Gloucestershirecounty

Gloucestershire County Cricket Club will rebrand as Bristol for its men's and women's T20 teams from next season. The change is intended to reach new audiences and boost commercial revenue, as T20 Blast attendance has declined despite overall attendances increasing. The club, which has competed as Gloucestershire since 1870, will retain that name for other formats and as its overarching identity.

The A419 southbound Commonhead entry slip in Swindon will close from 9pm on Thursday 12 November to 5am on Friday 13 November for electrical works carried out by National Highways. A diversion will be in place northbound to the White Hart roundabout and back. This follows an earlier closure on the A419 southbound White Hart exit slip on Tuesday 3 November.

A stretch of the M4 westbound in Wiltshire is to close overnight on 12-13 November as part of a £20 million improvement scheme. National Highways will install a new 50mph speed limit and set up two-lane running. Westbound traffic will be diverted via Royal Wootton Bassett, Chippenham and the A350, with HGVs taking a separate route through Cirencester and Malmesbury.

Gloucestershire Live reports that armed police were called to Askwith Road in Gloucester at around 6.30pm on Wednesday, 4 November after reports of a man walking around with a knife. A local resident said the man was seen in Painswick Road and Askwith Road armed with a machete. Police searched the area but did not locate the man. Enquiries to identify him are ongoing.

The hut in Gloucestershire where Dr Edward Jenner pioneered vaccination against smallpox on 14 May 1796 has been saved from deterioration. Jenner, known as the father of immunology, carried out his groundbreaking trials and gave free vaccinations to locals from the building, which he called the 'Temple of Vaccinia'. Historic England removed it from the Heritage at Risk Register following restoration work funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Josh O'Connor, who grew up in Cheltenham and now lives near Stroud, is among the actors reportedly in contention to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond. O'Connor recently described being linked to the role as an 'incredibly bizarre pinch me moment', though he stopped short of confirming any involvement in the casting process. Gloucestershire has deeper Bond connections: screenwriter Steven Knight, who created Peaky Blinders, is based in the county and is writing the screenplay for the next 007 film.

Graham Pennycook, 64, left home on 24 September to walk his dog near Perham Down in Ludgershall, Wiltshire, but his dog returned alone and his body was later found in nearby woodland. Police believe he was attacked about 40 to 45 minutes into his regular walk. Crimestoppers is offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for his death.

Daisy Catterall, 25, from Gloucestershire, died within a month of developing flu-like symptoms, which triggered hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare life-threatening condition. HLH causes an overactive immune system to attack the body's organs and blood cells. Her mother said doctors told her Daisy could not be saved as her body had been ravaged by the disease.

Police in Gloucester increased street patrols and confiscated alcohol in the city centre from August after problems with drunken behaviour, street fighting and shoplifting. Inspector James O'Neill said public feedback had been positive, with people reporting they felt safer. However, some residents and business owners said problems with drunken behaviour and fighting persist. Over four weekends of increased patrols, officers dealt with ten reports of anti-social behaviour, arrested a wanted man, seized 54 cans of alcohol and visited three shops suspected of selling strong alcohol to known offenders.

Gloucester City Council has been leaderless for six weeks after Liberal Democrat councillor Jeremy Hilton lost a vote of no confidence on 24 September by 21 votes to 18. The motion, proposed by Community Independents and backed by Conservative and Labour groups, prompted the en masse resignation of the Liberal Democrat cabinet. The opposition has not nominated a replacement, though Liberal Democrat councillors support Hilton as their leader. Managing director Jon McGinty has delegated authority to make urgent decisions in the interim.

Slow Love, a luxury knitwear brand that launched online in May 2022, is opening its first permanent flagship store in Cirencester on 21 November. The store on West Market Place will sell hand-knitted knitwear, denim, jersey and seasonal collections. Founder Holly von Bock said the physical location reflects customer demand seen through pop-up events.

Gloucestershire Live publishes funeral notices as part of its long-standing tradition of announcing deaths in local media. The notices also appear on funeral-notices.co.uk, where they remain online permanently as tributes. Families can create notices by contacting the publication or visiting the website.

Gloucester City Council has secured £261,500 in grant funding plus £43,000 in match funding to repair the former Fleece Hotel in Westgate Street, one of the city's most historically important buildings. The work will include roof repairs and renovation of shop fronts, with the aim of stabilising the complex and attracting investors for its long-term use.

Two derelict Grade II* listed Georgian townhouses at 30-32 Dollar Street in Cirencester have won a Five Star Award for Best Residential Renovation in Gloucestershire at the UK Property Awards. Architectural practice Charles Mullineux Design oversaw the two-year restoration, which transformed the properties into three homes while preserving original features including hidden Georgian cornicing, marble fireplaces and an oval roof lantern.

Communities across the Cotswolds will gather on Sunday for Remembrance Sunday services, parades and wreath-laying ceremonies honouring those who died in the two world wars and later conflicts. The national two-minute silence will be observed at 11am. Events are planned in Cirencester, Fairford, Cricklade and Tetbury, with veterans, serving personnel, cadets, civic leaders and local organisations expected to participate.

Fairford's Remembrance Sunday parade will form outside Hyperion House at 10.30am, with a blessing at 10.32am before stepping off at 10.35am towards St Mary's Church. The service begins at 10.50am, with the national two-minute silence at 11am, followed by wreath-laying at the War Memorial at about 11.40am. Local organisations including 1st Fairford Scouts, veterans, civic representatives and community members will take part. Temporary road closures will be in place from 10.30am until around noon.

Danny Kruger, Reform UK MP for East Wiltshire, has challenged the Government over new planning rules introduced on 31 October that removed councillors' traditional power to call applications before planning committees. He warned the changes removed 'an essential safeguard for communities against inappropriate planning'. Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said the reform would be reviewed after two years.

Christopher Johnson, who lives near Tetbury, has been selected to exhibit his work at The Discerning Eye 2026 exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London from November 13 to 21. Around 500 artists were chosen from nearly 7,000 submissions for the annual show. Johnson has spent the past year painting landscapes and country lanes, returning to landscape painting following a heart attack.

The Royal International Air Tattoo, the world's largest military airshow, is moving from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to MOD Boscombe Down near Amesbury in Wiltshire. The event has been held at RAF Fairford since 1985 but will relocate permanently from 2027 onwards. Organisers say the move marks an exciting new chapter and provides a strong platform for continued growth and development of the airshow.