Urban Life

There are two cities or large towns in the area: Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Although on the map they may look almost a single conurbation, on the ground they are very - almost fiercely - distinct, both in popular patriotism and in style, character and feel.

Both have an attractive and ancient centre: Cheltenham is classically Georgian, Gloucester is mediaeval on a Roman street plan. Both are major shopping centres. Both have excellent transport links to the rest of the country - indeed, they share a link in the form of the M5 which passes between them.

Cheltenham has an external reputation which rests almost entirely on its Georgian past, Cheltenham Ladies' College, and GCHQ. This is unfair on a bustling and surprisingly varied town with a wide range of attractive housing - Victorian or modern as well as Georgian - and little 'city village' shopping areas. In truth, Cheltenham is much more like a city (which it isn't) than Gloucester (which is). It is not surprising that many small and medium-sized companies have chosen Cheltenham as their base.

Gloucester's most obvious distinction from Cheltenham is its reason for existence: the River Severn. Gloucester docks may not be a commercial port any more, but their influence on the life and structure of the town is still very strong, and their redevelopment as a commercial and retail area alongside a marina is an acknowledgement of that. But Gloucester is an expanding city. Huge new suburbs are springing up around, especially to the Southeast, interdigitating with light industrial areas and office blocks.

But both share problems. Both cities have areas of deprivation in both 'inner city' and 'dump estate' forms. Both places have significant ethnic and religious minorities. Both places are wilting under the weight of traffic in their streets. Both will need to change if they are to continue as attractive urban centres into the twentyfirst century.