Independent business owners, schools and community organisations in Gloucester have been given revealing behind-the-scenes tours of University of Gloucestershire’s new City Campus ahead of its official opening this year.
Representatives from these groups joined the University’s City Campus guided tours of the iconic location on Kings Square, Gloucester, to explore the transformation of the former Debenhams building into a state-of-the-art educational and community hub.
Chris Nyland, Vice-Chair Gloucester Business Improvement District and Managing Director of Nettl web design and marketing studio, said:
“It was brilliant to see inside City Campus. A fantastic space is being created for the city library, for the students of the University and for the wider business community.
“The lightwells, for example, that are flooding all floors of the building with daylight will make it all a great space to use and work in. I’m excited to see the space that is being set aside for a large multi-purpose meeting room space. It will be an amazing asset in the heart of the city.”
David Morton, Headteacher, King’s School, Gloucester, said:
“It was a privilege to tour the new City Campus building and to see the inspiring evolution of this iconic structure at the heart of our city. It was great to see that the campus will allow a mix of student and community activities.
“Thanks to its location adjacent to King’s Square and the city centre, I am sure that the City Campus will become a valuable addition to the urban fabric for decades to come.”
Sarah Fontaine, Group Account Director, Hybrid.co, said:
“City Campus is an amazing space where creativity and collaboration will happen naturally. The tech is cutting-edge and everything’s accessible, showing how much the University cares about creating an inspiring environment for students. This is exactly what education should look like going forward.
“As someone who lives nearby, I’m genuinely excited to use the campus myself, drop into the library, and feel the energy from students and locals mixing together. I can already imagine the incredible opportunities that will come from these everyday interactions.”
Colin Nyland, Chairman of Gloucester Civic Trust Tour Guides, said:
“It was fascinating to see what a great job is being made of the space that’s so crucial in the heart of our city.
“What was once the largest single retail space between Birmingham and Bristol, is being preserved and repurposed with new life being injected into it for tomorrow’s generation.
“The sympathetic and high-quality job that is being done, to keep the original integrity and character while improving its usability and adding innovative elements too, is something of which our city can be really proud.”
From September, the state-of-the-art facility in the former Debenhams building will become home to the University’s Education, Psychology and Social Work programmes featuring new cutting-edge facilities.
It will include a range of public access spaces, such as a new public library delivered in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, and a Health, Arts and Wellbeing Centre created in partnership with the NHS Integrated Care Board.
City Campus has already generated a social value of £22.95 million for the local community by creating jobs, including apprenticeship opportunities, establishing new connections with business and charities, and respecting the environment during the build process.
Dame Clare Marchant, DBE, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said:
“We’ve been absolutely delighted to welcome local businesses, schools and community organisations in Gloucester on site to share the fantastic progress that is being made at City Campus.
“We’re really proud of the work that’s been carried out to transform the former Debenhams building into an important community space and vibrant centre of teaching and learning that is already bringing substantial social and economic benefits to the region.
“It’s been brilliant to hear people who play a key role in making the city such a welcoming place to live and study talking so enthusiastically about how the space has been designed and constructed to create a positive environment for University students and staff, business and the community.”
