Bid to open 'biggest restaurant in the county' at Gloucester Quays
Could Gloucester Quays LLP be about to open the biggest restaurant in the county? A debate has already begun over who might fill the space, and the impact on the nearby Food Dock.
Dear Readers,
I hope you’ve had a great week.
Back to a full edition today after Monday’s special feature - the first in our Thinkery series (Gloucestershire economy’s rising stars) giving voice to Gloucestershire businesses on the issues, challenges and stories of interest.
The main lead below comes courtesy of our friends at the BBC. The Raikes Journal being the only independent news website in Gloucestershire given permission to use its stories (which I hope says something in itself).
Admittedly it doesn’t give too much away about what is coming down the line, but it does shine a light on the continued efforts of Gloucester Quays to drive footfall and interest in its waterside retail and leisure destination.
And, if you look at it from the right angle, what with Gloucester Food Dock proving a great success, the University of Gloucestershire getting the keys to its new city centre campus off King’s Square, and the rise of the nearby Forum development Gloucester is having something of a golden summer. Its renaissance is in full swing.
We also champion a decade of recognition for solicitors Willans LLP in the highly regarded independent Chambers High Net Worth guide. A huge congratulations to everyone at the firm.
Some good stories in the Briefing Notes too. Should keep you going over the weekend!
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
For every person you refer to The Raikes Journal’s email service you get points towards a free membership allowing you to see beyond our paywalls. Please do sign up (free or otherwise), send the referral link to a friend or colleague, and help us grow.
Your briefing notes…
🏗️ You’ll possibly have seen this elsewhere, and we wouldn’t usually run it as it’s pure marketing, but we couldn’t help but enjoy Gloucester looking so impressive in this bit of video. And ‘yes’, we’ve seen it in real life and it still looks good. This is the latest piece of PR from the busy marketing team behind The Forum, Gloucester’s £107 million redevelopment that’s transforming the city centre with office space, a hotel, bar, retail and residential space.
🍻 The Carpenters Arms in Westrip near Stroud has been named CAMRA’s West Central Regional Cider Pub of the Year 2025. Judges highlighted the pub’s warm welcome, commitment to local producers, and exceptional cider quality. It now goes through to the Campaign for Real Ale’s national finals. Landlady Sammy McKie. McKie called the awards was “a real vote of confidence in everything we’ve built here”. Expect a party on Friday 12 September when it officially receives its prize. More here.
🎶 A very special festival is due to take place in Gloucestershire this month (Thursday 28 August). The county’s youth council is gearing up to launch UnMuted, Gloucester’s first neurodiverse youth festival - an event made possible by the work of young people at the Venture Community Hub. Due to take place at Llanthony Secunda Priory, the event will feature live performances, workshops, creative arts, opportunities to create music of your own by trying instruments, creating beats, and experimenting with sound. More here.
🎭 Tewkesbury’s Roses Theatre has appointed Olivier Award-winning director Derek Bond as its new chief executive officer. Bond won the 2024 Olivier for Best Family Show for Dinosaur World Live. He will take up his new post formally on 1 September. Bond previously directed award-winning productions of plays and musicals across the UK and internationally and has worked at the National Theatre and in London’s West End. More here.
🍽️ There are concerns that the controversial approval of plans for a pergola outside 131 The Promenade is being used again as justification for another development in Cheltenham’s historic town centre. The Nook on Five have cited the development in their plans to create more of a ground floor presence so that customers know where they are. The restaurant, which offers rooftop dining at The Quadrangle in Imperial Square, wants to put up a canopy at the main ground floor entrance. More here.
🗳️ If you are wondering what all the fuss is around devolution, are very concerned about it already, or want to have your say, Gloucestershire County Council is promoting a chance to do all those things. Information about the challenge it's signed up to - to reorganise local Government in Gloucestershire - can be found via this link, as can a survey in which you can tell them what you think about it all. More here.
🍕 A dispute between a Pizza restaurant’s bid to keep its Promenade seating, Cheltenham Borough Council and the regular market on the popular street could be reaching a happy conclusion. Cheltenham market organisers, restaurant owners and licensing chiefs will meet to discuss arrangements for using space on The Promenade. It follows pressure from the council for pizzeria Japes to remove seating from outside its premises on market days. More here.
Ideas for the weekend…
Friday
Tribute band Fleetwood Bac is due to take to the stage at Stroud Sub Rooms this evening from 7.30pm. More here.
Saturday
The Music of The Lord of The Rings. Tribute to Howard Shore performed by the modern orchestra Mystery Ensemble. From 7.30pm at Cheltenham Town Hall. More here.
Cheltenham’s BIGGEST Vintage Kilo Sale. The Bramery Business Park, Alstone Lane Cheltenham. From 10am to 3pm. More here.
Sunday
Nibley Farm Festival. Seven nights of music starts today, at 9am. Described as Gloucestershire’s most feel-good Family Festival and Summer Holiday Camp. More here.
The Duke’s Theatre Company presents Macbeth at Sudeley Castle. Due to take place from 7pm. More here.
Firm marks 10 years of praise from independent guide
Anyone in business will know that third-party endorsement, such as praise from independent guides to your industry, can be worth its weight in gold. Two partners from the wills, trusts and probate team at Cheltenham-headquartered law firm Willans have been recognised as expert professional advisors for high-net-worth individuals in Gloucestershire and beyond. And not for the first time.
The latest inclusion in the Chambers High Net Worth guide marks a decade of the Cheltenham-based firm featuring in the prestigious legal guide.
Partner and head of the wills, trusts & probate team, Simon Cook, has been singled out in every edition since 2016. Paul Gordon, partner and head of litigation and dispute resolution, is now on his seventh consecutive year, ranked for his expertise in private wealth disputes in the South West.
Cook, who is in the top band for his advice on private wealth law, is praised for being “so friendly and helpful” and always putting “the client at the centre of his advice.”
Gordon is recognised for his “dynamic, no-nonsense approach”, acknowledged as “very commercially minded, fantastic in mediation and… great with commercial realities and striking deals.”
Bridget Redmond, Willans’ managing partner, called the achievement “remarkable”.
The firm’s wills, trusts and probate team also includes partners Rachel Sugden, Tom O’Riordan and Laura Stone. It was also recognised for its high-net-worth estate planning advice, and ability to approach “complex cases calmly and methodically.”
* 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 here - original stories about our county - is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire+ College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne; our sponsors, Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.
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Bid to open 'biggest restaurant in the county' at Gloucester Quays
Could Gloucester Quays LLP be about to open the biggest restaurant in the county? A debate has already begun over who might fill the space, and the impact on the nearby Food Dock.
Gloucester Quays could soon be opening one of the county’s biggest restaurants, if plans to change the use of vacant retail units get the go-ahead.
The retail outlet owners want a planning condition clarified on the limit put on food and drink floorspace at its waterside site to pave the way for its plans.
While we don’t know all the detail yet, it’s a story that came to light when the Quays asked Gloucester City Council to take account of a new restaurant tenant for units 73 to 76 which have been vacant since construction and were earmarked to be shops.
It if goes ahead the floorspace of the new food and drink area would be around 691sqm, bigger than the vacant former TGI Friday’s unit (480sqm) and the nearby Wetherspoons (565 sqm).
“From time to time the tenants within the outlet change,” said the Quays in its covering letter to the local authority discussing the plans, explaining its need to look at how it can accomodate the new eatery.
To reflect these changes the Quays applications says there have been regular submissions to the council to confirm where units with leisure use are located at the Quays.
Another planning condition allows up to 3,590sqm of floorspace within the factory outlet shopping area which includes the main outlet and areas along Baker’s Quay, Merchants Road, High Orchard Street and Llanthony Road.
“We are therefore seeking to update the condition 30 plan to include this combined unit,” they said in the plans.
“This proposal also results in a reduction in the ‘allocation’ of leisure floorspace to the ‘Numold’ area of the site,” said the planning appliction by the Quays, referring to the area of the site still home to the thriving mould designer and manufacturer Numold - opposite Cineworld and Five Guys.
“After nearly 20 years since the granting of the outline planning permission for Gloucester Quays, the Numold element of the site has not come forward for development and reserved matters applications on this part of the site which could have potentially benefitted from the ‘allowance’ are not now possible.
“Given the ‘allowance’ was only an estimate not based on any detailed proposals, it is considered reasonable, especially taking account of the passing of time, that the residual ‘leisure’ floorspace ‘allocated’ to the Numold site be redistributed.
“This approach has previously been accepted by the city council and will not undermine or prejudice the potential for ‘leisure’ uses coming forward on the site in the future.
“Albeit that would need to be through standalone planning applications rather than relying on the outline planning permission.”
Gloucester Quays LLP say the details of ‘leisure’ uses proposed is in keeping with the original intent of the outline planning application as amended and seeks to provide a balance of land uses to ensure the economic success of the development and its ongoing contribution to the success of the wider city centre.
Councillor Rebecca Trimnell (Liberal Democrat, Westgate), who represents the area at the city council, said she generally doesn’t object to changes of use as long as they are in keeping with the surrounding area.
But she said there is a risk there would be no control over what restaurant opens there if change of use is granted.
“Although eatery establishments are all well and good, I am very mindful about the change of use in terms of these units,” she said.
“We change the use and then there is no control on what eatery establishments would be set up in these units.
“For instance, do we want to see another McDonald’s at this end of the city?
“Moreover, I am concerned about the possible impact on the newly established Food Dock at the other end of the Docks too.
“There needs to be a balance.”
Fellow Westgate councillor Pam Tracey (Conservative) doesn’t think it would be a good location for a McDonald’s with Burger King at the Peel Centre.
But a restaurant there could “work as a bookend for the Quays”, she said.
“It’s a bit of a dead end down there,” she said. “Let’s hope it tidies that area up.
“You’ve got the one restaurant in the entrance of Severn Road and it could be a bookend for either side of the Quays.”
She suggested a restaurant specialising in fish would be in-keeping with the waterside venue.
City planners are expected to consider the plans by September 24, 2025.
By Carmelo Garcia, local democracy reporter for Gloucestershire. carmelo.garcia@reachplc.com