Well, there’s no bigger advocate of the great British high street than me! ‘Use them or lose them’ I always say, and my mantra has never been stronger. You can only imagine how thrilled I was to learn that our city’s very own Westgate Street is going to undergo a huge transformation, with Gloucester Council being awarded almost £2 million to restore its hidden gems. 

From a medieval hotel to a traditional theatre, classic museum and Tudor house, there’s many charming buildings in Westgate Street just waiting to be brought back to their former glory. Westgate Street is lucky enough to be one of 68 high streets in England that will receive a share of the High Street Heritage Action Zone, a £95 million government-funded pot, being delivered by Historic England, to restore local high streets. 

It’s thought that a proportion of money will go towards restoring the Fleece Hotel, a grade I listed building that was subject to an arson attack in 2017. The Folk of Gloucester and The Cross are also expected to be restored with this money. Why not have your say? I’m most interested to hear your thoughts on this subject, so email me at alanmyatt@blueyonder.co.uk

Image credit: Gloucestershire Live