Gloucestershire's heritage buildings get new lease of life

A £261,500 government grant will fund renovation of Gloucester's historic Fleece Hotel, a former pilgrims' stop closed since 2002, highlighting broader challenges in reviving heritage buildings across Gloucestershire. The Fleece, once visited by Margaret Thatcher and Kim Philby, has faced ownership changes and costly repairs, with former council leader Paul James calling it "a really difficult one to crack." Similar issues plague the Victoria Hotel in Newnham and Healing's Mill in Tewkesbury, both empty for nearly two decades. Some sites may need new purposes, as parish councillor Mike Penny suggests, while Cavendish House in Cheltenham awaits redevelopment plans, with MP Max Wilkinson advocating for restoring its ornate Victorian frontage over the current 1960s design.