Gloucester had 132,416 residents at the 2021 Census,[1] after growing 8.9% in ten years, faster than England’s 6.6%.[2] Gloucester City Council describes it as the county city and administrative heart of Gloucestershire, within an hour and a half of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and Oxford.[4] Its postcodes run wider than the city: GL2, GL3 and GL4 also cover parishes in Stroud, Tewkesbury, Forest of Dean and Cotswold districts,[11] so a Gloucester business often serves customers who live under a different council. The council says more than £800m of major regeneration has renewed interest in the city as a place to visit and live,[4] including The Forum, a £107m city-centre scheme of offices, flats, shops, restaurants and a boutique hotel that the council is delivering with developer Reef Group.[6] Its vision is a centre that moves away from traditional retail towards more residents, workers and visitors, with small businesses at its heart.[5]
Public services shape the local job market more than in most places. Health accounts for 21.4% of employee jobs in Gloucester, against 13.5% across England, and public administration 8.6%, almost double the national 4.4%; retail, at 10.0%, is also above average.[3] The visitor trade centres on the Docks, which Visit Gloucester calls the most inland port in the country, with Victorian dock buildings, the National Waterways Museum, the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum and more than 50 stores at Gloucester Quays.[7][10] A short walk away, Gloucester Cathedral offers over 1,300 years of history, including the tomb of a king,[8] and Blackfriars is described as the most complete medieval Dominican priory in Britain.[9]
Places customers search around
- Gloucester Cathedral
- Gloucester Docks
- National Waterways Museum, Llanthony Warehouse
- Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum
- Gloucester Quays
- Blackfriars Priory
- The Forum, city centre
- Kingsholm Stadium (Gloucester Rugby)
- Gloucester & Sharpness Canal
Health, care and clinics
Private clinics, dentists, physios, care providers and suppliers in a city where health is over a fifth of employee jobs.[3] Patients and families compare them on Maps and in reviews before booking.
Hospitality and the Docks
Restaurants, cafés, bars and places to stay around the Docks, Gloucester Quays and the cathedral quarter,[7][8] competing for visitors who decide where to go on their phone.
Retail and city-centre independents
Shops and services in a centre the council wants to move beyond traditional retail,[5] where retail still accounts for 10.0% of employee jobs.[3] Being easy to find online matters more as the centre changes.
Trades and professional services
Builders, electricians, solicitors, accountants and agencies serving a growing city of over 130,000 people[1][2] and the villages on its GL postcodes.[11]
