The Gloucestershire stories you may have missed in the past seven days

Into the first week in October and the temperatures are surprisingly quite warm after the hottest September on record. As ever, here are seven weekly stories in Gloucestershire where we have a range of stories from all six parts of our county.

This week the overwhelming news Gloucestershire Live has been covering has been the shock at both GL1 and Oxstalls closing with the Aspire Trust deciding to wind down as a charity. 150 people’s jobs remain on the line while there is hope that the leisure centres may re-open ‘within weeks’.

Seven stories are below and if you have a story do email Gloucestershire Live via gloslivenews@reachplc.com and for as much community news from Gloucestershire, do join our Facebook group, which can be found here.

Did you see this? Residents in Cheltenham overruled by planning inspector regarding 30-home development

A decision on plans for a Cotswolds quarry to increase the amount of stone it exports in a village where residents “can’t open their windows due to dust” has been pushed back. Johnston Quarry Group wants permission to increase its current limit at Oathill Quarry in Fiddlers Green, Temple Guiting.

It is currently restricted to 50,000 tonnes and want to increase to 100,000 tonnes yearly for the next three years. Proposals were considered by Gloucestershire County Council’s planning committee at Shire Hall on September 28.

Questions have been raised over why a Gloucester care home only has one person living in it. Wheatridge Court at the end of Shergar Close in Abbeydale is run by Gloucestershire County Council.

But the 36-unit care home is currently only occupied by one resident. Councillor Andrew Gravells (C, Abbey), who represents the area at Shire Hall, asked council chiefs why the site is underused.

Jobs are at risk as supply firm Wincanton has lost its contract with a major Gloucestershire drinks manufacturer. For many years, Wincanton has run a distribution service from Suntory’s factory in Coleford in the Forest of Dean as well as work from a site in Brockworth.

The supply chain firm has confirmed that their contract with Suntory, who makes Lucozade and Ribena, will end on December 31. Another unnamed firm will take over the contract.

A sharp rise in the number of people killed and injured on Gloucestershire’s roads have led to fears among the county’s roads bosses being raised. There were 113 serious injuries and two deaths due to accidents on county highways between January and March this year.

This is almost double the average of 60 incidents over the same period for the previous ten years. And an increase of 22.3 per cent on the same period last year.

The car park outside the front of Gloucester railway station is shut from today as a multi-million pound project gets underway. It means motorists and pedestrians heading to Gloucester railway station will face disruption for the next six months.

The southern car park is closed to all traffic from Bruton Way and Metz Way as part of a project to redevelop and upgrade the station forecourt, car park and subway. The project is set to be complete in the Spring of 2024.

One of the UK’s leading suppliers of greeting cards based in Gloucestershire wants to make customers aware they can still send a card but must think about sending them earlier ahead of a rise in the cost of stamps. Cherry Orchard Publishing located at Twyning near Tewkesbury says it is shocked about Royal Mail increasing the price for postage stamps again this month, but the owner of the business Jackie Collins has not sat on her laurels.

As the owner since 1995, Jackie says she has noticed that her customers are already looking for orders sooner rather than later year after year. Creating posters which will be distributed to card shops across the UK, the campaign aims to try and help the trade encourage their customers to carry on sending a greeting card and dodge the postal increase by sending second-class.

The booze and bowling chain Roxy Lanes has finally opened on Cheltenham’s High Street. The new Roxy is open for anyone who wants to take a turn in the batting cage, or hone their curling talents, with more than 50 arcade-style games to enjoy, following a successful launch on Friday, September 30.

The three-story entertainment venue is open to all ages seven days a week, with under-18s welcome when accompanied by an adult until 7pm Sunday to Friday, and 5pm on Saturdays. Some of the games and activities featured at the new Roxy include bowling, American pool, air hockey, duck pin bowling, karaoke, basketball, shuffleboard, tech darts and over 50 arcade games including their signature basketball machines.