found the posts by accident. He often has a little bit of time on a Tuesday morning as he waits for our deliveries to come in, during which he’ll check things like reviews and other posts - and that’s when he came across the news,” said Helen.

The couple had just returned from a week away.

“I’ve had to dedicate a lot of time to this, with other staff covering for me and doing extra shifts as I’ve tried to sort it out.”

The Nook on Five was opened in November 2022 by owner and director Ed Surman from SH Retail Investments.

When you consider eight out of 10 of us who search online now simply read the AI summary and go away satisfied, the issues could only just be beginning if AI is sourcing from factually incorrect posts.

The Howes are clear; the post about Lumière had an immediate impact on bookings.

“We are a small restaurant with only 16 tables/covers, which we usually fill and are often fully booked for every single Saturday. But for the first few days afterwards were only half full,” said Helen.

What did The Nook say?

“It blamed its marketing team which it said had used AI to write a number of articles about fine dining in Cheltenham.

“It claimed there was a theatre called Lumière in another part of the country which had closed and it had referenced that in the copy. The article then got published unchecked.”

The Nook’s full statement is below.

For Howe the frustration has only been added to since.

“The Nook ‘corrected’ the original article with another AI generated piece which did say we were open but was full of other errors, because for the second time, nobody had bothered to check it before publication. It did finally take it down, but it took a week,” said Helen.

“And because of how online works, while no one can read the article any more, a summary still comes up in searches.”

Which means it continues to colour those AI summaries we all now treat as Gospel.

The law around defamation requires an apology of at least similar visibility to the mistake to be made at the earliest opportunity.

A deeper dive into the digital underbelly of The Nook’s website by the Howe’s IT manager found numerous other posts that also referenced Lumiere, its Michelin star as well as other popular Cheltenham restaurants in an attempt to draw the eyes of traffic its way.

Howes is trying to sort the situation out through direct communication with Surman, rather than come over all litigious.

For the Howe’s it’s not just the damage to their business and the shock of where it came from, unintended as it was, it’s the need to recognise how a bombshell like this for one business will multiple and impact many more.

“The restaurant and hospitality sector in Cheltenham is like a family. It’s usually very supportive.

“When we get customers here, for example, we recommend other places in the town for people to stay, to have breakfast, to go for a drink.

“So if you think of those empty seats we had, perhaps all those are people who would have come to Cheltenham but didn’t come at all. That would not just have impacted us.”

Analysis of the stats shows that those who saw the article (which was 180 plus at one point, and rising) were searching for Lumière by name yet found the post by The Nook instead.

“They were probably all searching for us. And most (visitors to the restaurant) bring at least one guest with them.

“That might not sound like a lot, but we seat just 16 people per serving and rely on filling those covers. So to lose any of those, and we did, is damaging to us.”

That loss hit the prime weekend period, a time where Lumiere can expect to be fully booked. When you consider a single diner might spend between £150 and £200 half the tables empty for one sitting could cost Lumière £1,600 and rising.

This particular crisis occurred in the run-up to the Jazz Festival, when the town is a hive of activity and its restaurants and bars enjoy a vibrant period.

Surely you can just go to the restaurant’s website and double-check it’s still open, you might say?

You could, but as we’ve said above, statistics show eight out of 10 of us are now satisfied with the AI summary when we search online. And we take it as Gospel.

Paul Gordon, of Willans LLP solicitors, a lawyer referenced for his expertise in independent UK guide The Legal 500, is not acting for Lumière but was good enough to discuss the situation generally in light of the rapid changes arising from the use of AI.

Gordon said the rapid pace of the digital landscape suggested a change in the law would probably be needed to help legal protections keep pace.

“But the existing laws of defamation still apply to copy published in this manner,” Gordon confirmed.

Which should act as a warning to anyone thinking of publishing unedited content, especially anything that could damage the reputation or livelihoods of other businesses or individuals.

Darren Stevens, of Prestbury Marketing, has been making his own deep-dives into the world of AI, what it means for his clients and how their companies will now be found online.

For Stevens, we’re in the middle of a new digital revolution.

“It used to be simple for companies. They get the website right, the messaging right and the SEO right (the keywords behind hidden underneath the website where Google’s all-seeing eyes crawl), they market themselves and everyone found them,” he said Stevens.

“With AI it doesn’t work like that. It is not as clear which pages of your website are cited by AI. In the case of AI, being cited in a good thing. It means it’s found you.

“Most businesses have no idea now how visible they are any more,” he said.

“Making your website visible again and understanding what will work for you is important.

“We know if you are mentioned on LinkedIn or YouTube, and ideally by a trusted third party, AI likes that. We know that. But where ever it is, getting that messaging right is absolutely crucial,” said Stevens.

“If you are publishing something about yourself or especially about a competitor, you need to do your due diligence - not just for their sake, but for your own credibility.”

The Raikes Journal did contact Surman who referred us to the statement The Nook on Five released regarding Lumière Cheltenham.

“We recently published a piece of content that included inaccurate information regarding an independent restaurant Lumière in Cheltenham.

“The article incorrectly suggested that the restaurant had closed. This was not the case, and the business remains open and operating.

“Unfortunately, the inaccuracy in the blog occurred when an AI tool used within our business automatically generated a draft and published it directly to our website before it had time to go through our usual review process. That oversight is entirely on us.

“As soon as we became aware of the mistake, we removed the blog and issued a public apology the same day across our social media channels.

“Since then, we have been in direct communication with Lumière to help rectify the situation, and we are reviewing our internal processes to ensure this does not happen again.

“As a family-run, independent restaurant ourselves, we are keen to support fellow independents and regularly recommend Lumière to both tourists and local diners who visit The Nook on Five

“We apologise for the error and for any unintended impact this may have had.

“The content has been removed, and we are reviewing our editorial processes and our selection of AI tools to strengthen verification and approval procedures. Steps are being taken to reduce the likelihood of similar issues arising in the future.”

Today we lead on another of our big interview-come-profiles.

When you meet anyone at the top of their profession there can be a tendency, in your less generous moments, to imagine they were either born with a silver spoon in their mouths - as well as bags of talent. Or that they’ve had one of those perfect runways laid out from birth some of us are lucky enough to benefit from.

Hifsa O’Kelly isn’t one of them. She didn’t so much have a runway to take off on so much as a sheer mountain to climb, but she did so with aplomb.

O’Kelly was one of a trio of recent appointments to partner level at law firm Willans.

For those who think the barrier into a profession might just be too much, the rockface too sheer, read on. We’ve not told the whole story here, but you’ll get the gist.

It would be easy to go comparing her choices as a student to those who think it is tough trying to get through university today and how on earth can they handle the financial and work pressures. But some people just break the mould and that’s all there is to it.

It’s also proof that not one ingredient is enough, and if anyone tells you they made it to the top on sheer talent alone they’re probably an exception, or have forgotten what really happened. Neither is it raw determination and intelligence. It also takes some good mentors, brilliant colleagues to support, aspirations and a good businesses to work in, and then some.

Enjoy.

Best regards,

Andrew Merrell

Editor | 07956 926061 | LinkedIn: Andrew Merrell | andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk

Friday:

🎶 Live on the Wye Music Festival 2026 is due to take place at Redbrook Football Field tonight and tomorrow from 6pm to 11.45pm. Yes, we know it’s in Wales, but it’s the Forest of Dean side of the river.

🎶 Summer Charity Ceilidh by Cheltenham Animal Shelter at Tithe Barn, Bishops Cleeve from 7pm to 10.30pm. More here.

Saturday:

🏉 Gloucester Rugby play Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingsholm at 3.15pm.

Sunday:

Cheltenham Science Festival is inviting you to indulge in its catalogue of free events for adults and families from 10am to 2pm in its Festival Village. More here.

🫂🌍💷 Calling all B Corps: Gloucestershire B Local, which is dedicated to supporting B Corp businesses in Gloucestershire, is due to stage a best-practice webinar of general interest on Monday 8 June on local economic development in Gloucestershire. Panellists will include Max Wilkinson MP for Cheltenham, Phil Clement, head of inward investment in the growth and enterprise team at Gloucestershire County Council, Jacqueline Randall of the Cotswold Collective, and Adam Vines of Together Gloucestershire. Due to take place on Monday 8 June from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Register here.

💻 CyNam is also hosting In Machines We Trust? Our summer headline event is on Thursday 11th June, from 6:00 pm at Hub8 MX, Cheltenham. The event will explore how trust is built, tested, and engineered in machine-driven environments, examining autonomy, accountability, and control as AI systems increasingly influence decision-making. Tickets are just £5. Find out more via CyNam’s events page.

🚜 Three Counties Show Landowners, farmers and rural business owners are invited to put their questions directly to a panel of industry experts, including the head of agriculture, land and development at Willans Solicitors LLP, Adam Hale, on Friday 12 June. On Saturday 13 June there will be a rural careers fair from 4pm. And on Sunday 14 June there will be a panel discussion at 10.15am called Farming for Everyone, all about building inclusive, diverse agricultural communities. Willans’ employment law partner Hifsa O’Kelly will be one of the speakers. Then at 12.15pm another Willans’ partner, John Fisher, will take part in this discussion exploring the legal considerations involved in preserving, managing and maximising the value of traditional rural features.

Briefing notes…

🚗🚗🚛🚗🚗🚛🚗🚗People who commute via the A40 Over roundabout near Gloucester can expect their travel time to double from July, and possibly continue for nine months. National Highways is set to invest £7m in essential maintenance of the bridge over the River Severn at Over, which sees around 5,000 vehicles an hour during peak times. The section of road is a key network connecting Gloucester and Cheltenham with the Forest of Dean, Ross and Wales.

💷 Deal: Engineering firm Helipebs Controls has been bought by the Flowtech Group. According to the Gloucestershire business the deal reinforces its position in the fluid power and controls sector and “opens the door to new opportunities for growth, innovation and collaboration”. It gives Helipebs, which is headquartered in Sisson Road, Gloucester, access to an even bigger marketplace and will benefit customers and staff alike, said the firm. The deal was for an undisclosed sum. Helipebs serves sectors including nuclear, green energy, pharmaceutical, defence, subsea oil and gas and mould and tool making.

The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

Readers who upgrade to become a paid subscriber become part of this CIC too (from £2.30 a week). It helps make us sustainable, allows you to see past the paywalls, comment on our stories, and know you’re making possible the county’s only editorially-led digital magazine dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire about its businesses, charities, education and training sectors.

Raikes is the only independent website approved to use the BBC’s local Government copy. It recognises Raikes as independent journalism.

Subscribe now

How one woman created a quite remarkable career path

At first glance Hifsa O’Kelly’s route to partner at one of Gloucestershire’s leading law firms appears pretty straightforward. But then you look at the detail and realise what an incredible journey she’s been on.

By Andrew Merrell.

When we first meet it’s minutes before Hifsa O’Kelly takes to the podium as one of a team of employment law experts from Willans LLP solicitors set to brief a room full of businesspeople at Cheltenham’s Queen’s Hotel about the impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

That team, including Jenny Hawrot and Simon Pathé, partners at the firm, and Achante Anson, a trainee solicitor, step up in turn with O’Kelly relaying, among other things, the case study about someone who won three months’ pay for breach of contract at a business he had never even worked for.

It’s a grand setting, and the 70 members of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (many are HR experts from businesses across the county) who fill the room are rapt.

O’Kelly leads a debate off the back of each of her case studies, rounding off with a conversation about AI and its impact on the workplace.

“Willans has a really good relationship with the CIPD and these kinds of seminars are a great opportunity for us to let everyone know what they need to be aware of and why,” she explains when we meet a couple of days later for this interview, deftly deflecting my praise for her part in the event.

This time we’re at Willans’ headquarters, not far from The Queen’s Hotel and also overlooking Cheltenham’s magnificent Imperial Gardens.

“I don’t see anything I do as particularly different or special. I just get on with the job and want to deliver an excellent service to my clients. It’s a job I love doing.

“Presenting can be daunting, but relaying the knowledge and experience to the CIPD audience was really rewarding and satisfying to me,” she adds, before quickly moving on to praise her colleagues, Hawrot and Pathé, and how they had managed to convey in simple form such a complex and wide-ranging topic as the 2025 Act.

That respect is mutual, even if you suspect it is yet to sink in entirely for O’Kelly, who was only made partner in April, just a month before we talk.

Hawrot, who is head of employment law and business immigration, called O’Kelly’s promotion “truly deserved” and praised her colleague’s “extensive experience and strong technical ability”.

She was one of a trio of senior promotions that included Emma Thompson and Charlotte Cowdell.

O’Kelly actually originally wanted to become a barrister – perhaps the loftiest of standings for a lawyer, aside from becoming a judge.

But that goal – and how she came within touching distance of achieving it, only to change her mind – isn’t the only fascinating part of her story.

We have to go back a little further to find the beginning of a road that led her from humble beginnings to where she is now, able to confidently advise all manner of organisations, small to medium-sized businesses, schools, colleges, and charities – on all aspects of employment law and business immigration.

She also helps organisations with the day-to-day management of staff and HR matters, represents clients involved in tribunal claims of unfair dismissal, settlement agreements, redundancy, TUPE, discrimination, and whistleblowing and has extensive experience of acting for both claimants and respondents.

Rewind the clock to her childhood and here was someone whose first thoughts of a job had nothing at all to do with law.

“I wasn’t very ambitious,” she said, when I ask whether her drive was apparent pre-GCSE.

“I remember going to a career’s advisor. She said ‘what do you want to do?’

“I really wanted to work in a nursery. I loved children.”

Was there pressure from parents then when it came to career choices? Was that what drove her to choose a profession?

“I didn’t feel there was any pressure, although I knew my parents would prefer if I went into law, medicine or accountancy.

“It was (a career in) medicine I was thinking about for a long time, but I found the pull towards law stronger. I think I have always had a strong sense of fairness and justice.

“I think I always knew I wanted to help people, and I felt I could do that through the law.”

Getting that all important degree in law to begin the journey is hard enough, but the route she felt she had to choose reveals a singular determination, work ethic and talent for multi-tasking far removed from the ‘unambitious’ younger self to mentioned earlier.

“I had to choose carefully where I went for my degree, because I had to self-fund myself through it.

“So, I had to work full-time as I studied. But I was also determined to do the degree in three years still,” she explained.

O’Kelly found a university in South Wales that would accommodate her request and promptly set about compacting a course usually spread over several more years into three while also working a nine-to-five job to pay her way.

“I also bought a house during that time,” she said, laughing at the amount she had put on her plate.

“I felt I was working really hard while studying too. I had a really good job (she did her degree with her manager’s support while she was working for the Welsh Government), but I wanted to get to the end of those three years with something other than a degree to show for it.”

Post-degree, while she was completing her Bar Vocational Course (BVC) to become a barrister, she continued to work - now as an assistant manager at accountancy giant Deloitte’s Cardiff office.

Were her parents also driven by the same zeal, I ask, searching not very imaginatively for a source of her work ethic?

“For my dad, education was always really important. He always told us it would open doors for us. He never went to university. They got married young and had responsibilities.

“I don’t think my mother really wanted me to throw myself into work like I have,” she added, pondering the subject for a moment.

“But they both definitely wanted the best for me and my sisters.”

All chose careers. One of her sisters went on to become a pharmacist and the other a teacher at a secondary school.

What did her mother think when O’Kelly became a partner at Willans, thinking she might have enjoyed the status her daughter had achieved?

“I think she was more concerned how many hours I would be working and whether I was working too hard,” she said, laughing again.

“Perhaps when I got called to the Bar they might have shown that picture of me in the wig and gown to a few of their friends and family, but I don’t think what I do is something they talk about.

“It’s more about whether I am okay and how my family is.”

The wig and gown of her once dream profession didn’t last.

“Whilst applying for pupillage (the final part of your training to become a barrister) I was told that I needed more work experience in law first.”

She went to work for a law firm in Cardiff and began practising employment law. It was, to her surprise, something she loved.

And she met her husband. The couple moved to Bristol to work and she continued to accumulate her knowledge and skills at a law firm in the city, first as an employment litigator and then, after promotion, to first response litigator.

“No two days are the same in employment law; that’s probably why I love it. You have variety in dealing with individuals and businesses alike.

“Some questions are straightforward. You can pick up the phone and deal with it in half an hour. Others are more complicated.

“And whatever it is, we need to make sure we can deliver for clients every time.”

Between Bristol and a move to Cheltenham she also became a parent and is now a working mother of two. I wondered if that had changed the woman once so driven nothing seemed insurmountable.

“I think I only became more certain that I want to do well, to set an example to the children that they should also work hard and that nothing comes easy. It helps that I simply really enjoy what I do,” she said.

“Before I had kids I think I had this impression that they (children) would just slot right into what I was doing and it would be business as usual.”

She pauses to laugh at the absurdity of the idea.

Outside of work she also somehow finds time to run, including the odd marathon. It is, she says, her ‘me-time’.

What is it that drew her to Willans?

“When my husband and I first moved to Cheltenham in 2014 I was sitting in Imperial Gardens with my son.

“I was looking for a law firm and was looking up at Willans (you can see the firm’s offices from the park). I had heard about it. It felt right and had an excellent reputation.

“I remember thinking ‘Willans is the one’, but I also thought ‘I may not be good enough’.

“I happened to go for coffee with Chris (Wills, head of corporate and commercial law), a mutual connection.

“And I ended up meeting Matthew (Clayton – head of governance and risk) as well and got on really well with him too.

“Then I was invited for an interview where I met Jenny (Hawrot) and Bridget (Redmond, the firm’s managing partner) and I was just really impressed.

“I realised that as well as being brilliant at what they did, they were just really nice people. I felt they were people I could work with and it was a place I could be myself.

“I wanted to work for a firm that was collaborative, where the partners worked together and supported one another, which was led by experts but where everyone had the same values and believed in them.

“They were all the things I was looking for – and I knew I’d found them. And then I was lucky enough to get the job,” she added, that characteristic modesty emerging again.

“I can be sitting around the table with everyone who works here (at Willans), and I do still have that pinch me moment where I ask myself, ‘how does a girl from my background achieve this?’. It seems so far away from where I have come from.

“There were lots of times when I thought along the way ‘am I going to make it’ and self-doubt inevitably creeps in. But I feel like that desire to prove myself can be positive.”

Deep down, she admits, she believed if she kept working hard she would make it.

“I’ve had the benefit of working with great people throughout my career and have learned from each experience.

“But I feel like now I’m a partner the hard work doesn’t stop. I am excited for our employment team and about helping our clients.”

Read more: Businesses flock to learn about the biggest change to employment law in years.

Two main stories we hope will catch the eye today.

Firstly, one that focuses on the fact that two-thirds of UK firms don’t have a business plan. Which might lead many to think if they’re doing fine, why bother? But imagine how much better they could do if you knew where they’re going and why.

This is the lead story below. In an event worthy of Cheltenham Literature Festival, the authors of a new book explained how it can help managers produce a business plan and achieve that other Holy Grail for modern companies - to become purpose-led, a force for good for people and planet. Oh, and make more profit too.

It’s a grand claim, but the authors’ ideas have been road-tested by a Gloucestershire-based team that’s worked with more than 1,000 business leaders in the UK and beyond for over a decade and t has some compelling figures to back it up.

Why didn’t we lead on the second about ‘Striking’ plans to transform Cheltenham’s long-empty Cavendish House - a story that outlines plans to transform the building into a vibrant town centre destination, complete with a grand public square, elegant shopping arcades, cafés, restaurants, homes and striking public spaces?

You’ll see why when you read it.

We also have news of Hartpury University and Hartpury College’s bid to support Goals Beyond Grass in our charity of the week story, events at The Growth Hub, Cynam’s part in Cheltenham Science Festival, its forthcoming event at Hub8 MX, and a special B Corp-focused economic growth conference staged by Gloucestershire B Local.

There’s news of appointments at Sherbornes Solicitors and WSP Solicitors, a director fined for illegally storing 1,000 kg of explosives at work, and more.

Please do share our stories and if you haven’t already, sign up to our email editions. You’ll be supporting real business journalism for Gloucestershire.

Best regards,

Andrew Merrell

Editor | 07956 926061 | LinkedIn: Andrew Merrell | andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk

Charity of the Week: Goals Beyond Grass

A Gloucestershire-based grassroots charity dedicated to reducing social isolation and improving wellbeing for disabled children and adults through inclusive sport and physical activity will be the beneficiary of an extraordinary effort by Hartpury University and Hartpury College this summer. Staff, students, governors and supporters plan to cycle 270km (170 miles) from the most westerly point in Wales back to Hartpury from 29 June to 1 July.

Founded in 2016, Goals Beyond Grass began with powerchair football and has since expanded to deliver a wide range of inclusive sport and community programmes. The charity creates safe, welcoming environments where disabled people can build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging through physical activity. To read more and support the ride click here.

Diary Dates…

Tuesday:

How to get more leads through your website. Henny Maltby, a specialist in growth marketing techniques, will show you how to generate online traffic and position yourself in front of your competitors’ audience. The Growth Hub, SGS College, Stroud. 9am to 2.30pm. More here.

Wednesday:

How to create your 12-step social media strategy. Emma Provins of Skylight9 will talk you through how to utilise social media for business and improve what you’re already doing. At The Growth Hub, Tewkesbury, from 10am to 1pm. More here.

Thursday:

💻 CyNam is supporting Licence to Innovate at Cheltenham Science Festival. The event explores breakthrough technologies, from advanced manufacturing to AI, and how innovation can support the UK’s future technology capability. Includes networking and a panel discussion. Find out more via CyNam’s events page.

Friday:

Friendly & Informal Business Networking | Gloucester Ladies Who Latte. Wheatstone Inn, Barnwood, Gloucester, from 10am to 12pm. More here.

Worth knowing about too…

💻 CyNam is also hosting In Machines We Trust? Our summer headline event is on Thursday, 11th June, from 6:00 pm at Hub8 MX, Cheltenham. The event will explore how trust is built, tested, and engineered in machine-driven environments, examining autonomy, accountability, and control as AI systems increasingly influence decision-making. Tickets are just £5. Find out more via CyNam’s events page.

🫂🌍💷 Calling all B Corps: One of the things Gloucestershire seems to do very well is B Corp. In terms of the number of businesses that have made the grade, the county is a hotspot. Gloucestershire B Local is dedicated to supporting that group and is due to stage a best-practice webinar of general interest. This one is on local economic development in Gloucestershire. It’ll ask questions like ‘Why does the local economy matter? What is being done about local economic development for Gloucestershire? How can we make sure the local economy grows and becomes more successful, thereby supporting business growth in the region?’. Panellists will include Max Wilkinson MP for Cheltenham, Phil Clement, head of inward investment in the growth and enterprise team at Gloucestershire County Council, Jacqueline Randall of the Cotswold Collective, and Adam Vines of Together Gloucestershire. Due to take place on Mon 8 June from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. Register here.

Briefing Notes…

⚖️ Business and employment law specialists Sherborne Solicitors has strengthened and expanded its team with the appointment of Alexander Robinson as an assistant solicitor in the its corporate department. Robinson joins the Cheltenham firm from WSP Solicitors, which has its head quarters in Stroud, where he gained experience in corporate and commercial law, as well as commercial property law. More here.

⚖️ Growth at Gloucestershire law firm leads to new appointments in its commercial property and child law teams. WSP Solicitors has announced the expansion of its commercial property and child law teams with the appointments of senior associate, David Ashcroft and associate solicitor, Jessica O’Shea. The firm’s newest hires are part of its strategic growth plan as demand for its commercial property and family law work continues to grow. More here.

🧨💥A directors of a Cheltenham business has been fined for illegally storing more than 1,000 kg of explosives at his business premises. Chase James Gardiner, 42, of Hales Road, Cheltenham, and the sole director of Platinum Home Cinema (also Hales Road), was fined £3,986 with the business fined £11,200 and ordered to pay costs of £10,634.30. The total fine paid being £25,820.30. More here.

🏘️Gloucestershire residents have blasted the launch of a strategy to protect nature launched at the same time as a new blueprint is revealed for development that could see a 3,500-home new town near the Malvern Hills. Forest of Dean District Council new Nature and Climate Emergency Strategy 2026 – 2040 sets out commitments to embed nature recovery and climate resilience into planning, as well as empower local communities to shape the district’s future. But the council is also considering plans for new settlements off the A40 at Churcham and A417 in Redmarley. More here.

🌳There are fears the Forest of Dean’s bid to become a Unesco biosphere reserve is now in peril after civic chiefs voted for six months of further consultation. The council has been working on applying for the status to recognise the woodland as in the same league as places such as Yellowstone or Florida’s Everglades in the USA and the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The aim being to protect wildlife while boosting eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture and green business. More here.

The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

Readers who upgrade to become a paid subscriber become part of this CIC too (from £2.30 a week). It helps make us sustainable, allows you to see past the paywalls, comment on our stories, and know you’re making possible the county’s only editorially-led digital magazine dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire about its businesses, charities, education and training sectors.

Raikes is the only independent website approved to use the BBC’s local Government copy. It recognises Raikes as independent journalism.

Subscribe now

‘Striking’ plans for Cavendish House unveiled

A £100m scheme to reinvent Cheltenham town centre’s empty Cavendish House, transforming it into a vibrant town centre destination, have been unveiled. But will it happen?

‘Striking’ plans to transform Cheltenham’s long-empty Cavendish House site into a vibrant town centre destination, complete with a grand public square, elegant shopping arcades, cafés, restaurants, homes and striking public spaces, have been unveiled.

The visionary scheme for the Promenade landmark known as ‘Cavendish Exchange’ has been developed by Cynthia Hartmann, founder and creative director of Interior Design CH and is supported by Cheltenham Civic Society (CCS), which has helped test its commercial and financial viability.

No formal planning application is expected to be submitted for this scheme but the ambitious £100 million proposal reimagines one of the spa town’s most prominent and problematic vacant buildings as a lively mixed-use quarter, reconnecting the Promenade with Regent Street and the Everyman Theatre.

The Civic Society says the plans represent a bold and detailed iteration of the initial concept put forward by them in 2024 as part of its long-running campaign to make sure that any development proposal will benefit the town, not just the investors.

Will the unveiling of the scheme spur on site owner Canada Life, which has spent years without bringing forward a deliverable vision or redevelopment proposal? More here.

How to draw up a business plan for good growth - in a weekend

Two-thirds of UK firms don’t have a business plan, which might lead many to think if they’re doing fine, why bother? Imagine how much better they could do if you knew where they’re going and why.

Even events led by best-selling authors of business-focused books don’t tend to have the same draw as their peers in fiction, but try telling that to those who almost filled a lecture theatre at the University of Gloucestershire recently.

Almost fifty businesspeople took the limited tickets available to hear Dr Stewart Barnes and Professor Steve Kempster interviewed by Jo Draper of leadership development specialist QuoLux about their book, Realising Good Growth: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders.

Why so much interest?

Generally, growth has become such a challenge for UK plc the Prime Minister and Chancellor are obsessed with it. In 2025 GDP was 1.4 per cent and in the first quarter of 2026 0.6 per cent. Perhaps they should have hightailed it down to Oxstalls to listen to the debate.

More specifically, most attended because they know that the organisation which has been road-testing the ideas in the book, which Barnes also co-founded, is onto something.

Gloucester-based QuoLux delivers leadership development for businesses and organisations across the UK and beyond.

Its cohort now numbers more than 1,000, and businesses and organisations it’s worked with have, on average, enjoyed increases in sales (up 42 per cent), productivity (up 47 per cent), employee growth (up 19 per cent) and profitability (up 197 per cent).

What makes it doubly appealing is this is not just about leadership and growth with a focus on profit only.

In a world where we now understand growth comes with costs for us and our planet – what Kempster calls one of the ‘moral challenges’ of out time – their book describes ‘good growth’, growth that results from a business that has become a force for good.

But to achieve that, said Barnes, you first need to have a good understanding of your business - and a plan.

“Two thirds of businesses don’t have a plan. You can take this book, work through it, and produce a business plan in the space of a week,” he said.

Build the right plan, the pair argue, and you really can achieve that positive impact.

If you’ve heard of B Corp, the book explores similar ideas: that by focusing on key areas, including people and planet, a business can achieve what Kempster has coined Good Dividends.

The thinking is that a purpose-led business that is conscious of its impact on people, planet and community – that works to achieve social value with every step – will be more driven, more focused, more engaged, more impactful and more profitable.

It will deliver what Kempster calls a virtuous circle of good dividends, where relationships sustain and grow because people buy into what the business is and what it does, staff are engaged and productivity is up.

Their text takes and beautifully distils these ideas into a handbook for action, a Haynes manual for your business; simple to follow, bite-sized chunks with inspirational quotes and QR codes pointing you to digital tools to help build that business plan.

It maps a process that will help business leaders better understand what their company stands for, what benefits it delivers, what it is doing that is positive and to help them bring those key messages to the fore to create that purpose-led ethos.

“You can do this on your own or with your senior management team, over a number of sessions or in a couple of days. You should be able to easily achieve a concise, single-page business plan,” said Barnes.

“Some of the businesses that have done this already have these plans hanging on walls around their business for everyone to see, to remind them of what they stand for.”

Cathia Jenainati, professor of gender and leadership and head of the School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences at the University of Gloucestershire, asked Barnes and Kempster whether there was evidence their methods could benefited every member of society equally.

And Abby Guilding, director of fundraising for the charity Well Child, said: “From a charity’s perspective, we need to find partners to support us. It is incredibly challenging out there in this respect.

“Can we use the techniques you talk about to show companies what they can get from partnering with us, to help them better understand how the relationship will generate value?”

Eighteen powerful, real case studies in the book include the story of Cotteswold Dairy’s radical solution to its employment churn – taking on and train inmates from a nearby prison, employing the best of them when they have served their sentences.

Rather than put its existing 450 staff on the defensive, the counterintuitive thinking engaged staff at all levels, created a new-found sense of what sort of business Cotteswold Dairy stands for and wants to be, it empowered staff to shape that reality which further motivated and enthused, and in providing meaningful work for former inmates it helped solve the issue of staff turnover.

“It also added a quarter of a million pounds saving to the bottom line,” said Kempster, underlining his earlier point - that energy spent creating purpose also drives profit.

Barnes also pointed both of them to the case study of The Nelson Trust and what QuoLux calls its SGD Configurator, a digital tool found via a QR code in the book.

It allows firms to quickly map what they do across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the 269 targets of the United Nations, criteria widely used by major firms to help make procurement decisions.

These SDGs include ensuring an organisation’s actions deliver no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, gender equality, reduced inequalities, affordable clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities.

The Gloucestershire-headquartered Trust is a charity that supports people dealing with substance additions. Up against a major competitor in a bidding process, it needed to communicate the impact it had.

It used the SGD configurator to helped it demonstrate its impact, and credits it as key to a dramatic win that led to it near doubling of its ‘turnover’ overnight. It makes for powerful reading.

“In these cases, fully engaged people led to great business wins. Business flourishes, communities flourish, the whole planet flourishes,” said Barnes.

“This is exactly what the book is meant to help address. It is about having purpose-led conversations about how we can create these benefits for others outside out business.

“The challenge is that often no one has any experience of having such conversations. It’s about little steps, about learning.

“Seven out of 10 businesses in the UK don’t have any training to help them do that.

“Most of them went into business with purpose, but they forget along the way as the business takes over.

“Reminding themselves, re-evaluating, identifying what it is they do and why they do it will help them focus on where they want to go and what impact they want to make. It can be transformational.”

The preface to the book says: “We can change the nature of growth, reframe the purpose of business and galvanise leadership. Too often we think it is all down to governments to address these issues.

“For sure, they establish incentives and punishments to guide our behaviours, but they are not the engine room for change – and certainly not with regard to growth.

“That lies with business and the leaders of these businesses. If we say countries and companies are both ‘entities’, then 150 of the top 200 largest entities in the world, defined by size, are companies.

“But these are just the largest businesses … picture the 150 as the tip of a huge pyramid made up of more than 300 million businesses of all sizes worldwide.

“Just imagine the impact of business leadership if it could generate good growth – where people, planet and profits all flourish. Businesses should AND CAN play a huge and crucial role.”

Realising Good Growth: A Practical Guide for Business Leaders, is published by Routledge and was designed by Jamie Rudd, of SoulKind.

“Striking” plans to transform Cheltenham’s long-empty Cavendish House site into a vibrant town centre destination, complete with a grand public square, elegant shopping arcades, cafés, restaurants, homes and striking public spaces, have been unveiled.

The visionary scheme for the Promenade landmark known as “Cavendish Exchange” has been developed by Cynthia Hartmann, founder and creative director of Interior Design CH.

It is part of her graduate studies at the University of Gloucestershire, and has since been supported by Cheltenham Civic Society (CCS), which has helped test its commercial and financial viability.

No formal planning application is expected to be submitted for this scheme but the ambitious £100 million proposal reimagines one of the spa town’s most prominent and problematic vacant buildings as a lively mixed-use quarter, reconnecting the Promenade with Regent Street and the Everyman Theatre.

The Civic Society says the plans represent a bold and detailed iteration of the initial concept put forward by them in 2024 as part of its long-running campaign to make sure that any development proposal will benefit the town, not just the investors.

This development proposal would create what many believe Cheltenham has long lacked – a true civic heart and town square capable of bringing new life, energy and footfall into the town centre, they said.

And they believe it would not only bring life to the CavHouse site itself, but it would supercharge the economy of adjoining streets, notably Regent Street and the High Street.

The unveiling of the scheme also raises uncomfortable questions for site owner Canada Life, which has spent years without bringing forward a deliverable vision or redevelopment proposal.

The building’s former occupiers, House of Fraser, closed their doors in April 2024 but it is understood talks about the building’s future began more than six year ago.

Hartmann’s proposed redevelopment would involve selective demolition of the existing Cavendish House building to create a dramatic new public square opening directly off the Promenade.

This elegant and welcoming space is designed to reconnect some of Cheltenham’s most important streets for the first time in generations.

At the heart of the scheme is a complete reimagining of the building’s tired 1960s façade. In its place, Hartmann’s design introduces a series of elegant, glazed double-height arches, creating a far more refined and visually striking frontage befitting Cheltenham’s Regency character and international reputation, according to the Civic Society.

A grand central archway would form a prestigious pedestrian route from the Promenade through into the new square and onwards to Regent Street and the Everyman Theatre – creating a natural flow of movement, activity and footfall across the town centre.

The development would bring together a lively mix of uses designed to keep the area active throughout the day and evening.

At ground-floor level, shops, cafés and restaurants would animate both the Promenade frontage and the new public square, while upper floors would accommodate a major food hall or destination restaurant alongside high-quality residential apartments overlooking the Promenade and the square.

The plans also include the sensitive incorporation of surviving Regency façades on the corner of Regent Street and County Court Road into a separate standalone building within the square. This space could accommodate offices, cultural uses or potentially even a future headquarters for a Cheltenham Town Council as local government reorganisation proceeds in the coming years.

Hartmann said: “Fifteen years of working as an interior designer in buildings teaches you to read them differently. You understand how people move through space, where they linger, where they leave.

“Cavendish House has the presence of a landmark and the character of a barrier. What drives people away is the decades of architectural compromise layered over it.

“It occupies one of the most strategic and prestigious sites in Cheltenham, and for years, it has worked against both the streets that define it and the legacy of the town.

“This proposal sets out to exchange that: reconnecting streets, restoring a frontage, and creating the kind of mixed-use public destination that successful town centres are built around. A passage. A square. A gathering place that gives the Promenade and Regent Street something to connect to for the first time in a generation. Cavendish Exchange could become that missing heart of the town.

“The architecture of Cheltenham already knows what it wants to be. This project simply completes the sentence.”

The Civic Society has worked closely with Hartmann throughout the project, helping to test and refine the proposals and assess the commercial reality behind the vision.

Andrew Booton, the Civic Society’s chairman, said the scheme demonstrates that ambitious regeneration in Cheltenham is both possible and financially achievable.

“We did not want this to be dismissed as simply a student exercise or an unrealistic fantasy scheme,” he said.

“We have examined the development numbers carefully and believe the proposal is entirely viable in commercial terms. The scheme would create a high value, mixed-use destination featuring new homes, hospitality, retail and public space in one of the most strategically important locations in Gloucestershire.

“It has the potential to generate substantial long-term rental income, significant new council tax revenues and millions of pounds in additional spending power for businesses across Cheltenham town centre.”

But Booton said the scheme also highlighted the extraordinary lack of progress made by current site owner Canada Life since long before the closure of Cavendish House.

“The embarrassing reality is that a single architectural student, working part-time over six months, has succeeded in producing a coherent, attractive and deliverable vision for this site,” he said.

“Measured against that, Canada Life appears to have spent six years achieving effectively nothing – while their property has become a symbol of stagnation, drift and decline in the town centre.

“This proposal proves that the site is not difficult to redevelop: in fact it brims with potential. What has been missing is imagination, urgency and leadership.”

Booton said Cheltenham Civic Society is now urging Canada Life either to work constructively with the ideas behind Cavendish Exchange or to sell the site to a developer that is prepared to move quickly.

“Cheltenham cannot afford another six years of excuses while one of the most important sites in the town centre sits empty and decaying,” he said.

“This town deserves ambition. It deserves confidence. And it deserves a town centre that reflects Cheltenham at its very best.”

A spokesperson for Canada Life Asset Management, owners of Cavendish House, said they continue to work closely with the town’s planners.

“The next stage of Cavendish House’s redevelopment, involving the removal of the bridge link to Regent Arcade, has now been successfully completed,” they said.

“This is a critical step in enabling the wider regeneration of Cavendish House, and we continue to work closely with Cheltenham Borough Council through an updated pre-application planning process.”

By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com

*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service. Why? Only independent, credible journalistically-led platforms that meet the BBC’s high standards win that permission.

Staff, students, governors and supporters from Hartpury University and Hartpury College will be pedalling with purpose this summer as they take on an ambitious three-day charity cycle challenge from St Davids in Wales back to Hartpury’s Gloucestershire campus.

Taking place from 29 June to 1 July, the challenge will see the team cover approximately 270 kilometres (170 miles), travelling from the most westerly point in Wales through Carmarthen and Abergavenny before arriving back at Hartpury.

The ride is being undertaken to raise funds for Goals Beyond Grass, a Gloucestershire-based grassroots charity dedicated to reducing social isolation and improving wellbeing for disabled children and adults through inclusive sport and physical activity.

A core team of Hartpury staff, students and supporters will complete the full three-day route, while additional riders will join for the final stage into Hartpury, ensuring the challenge is accessible to participants of different cycling abilities and experience levels.

Among those taking part across the challenge are Hartpury Vice-Chancellor, Executive Principal and CEO Professor Andy Collop and Hartpury advocate Mel Nicholls, governors, staff and students from across the institution, as well as external partners and supporters.

The cycle ride represents not only a significant physical and mental test, but also a shared commitment to supporting inclusive opportunities within the local community.

Professor Collop said: “This challenge is about teamwork, resilience and supporting a charity that makes a genuine difference in people’s lives here in the Forest of Dean and right across Gloucestershire. Goals Beyond Grass creates opportunities for people to build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging through inclusive sport, and we’re proud to support their work.

“Hartpury’s challenge is not only about raising funds for this important cause, but also about promoting opportunities that directly benefit local people and communities across Gloucestershire. By supporting the ride, donors and partners will be helping to strengthen inclusive provision within the county and create more opportunities for people of all abilities to take part in sport and physical activity, something we’re passionate about at Hartpury.

“We know the route will be tough, but the cause behind it will keep us pedalling every mile.”

Founded in 2016, Goals Beyond Grass began with powerchair football and has since expanded to deliver a wide range of inclusive sport and community programmes. The charity creates safe, welcoming environments where disabled people can build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging through physical activity.

Funds raised through the challenge will help Goals Beyond Grass continue delivering accessible cycling and sports sessions, purchase specialist adaptive equipment, and support more people who are often excluded from traditional sporting opportunities.

William Alonso, fundraising and events officer at Goals Beyond Grass, said: “This fundraising challenge, taken on by an amazing group of people from Hartpury, is amazing, and we are so grateful to be the lucky charity that is being supported throughout the challenge. Support from fundraisers like this help us to continue delivering our sessions throughout the year, for over 10,000 visitors with disabilities! Every donation makes a massive difference, with even just £15 helping to run an extra hour of sessions for those that need them most!”

Mel Nicholls, a long-time associate of Hartpury University and Hartpury College and a three-time Paralympian who previously competed in T34 wheelchair racing events at London 2012 and Rio 2016, said: “Everybody should have the opportunity to ride a bike & there really is a bike out there for everyone - whether two-wheeled, three or four, or whether leg, arm powered or assisted.

“As a passionate advocate of disability sport and cycling, my answer was a definite yes to taking part in Hartpury’s 170-mile cycle challenge for Goals Beyond Grass - enabling people with disabilities opportunities to accessible cycling & sport.

“While the challenge will test us in many ways, it will no doubt showcase social connection, camaraderie, and achievement through physical activity, and the pure joy of riding a bike for all.”

The team would also like to thank the sponsors supporting the challenge: Aramark, Square One, HCR Law, EG Carter, Abi Precision Engineering, Enterprise Mobility, Two Rivers Housing and Abbey Business Interiors.

To support the team and donate, click here.

This press release was sent to The Raikes Journal by Hartpury University and Hartpury College on 28 May 2026.

* If you want to see your releases featured here, and included on our email editions, email the editor.

The Raikes Journal is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read on The Raikes Journal is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors and our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire, the series that follows the financial fortunes of our biggest firms by turnover. You will be able to comment on our stories too. You’ll be helping make this CIC sustainable. Please do join us.

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WSP Solicitors, a leading Gloucestershire-based law firm, has announced the expansion of its commercial property and child law teams with the appointments of senior associate, David Ashcroft and associate solicitor, Jessica O’Shea.

The firm’s newest hires come as part of its strategic growth plan as demand for its commercial property and family law work continues to grow, seeing a 30 per cent and six per cent increase year-on-year.

Joining WSP Solicitors’ Commercial team, David brings with him over 40 years of experience specialising in all aspects of commercial property.

During his career David has acted on leases for a major Swedish household goods retailer and worked on the privatisation of nationalised industries in Slovenia and Europe. He also holds a high level of MOD security clearance having worked on security and defence contracts.

With thirteen years’ experience, Jessica is a Child Panel accredited solicitor working in one of the most sensitive areas of family law, representing children in legal proceedings.

Her specialisms include care proceedings and advising on cases involving social services, alongside kinship care, and special guardianship and child arrangement orders.

Ashcroft said: “WSP Solicitors has a strong reputation for delivering practical, client-focused advice. I’m keen to build on the team’s existing expertise and develop relationships with both new and longstanding clients in the region.

“The firm’s clear ambition was a key factor in my decision to join. With my background in commercial property, company and commercial matters, as well as defence-related work, I’m looking to bring that experience into the team and contribute to the continued strength of the practice.”

O’Shea said: “Having previously worked with our Managing Director, Camella Cephas, and Lawyer Litigator, Amy Caddick, and hearing what a great place WSP Solicitors is to work, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

“The firm has a clear direction for the future and a strong client focus. I’m joining a highly experienced Child Law team and am keen to contribute to the continued development of its services.

“We work in a hugely emotive area of law. I’m looking forward to working closely with our clients, understanding their individual circumstances, and supporting them every step of the way.”

With offices in both Stroud and Elmbridge East Business Park, Gloucester, WSP Solicitors are an independent multi-practice area firm spanning private client, residential conveyancing, family law, commercial property and corporate law.

With a presence in the region for over 265 years the firm now employs 65 legal professionals and team members.

Managing director, Camella Cephas said: “We are delighted to welcome both Jessica and David to the firm. Each brings a wealth of experience and specialist expertise that will further strengthen our commercial and child law teams.

“Their appointments reflect our ongoing commitment to making life less complicated for all our clients and investing in talented people who share the same values as our firm.

“We’re looking forward to seeing their contributions, not only in delivering excellent service to our clients but also in supporting the continued development of colleagues across the business.”

This press release was sent to The Raikes Journal by HeadOn PR Ltd on 28 May 2026.

* If you want to see your releases featured here, and included on our email editions, email the editor.

The Raikes Journal is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read on The Raikes Journal is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors and our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire, the series that follows the financial fortunes of our biggest firms by turnover. You will be able to comment on our stories too. You’ll be helping make this CIC sustainable. Please do join us.

You can do that for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once.

Business and employment law specialists Sherborne Solicitors has strengthened its team with the appointment of Alexander Robinson as an assistant solicitor in the its corporate department.

Robinson joins the Cheltenham firm from WSP Solicitors, which has its head quarters in Stroud, where he gained experience in corporate and commercial law, as well as commercial property law.

Matt Lennon, a director at Sherbornes Solicitors and head of corporate, said: “Alexander’s capabilities shone out. His deep, specialist knowledge combined with his practical, no-nonsense approach makes him an excellent addition to the team.

“I am excited to see what he can achieve with us over the coming years, as our business expands.”

Robinson said: “I have been aware of Sherbornes and their growing reputation as employment and business law specialists for some time.

“When I met with Matt and the team and they shared their vision for where they want to take the business, I knew this was something that I wanted to be part of.”

The firm now has eight staff.

This press release was sent to The Raikes Journal by Prestbury Marketing on 1 June 2026.

* If you want to see your releases featured here, and included on our email editions, email the editor.

The Raikes Journal is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read on The Raikes Journal is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors and our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire, the series that follows the financial fortunes of our biggest firms by turnover. You will be able to comment on our stories too. You’ll be helping make this CIC sustainable. Please do join us.

You can do that for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once.

A director who stored more than 1,000 kg of explosives illegally on his business premises has been fined more than £25,000.

Chase James Gardiner, 42, of Hales Road, Cheltenham, and the sole director of Platinum Home Cinema (also Hales Road), was fined £3,986 with the business fined £11,200 and ordered to pay costs of £10,634.30.

The total fine paid being £25,820.30. Gardiner, who appeared in Cheltenham Magistrates Court on Tuesday 26 May, previously pleaded guilty to four charges of April 22 2026.

Platinum Home Cinema sold fireworks and organised displays under the trading name Chase Lane Fireworks and the charges the charges related to events that took place in July 2024.

Trading Standards officers visited a working livery yard in Shurdington, near Cheltenham, in July 2024 and found three shipping containers containing fireworks with a net mass of explosives of 1,220kg.

One of the licensed stores was found to be overstocked by 36 per cent, explosives were also stored in an unlicensed lo…

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There are fears the Forest of Dean’s bid to become a Unesco biosphere reserve is now in peril after civic chiefs voted for six months of further consultation.

Green Party councillors fear the area could lose out on achieving the international recognition as the Forest of Dean District Council will miss this year’s September deadline.

The council has been working on applying for the status which would recognise the ancient woodland and place it in the same league as places such as Yellowstone or Florida’s Everglades in the USA and the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Such status helps protect landscapes and wildlife while boosting eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture and green business while increasing the region’s appeal internationally, according to its supporters.

However, there are serious concerns over the level of consultation with the public on the project which the district council has been working on since 2019.

Dozens of residents gathered in Coleford on Thursday (May 21) a…

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Representatives from Gloucestershire were up in Leeds this week at the biggest speed-dating event of its kind, where UK investors with the deepest pockets rub shoulders with construction giants and sit down with punters pitching for partners to make their development dreams happen.

If you think of a major development project pending or underway in Gloucestershire, the kind that get called ‘transformative’, all of them depend on investment from outside of the county.

The question is, how did little old rural Gloucestershire get on – was it love at first sight?

We asked two of those doing the pitching, David Owen, Julian Tooke, backed by the Invest in Gloucestershire and Golden Valley teams and CyNam’s Hollie Wakefield.

Speaking of investment, we’ve got news on Gloucester Rugby’s Martin St Quinton on how investors are circling PREM Rugby, a record turnover for fast-growing Cotswold plc Hercules, and at last – official recognition of the tireless work of the face and one of the driving forces of the Public Hearts CIC campaign to install defibs across Cheltenham, Clare Seed.

And that’s not all. Have a great bank holiday weekend.

Best regards,

Andrew Merrell

Editor | 07956 926061 | LinkedIn: Andrew Merrell | andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk

Your briefing notes…

🏉 Owner of Gloucester Rugby, Martin St Quinton, has said he would be willing to move on if a “big corporate” came along. But St Quinton, who was talking to the BBC, said it would only be if such a move looked like it could take the club to a new level and win trophies - and only if all the shareholders in Kingsholm agreed. If that was the case “we would talk to an external investor”. And he said there was now more appetite to invest in rugby after the threat of relegation was scrapped. Has PREM Rugby turned a corner? You can find out his view here.

📈 Revenue rose to record levels for Cotswold-headquartered Hercules plc, with turnover up 19 per cent to £121.2m. Underlying pre-tax profits rose to £4m from £2.6m with EBITDA up 34 per cent from £4.7m to a record £6.4m. The figures were for the year ending 30 September 2025. The Cirencester-based business is a leading UK construction company that provides labour to civil engineering and power and energy solutions businesses. The figures make it part of our Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire series, which tracks the fortunes of the county’s biggest firms by turnover.

🥇 For those who have followed the incredible efforts to install lifesaving defibrillator machines across Cheltenham the campaign’s driving force, Clare Seed, has long been worthy of some official recognition. She got it this week. Seed was among three to be awarded the title of Honorary Freeman of Cheltenham. The Public Hearts CIC has established a network of 116 defibs to date, many bought by generous donations from the businesses and individuals in a movement that’s brought communities together. Steve Cotterill was also awarded Honorary Freemen in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Cheltenham Town Football Club. And Dave Bath received the honour for the many years of selfless service as a volunteer supporting his local community, not least Saracens Football Club and St. Peters and the Moors Big Local project.

Worth knowing about…

🎶 It’s already a choice food and drink and location with its views across the historic Docks, but Gloucester Food Dock is gearing up to add music to its menu. Every Thursday evening until August 6 the waterside location will stage its Sunset Sessions, from 7pm to 8.30pm. The gigs are in partnership with The Music Works charity, which supports talented young people who have a passion for music. Sessions are free. Expect an eclectic mix through the summer season. More on the Food Dock website.

💻 On Thursday, 4th June 2026, CyNam is supporting Licence to Innovate at Cheltenham Science Festival. The event explores breakthrough technologies, from advanced manufacturing to AI, and how innovation can support the UK’s future technology capability. It includes networking and a panel discussion, with ticket proceeds donated to Cheltenham Festivals. Find out more via CyNam’s events page.

💻 CyNam is also hosting In Machines We Trust? Our summer headline event is on Thursday, 11th June, from 6:00 pm at Hub8 MX, Cheltenham. The event will explore how trust is built, tested, and engineered in machine-driven environments, examining autonomy, accountability, and control as AI systems increasingly influence decision-making. Tickets are just £5. Find out more via CyNam’s events page.

The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

Readers who upgrade to become a paid subscriber become part of this CIC too (from £2.30 a week). It helps make us sustainable, allows you to see past the paywalls, comment on our stories, and know you’re making possible the county’s only editorially-led digital magazine dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire about its businesses, charities, education and training sectors.

Raikes is the only independent website approved to use the BBC’s local Government copy. It recognises Raikes as independent journalism.

Speed dating at the UK’s biggest investment fair: Did Gloucestershire get lucky?

Innovation, engineering, tech, cyber, agri-tech, culture, heritage, tourism: But did investors at the UK’s biggest investor speed-dating event fall in love with the many faces of Gloucestershire?

More than 4,000 institutional investors and developers – some of the biggest in the UK – have just spent a week being tempted by a catalogue of possible projects from counties across the UK in Leeds, and Gloucestershire was one of them.

This was the UKREiiF, which draws the likes of JP Morgan, Allied Irish Bank, AstraZeneca, Barratt Redrow, Premier Inn, The Co-operative Bank, Specialized Funds and initiatives like the £2bn City Investment Funds (which is bolstered by £95m from the government).

Organisers claim the forum connects the kinds of organisations described above to £300 billion-plus of opportunities like affordable housing, green energy, logistics, and coastal regeneration, with a particular emphasis on viability and public-private partnerships.

For the perfect match to take place investors need to look across the table at a county that is united, able to work together to deliver, and which has a menu of opportunities neatly packaged and ready to go.

So how did Gloucestershire fare – with its seven different local authorities all about to enter a devolution, each with major projects pending (not least Cheltenham Borough Council’s Golden Valley Development) and with the UK’s attractive, big-hitting urban cities swaggering about the place?

“This is by far and away the biggest event of its kind in the UK. It’s the Glastonbury of the UK property and investment sector,” said David Owen, director of economy and environment at Gloucestershire County Council.

“I think there are something like 4,500 delegates here – some of the biggest players here – and lots of representatives from investors and developers across the UK.

“I think I’ve also seen four or five of the country’s elected mayors. Steven Reed, the Secretary of State (for housing, communities and local government), has been here, as have other government ministers.”

Owen and Councillor Julian Tooke (the Liberal Democrat cabinet member for business, economic development, planning and infrastructure) were part of a team from Gloucestershire sent to seek out those potential partners at what was a mixture of ‘speed-dating’ sessions and a Q&A panel event.

In the wings was the Invest in Gloucestershire Team, represented by Suzie Lew and Phil Clement.

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Business leaders, project partners and civic figures gathered to celebrate the official opening of The Forum on Friday (15 May), marking a major milestone in Gloucester’s ongoing regeneration.

Hosted by Reef + Partners and Gloucester City Council, the event welcomed guests from across the city and beyond to celebrate the completion of the landmark £107m mixed-use development in the heart of Gloucester.

Widely regarded as one of the most significant regeneration schemes in Gloucester’s recent history, The Forum is already playing a central role in attracting investment, businesses and visitors into the city centre.

The event invited guests to reflect on the transformational impact The Forum has had on the city and the part it will play in Gloucester’s future.

Whilst the building has opened in phases over the past few years – with businesses including Patch and Fasthosts now operating from the site – the event marked the official opening of the mixed-use city centre space.

The ribbon was cut by Mayor of Gloucester, Cllr Ashley Bowkett, who said: “I want to thank everyone who has helped bring The Forum to this point, the many people across many years who worked through the detail so that we could stand here today and celebrate the result.

“The real success of this place will be seen in the years ahead: in the businesses that grow here, the visitors who return here, the young people who find work here, and the confidence it helps spread through the rest of the city centre.

“As Mayor of Gloucester, I am delighted to mark the official opening of The Forum today.”

Momentum around The Forum has accelerated in recent months following the opening of Hotel Indigo in March. The 129-room boutique hotel attracted strong interest ahead of launch, with more than 1,000 bookings secured before opening day, underlining the growing excitement surrounding Gloucester’s landmark regeneration development.

Like many major office developments across the UK, occupation at The Forum is progressing in phases as businesses adapt to changing workplace patterns. The scheme continues to attract interest from organisations seeking high-quality, sustainable city-centre workspace, as well as interest from leisure and hospitality, including a new independent coffee shop which will open later this year.

Peter Langly-Smith, Managing Director at Reef + Partners, said: “The Forum represents a major step forward for Gloucester and a real vote of confidence in the city’s future. From the beginning, the ambition was to create a destination that brings new energy into the city centre – somewhere people want to work, stay, visit and invest in.

“It’s fantastic to see that vision becoming a reality, with businesses already thriving on site and strong interest from new occupiers. The Forum will play an important role in supporting Gloucester’s continued growth and creating opportunities for years to come.”

Guests at the event included representatives from Gloucester City Council, Reef + Partners, tenants including Patch and Fasthosts, Hotel Indigo and Forum Coffee, along with contractors and project partners involved in delivering the development.

Delivered by Gloucester City Council in partnership with Reef + Partners, The Forum development brings together Grade A office space, a 129-bedroom Hotel Indigo, retail and leisure space, and high-quality residential apartments.

Situated adjacent to Kings Square and the University of Gloucestershire’s new city centre campus, The Forum is designed to attract investment, support business growth and strengthen Gloucester’s position as a vibrant destination for work, leisure and city living.

The development also benefits from excellent transport connectivity, located just a short walk from Gloucester train and bus stations.

For more information or to enquire about available space, visit www.forumgloucester.com.

This press release was sent to The Raikes Journal by Headon PR on 18 May 2026.

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