Businesses shut out of meetings to decide the future of Gloucestershire Airport
As the local authority owners of Gloucestershire Airport prepare to meet behind closed doors to discuss its sale, Raikes learns of a second significant meeting that could determine its real future.
Dear reader,
Today a meeting takes place behind closed doors about the sale of a, asset owned by the people of Gloucestershire for an undisclosed sum - believed to be somewhere in the region of £25 million, but which some believe could be worth as much as £300 million to £400 million.
Although the ‘owners’ of Gloucestershire Airport refute that, especially as various planning and legal hurdles would have to be overcome to reach that price. Others point out that 340-acres of prime land, if allowed to be developed, could fetch that price.
Concern about whether the county is about to do a great deal to get rid of a loss-making headache and set that business community free to thrive, or let go a huge asset which could potentially wipe away a sizeable chunk of Gloucester City Council and Cheltenham Borough Council‘s deficits is only exacerbated by the lack of transparency. We just don’t know which it is.
Although the local authority says the issue lies with the media whipping up the story.
Apparently a public meeting to discuss management plans is due to be held in early 2026, but as I understand the deal is close to completion and is expected to go through before the end of the year. Staff have been told so. If that’s the case, it’ll be sold before any public meeting.
What’s also a concern is that the senior management team is disappearing at an alarming rate. The managing director, business development manager are departing and several other senior members have stepped down from the senior leadership team at the airport.
“This level of turnover is alarming and suggests instability at a critical time,” said one business, which has paused an investment in the site upwards of £1m and is investigating an exit plan of its own.
That same business has written to Gloucester City Council and said this: “An internal communication from GAL (Gloucestershire Airport Ltd) has indicated that a handover of operations could potentially take place before the next, or even the first, public meeting.
“If that is the case, stakeholders and the wider public may be left without a meaningful opportunity to engage or provide input.”
There’s another meeting afoot too, which sees the businesses take matters into their own hands. A lawyer will be present, and it involved the ‘new owners’, Horizon Aerospace. You can learn about that in the article below.
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
Your briefing notes…
🛬 Public likely to be barred from Gloucestershire Airport council meeting: Those wanting a clearer view of what is happening with the controversial sale of Gloucestershire Airport are unlikely to get it this week, after the public and media were barred from a key meeting. The site, which is owned by Gloucester City Council and Cheltenham Borough Council, was put up for sale in October 2025 with a guide price of £25 million. But after Horizon Aer Group was named as the preferred bidder speculation has been rife over its future with the councils left fighting a media storm. That meeting, due to take place tomorrow (8 October 2025). Read the main story below.
📈 Record year: Award-winning Cotswolds holiday home rentals business, StayCotswold, said a sharp uptake in bookings from American visitors had resulted in a record trading period. The Stow-on-the-Wold-based business arrivals increased 23 per cent from June to August on the previous year, and forward bookings were up 28 per cent. Gross booking value is now forecast to be more than 20 per cent higher than the previous 12 months, which saw it achieve a £11.3 million turnover. In the current financial year the Gloucestershire-based business added more than 20 properties to its portfolio, taking the number to 275.
🎉 Hazlewoods, the Gloucestershire-headquartered accountants, has been named one of the best boutique financial advisors in the UK. The firm, which has offices in Staverton and Cheltenham, has been included in the FT Advisors inaugural Top 50 Boutique Financial Advisors list. The list recognises companies with 10 or fewer registered advisers who have grown their businesses and client base over the past 12 months. Apparently the report evaluates firms based on gross sales, client and staff retention, length of service and chartered or certified status. More here.
Charity of the week: Community Connexions
Community Connexions, which provides pre-booked transport for vulnerable people of all ages in the county, is celebrating winning a significant donation from the National Lottery Fund. The charity said the £20,000 was for its Better Connexions project, which is all about improving away-from-home opportunities for people across Gloucestershire living with physical disabilities, mental health conditions or who struggle to participate in community activities. Paul Riddick, its chief executive officer, said he was “delighted” with the news. Community Connexions has been running for over 35 years, offering door-to-door services and relies on volunteer drivers to make its services possible.
If you know a charity that you would like to see featured here, if your business is helping support or raise money for one, please do contact us. Email andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk.
Diary Dates…
Wednesday:
Gloucester BID, the significant group of cuity centre businesses, is staging a meeting of its retailers today from 9.30am to 11am at Primark in Eastgate Street. More here.
Thursday:
WSP Solicitors is hosting another of its quarterley not-for-profit Stroud Business Social events from 4.30pm at The Stroud Hotel. More here.
Your killer offering: Craft a magnetic offer to attract your dream clients. Learn how to transform your business’s viability with this workshop due to take place at The Growth Hub in Stroud from 9.30am to 12.30pm this morning. More here.
And further into October...
The University of Gloucestershire is hosting a free public lecture on 8 October 2025, where leading economist Professor Malcolm Prowle will look at why the UK struggles to achieve economic growth. More here.
Gloucestershire Tech Week: Cyber security and technology community, CyNam, has revealed its global line-up for the Secure Futures Series – a week-long programme from 13 to 17 of October.
Part of the above Tech Week... founders and leaders from the cyber world share how Gloucestershire’s unique ecosystem helped them grow sustainably through support, community, and connection. More here.
There is a charity starlight 10k hike in aid of Sue Ryder due to take place on 18 October from 6pm, starting from Ashley Manor Preparatory School (GL52 6NR). More here.
Willans LLP solicitors is due to stage a special seminar - Real Estate unlocked: from lease terms to litigation seminar - on October 23. More here.
*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service.
* It 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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Two critical meetings will help decide the future of Gloucestershire Airport as we know it
As the local authority owners of Gloucestershire Airport prepare to meet behind closed doors to discuss its sale, Raikes learns of a second significant meeting that could determine its future.
Ahead of a private council meeting tomorrow (8 October) over the proposed sale of Gloucestershire Airport, Raikes has seen paperwork giving little doubt that the new owner will be Horizon Aero Group.
News that the council meeting is barred to members of the public and media has only further rankled businesses on the Staverton site already up in arms about what they perceive as a lack of communication from the local authority owners.
Controversy has reigned around the sale of the public asset, for an estimated £25 mllion-plus, with some suggesting the proposed new owners are more interested in the true development value of the land, which they argue is in the region of £300 million-plus.
But while all eyes are on Wednesday’s closed council meeting to update councillors about the sale, there is another significant meeting in the diary too.
Representatives from the business community on the 340-acre site are due to meet with the preferred bidders, Horizon Aero Group, next week as they bid to better understand the firm’s motivation and plans.
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