Efforts to create a new cultural quarter in the heart of historic Gloucester have taken an important step forward.

The South West of England Development Agency (RDA) and Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company (GHURC) have started work in earnest to investigate how to bring forward Fleece Hotel - which is at the heart of the Blackfriars creative quarter - for a range of uses and cultural opportunities.

A study to investigate exactly what mix of uses the 500-year old hotel and neighbouring buildings should be put to will begin this week. That work is expected to take up to six months.

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Possible uses for the Fleece Hotel complex could include a hotel, a backpackers hostel, workspaces for arts and crafts businesses, incubator units for new businesses and cafes.

The area is a key site, providing a focal point for Blackfriars and linking Gloucester Cathedral to the South West RDA’s other major regeneration project, Gloucester Docks.

Alison Hatcher, the South West RDA’s Gloucestershire Development Manager, said: "The Fleece Hotel is an important building in an important area and we want to be part of a development everyone in Gloucester can be proud of.

"There are a lot of exciting opportunities here and we want to make sure we decide on the best mix of uses to both make the city a more attractive place for people to live and visit, and to unlock the business potential of its creative and cultural industries.

"This study marks the start of serious work to make that happen."

(JM)