The ongoing coronavirus situation is changing by the hour with announcements being made about businesses and services that are being forced to adapt and change.

Punchline is committed to trying to keep you up to date with all the news that matters to you and your business.

Our team will update this story throughout the day, to ensure that the latest important developments can be found in one - clickbait free - place.

If you or your business has any news, views or advice to share with the Gloucestershire business community, get in touch with Punchline team at news@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk.

Friday, August 14

Update #1243 - 15.45 City Voices heard online at Gloucester History Festival

Gloucester History Festival is heading online after confirming its online City Voices programme.

The programme of Blackfriars talks, which is yet to confirmed, will also be delivered online when the 10th festival takes place from September 5-20.

It has the theme of Voyagers and Visionaries to mark the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage to America in September 1620.

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Update #1242 - 12.46 Gloucestershire College ready to turn funding into jobs

Gloucestershire College expects a flexible workspace for local businesses will generate 20 new jobs and support up to 50 start-ups over a five-year period.

The innovation centre, which is scheduled to open next summer on the college's Cheltenham campus, has been awarded almost £1million in government funding.

The £950,000 formed part of £11.3million secured for five shovel-ready projects across the county by local enterprise partnership GFirst LEP as part of the Government's plan to build a road to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Adjacent to GCHQ and the proposed cyber park, the innovation centre is designed to develop a county-wide test bed where businesses and education can come together to access a wealth of intellectual capital, services and share ideas.

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Update #1241 - 12.43 Restrictions relax as quarantine tightens

Businesses which had their plans to reopen cut short at the last minute will finally get the chance to return from tomorrow.

Close-up beauty treatments, soft play centres and small wedding receptions were among those who were due to resume on August 1.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson postponed the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions with less than 24 hours notice, ending trials of limited spectators at sporting events.

Those restrictions will now be lifted from tomorrow, but the maximum fine for not wearing a mask in required areas is to be double from £1,600 to £3,200.

And anyone entering the UK from France, the Netherlands, Monaco, Malta, Aruba and Turks and Caicos will need to quarantine for 14 days from 4am tomorrow.

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Update #1240 - 10.51 River Island announces second round of cuts

River Island is to cut 350 jobs across its UK shops - just weeks after announcing 250 roles were to go at its head office.

Store management and senior sales roles are set to go as part of the restructuring by the fashion retailer of around 300 outlets.

In a memo to staff, chief executive Will Kernan said: "While this is an incredibly difficult decision, these actions are crucial to ensure our stores continue to effectively play their hugely important role on our omnichannel future.

"By making these changes, we will create a flatter management structure with a greater emphasis on customer service and a seamless experience, whether online or in-store."

Update #1239 - 10.26 Mayor encourages more donations to food bank fund

The mayor of Cheltenham is encouraging local residents to continue donating to his Food Bank Fund in order to support children and families and reduce holiday hunger.

So far, the funds that have been raised through generous public donations have been used by local charities to help provide food supplies and resources to those in need.

However, since the lockdown has been eased and more people are able to get to supermarkets, donations to food banks have fallen.

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Update #1238 - 08.41 Another day of technical issues for Government coronavirus figures

Usually Public Health England release new data each afternoon showing the latest coronavirus figures for across the UK covering the previous 24 hours.

Punchline publishes these figures on a daily bases to keep readers up to date with the latest statistics, both nationally and for Gloucestershire.

However, the latest case and death figures have once again been delayed for the second time this week, due to what Public Health England are calling 'technical difficulties'.

The only notable data being provided is the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, 12 - reported as 1,009. The total since the pandemic began sits at 313,798.

Update #1237 - 08.27 Gloucester paints the town purple for third year

Gloucester has been awarded Purple Flag status for the third successive year.

The accreditation is awarded to towns and cities which have a safe and welcoming nigh-time economy.

Gloucester City Council leader Councillor Richard Cook said: "I'm delighted that that once again we are able to say we're a Purple Flag destination."

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Thursday, August 13

Update #1236 - 17.11 Ribston Hall pupils defy hurdles to post A-Level successes

Ribston Hall headteacher Sarah Colombini declared herself "incredibly proud" of pupils after they defied testing circumstances to post the school's best A-Level results since 2017.

More than half of pupils at the Gloucester school achieved A*-B with an increase in A* and A grades.

The headteacher said: "Our bright and able students were on course to achieve the highest A-Level grades in a number of years due to their hard work and dedication."

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Update #1235 - 16.20 Rising prices increases fears over dog smuggling

The Dogs Trust has raised concerns about smuggling and exploiting by some sellers after demand and prices for the most desirable dog breeds soared during lockdown.

A study by the trust showed search for "buy a puppy" on Google went up by 166 per cent after lockdown was introduced on March 23.

Dachshunds saw the biggest price rise with the average rise soaring from £973 to £1,838 while English and French bulldogs, pugs and chow chows have hit new highs on classified advertising websites.

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Update #1234 - 14.53 King's School crowns difficult year with excellent results

King's School pupils returned to school for the first time since March to collect some of the best A-Level results in the school history.

Almost 50 pupils shared a 100 per cent pass rate with 14 per cent of the results - based on performance data, teacher-assessed grades and mock exams - at A*.

Nearly 50 per cent of results - which could be adjusted in the weeks ahead - were either A* or A grades and nearly 90 per cent were A*-C grade.

The results crown a year which has seen the school celebrate 50 years of co-education.

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Update #1233 - 12.56 Council moves cycling up a gear in £10m funding bid

Gloucestershire County Council has lodged a bid for £10million of government funding to transform cycling in the county.

The bid follows a £1.15million allocation from the Emergency Active Travel Fund, but the council wants to go much further.

Topping the list of planned projects in the bid is a six mile-long Cheltenham to Gloucester B4063 cycle link which is included in existing plans and will connect Gloucester, Tewkesbury and Cheltenham council area.

And it includes smaller schemes submitted by district council colleagues in Tewkesbury, Stroud, Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean, as well as the Gloucestershire Local Cycling and Walking Plan and Gloucestershire's Local Transport Plan.

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Update #1232 - 12.53 Just Eat plans to create 'thousands' of jobs after surge in revenue

Chief executive at the food delivery giant has said thousands of jobs will be created in the coming months.

Speaking to Sky News, CEO Jitse Groen announced that the business would invest "tens of millions of pounds" across the UK as Just Eat reported a record 44 per cent increase in revenue to €1bn in the first half of the year.

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Update #1231 - 11.41 Tui sees revenue drop by 98 per cent through lockdown

Tui has reported a loss of £994million between April and June as the coronavirus pandemic sparked a 98 per cent fall in revenues.

Europe's biggest holiday company, which has secured an extra £1.2billion in funding from the German government, has reopened more than half of its hotels around the world.

But average occupancy due to social distancing is around 23 per cent while cruise operations remain suspended.

Chief executive Fritz Joussen said: "We responsibly mastered the new start in the summer. We will now sustainably reduce our costs and thereby strengthen our position in the market."

The group, which said last month it was shutting 166 high street shops in the UK and Ireland with staff asked to work from home, said bookings for next year were "very promising".

Update #1230 - 11.39 Topps Tiles benefit from six weeks of bumper sales

Six weeks of soaring post-lockdown sales has seen Topps Tiles predict an annual profit when it reveals its accounts next month.

The retailer, which has outlets in Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and Cirencester, saw a 15.5 per cent jump on store sales over the last six weeks compared to 12 months ago as people tackled DIY projects in lockdown.

Online sales, which hit peaks in April and May, remain above previous levels with all the company's shops open again.

A company statement said: "Our retail performance over the last six weeks, combined with an order bay which is significantly ahead of the prior year, means that the board now expects the the group will generate a modest level of adjusted profit before tax."

Update #1229 - 11.01 A&E department flooded as storm hits Gloucester

Part of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital's A&E department had to be evacuated as heavy rain and lightning disrupted services last night.

The heavy rain which caused localised flooding throughout parts of Gloucestershire around 6.30pm saw water enter A&E and the waiting area was emptied while firefighters pumped the water out.

The drainage system at the Tower Block was overwhelmed by the deluge, causing damage to a ceiling on the ninth floor.

And an area near an administrative building off Great Western Road was cordoned off as a tree surgeon made two trees safe after they were struck by lightning.

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Update #1228 - 10.08 Business survey struggles to find positives across region

Less than one in 10 businesses across the South West are feeling positive following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research.

And the second Business West survey on the impact of COVID-19 revealed only six per cent said the Chancellor's £1,000 job retention bonus would have a major impact on whether they retained furloughed workers.

Of the 519 businesses, 76 per cent said their experience of the pandemic had been negative or extremely negative with only nine per cent describing the impact as positive or extremely positive.

Business West managing director Phil Smith said: "With so much public discourse focused on the shape of the recovery - with U, V, L and many other letters to choose - this survey offers real insight into how our region is affected by, and recovering from, the most significant economic shock in modern times.

"Unfortunately for the business health of our region, all our results point to a longer-term negative impact of COVID-19

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Update #1227 - 10.04 National Express "positive about the future"

National Express has reported a pre-tax loss of the £61million for the first half of the year which saw coaches off the road during lockdown.

Half-year revenue fell by 23 per cent - helped by government support - as passenger demand fell by 80 per cent during lockdown.

Chief executive Dean Finch said: "We were swift to save operating costs as we have nimbly reduced service. The decisive actions taken by our management team have no doubt secured the group's continuing future.

"We do not know when pre-pandemic levels of demand will return but have developed plans to respond to future scenarios and maintain safe and efficient operations thereby ensuring the continued financial well-being of the group.

"We remain fundamentally positive about the future. The diversification of the group in recent years has provided resilience during the pandemic, as risk has been spread."

Update #1226 - 08.30 Update on new coronavirus cases in Gloucestershire

Public Health England has released new data showing the total number of positive cases of coronavirus in the county has risen to 1,918 as of 4pm on August 12.

Figures show that the area with the largest number of positive cases remains to be Gloucester with 557 cases since the outbreak began.

Case levels in other areas of Gloucestershire districts are:

Cheltenham - 439 cases

Stroud - 273 cases

Tewkesbury - 265 cases

Cotswolds - 218 cases

Forest of Dean - 166 cases

Information released on Wednesday said that the death toll in Gloucestershire remains at 229 - no movement for more than two weeks.

Of these deaths, 194 were in the care of Gloucestershire Hospitals and 35 were patients at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Wednesday, August 12

Update #1225 - 17.10 Coronavirus death toll in the UK increases by 77

The Government's Department of Health and Social Care has released the latest figures on the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.

It has been said that a further 77 people have sadly passed away after testing positive for the coronavirus, as of 5pm yesterday (August 11).

The latest total death toll for the UK now sits at 46,706 - which includes those in care homes, hospitals and in the community.

Across the UK, 1,009 people have tested positive for the virus over the last 24 hours, with a total of 313,798 positive cases since the outbreak began (as of 9am this morning).

Update #1224 - 16.05 NatWest looks for 550 volunteers for job losses

NatWest is cutting 550 jobs across the UK, but the bank said there will be no branch closures as part of the plan.

It said the losses, part of a cost-cutting adaptation to more people banking online, would come from voluntary redundancies.

A company spokesman said: "We have to respond to changing customer behaviour and the rising customer demand for digital banking services.

"We have taken the decision to invite applications for voluntary redundancy and will support those colleagues who apply with a comprehensive support package."

Last month the bank reported a £770million loss for the first half of 2020 after putting aside an additional £2.1billion to cover defaulted loans due to the pandemic.

Update #1223 - 15.04 Halfords store in Cirencester set to close

Car parts and cycle retailer Halfords has announced that its outlet in Cirencester will close permanently.

The two-storey Halfords Metro shop at 41 Cricklade Street stocked everything from Sat-Navs, in-car entertainment systems and car cleaning products to a push bikes and accessories for both adults and children.

A statement from the firm, seen by Wilts Glos Standard said:"After reviewing our stores in the local area we decided not to renew the lease at Cirencester when it expired in July 2020.

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Update #1222 - 12.59 Chancellor urged to stay flexible on furloughs

The Federation of Small Businesses has called for furloughs to remain an option beyond its current deadline at the end of October.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed around 730,000 fewer people on payrolls compared with March with the self-employed community down by a record 238,000 in the second quarter.

And FSB national chairman Mike Cherry said a change of focus is needed to prevent further increases.

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Update #1221 - 12.03 Government release no update for yesterday's coronavirus figures

Usually Public Health England release new data each afternoon showing the latest coronavirus figures for across the UK covering the previous 24 hours.

Punchline publishes these figures on a daily bases to keep readers up to date with the latest statistics, both nationally and across Gloucestershire.

However, yesterday's figures have been delayed, due to what Public Health England are calling 'technical difficulties'. 

The online coronavirus dashboard currently shows as being last updated at 5.53pm on Monday, August 10 and is not expected to be updated again until this evening.

Update #1220 - 11.11 Record fall sends economy into recession

The biggest quarterly slump on record has seen the UK officially fall into recession for the first time since 2009.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics said the economy shrank by 20.4 per cent from April to June, despite an 8.7 per cent rise in June after a 1.8 per rise in May - leaving it a sixth below where it was in February before the arrival of coronavirus.

Alpesh Paleja, lead economist for the Confederation of British Industry, said: "This confirms the economic pummelling from the essential public health measures put in place to contain COVID-19.

"Encouragingly, the economy grew in May and June, yet cashflow constraints are still biting hard for businesses and with the pandemic not going away anytime soon, a sustained recovery is by no means assured.

"The dual threats of a second wave and slow progress over Brexit negotiations are also particularly concerning, underlining the need for maximum agility from Government on both these issues, allowing a greater focus on the economy's long-term future."

Update #1219 - 11.08 Frasers Group delays figures for second straight year

Frasers Group - owners of House of Fraser and Sports Direct - has postponed the publication of its annual results for the second successive year.

The group, owned by Mike Ashley and which includes Cavendish House in Cheltenham, was due to publish its full-year figures tomorrow but has delayed the announcement until next Thursday.

A company statement said: "Due to the undoubted scrutiny of our accounts, management and our auditors RSM will take this extra week to robustly review the final accounts and ensure that all necessary disclosures have been completed.

"For the avoidance of doubt we can confirm there are no significant matters to address outside of normal audit completion procedures and the final accounts disclosure review."

Last year the then Sports Direct group delayed results by more than a week before releasing them after the markets had closed on a Friday evening.

Update #1218 - 08.30 University of Gloucestershire here to help as clearing set to be busiest ever

Uncertainty and last minute changes have become the new normal as thousands of students wait to pick up their A-Level results this Thursday.

Couple that with the fact the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has predicted a record 80,000 students will find places through the clearing process, it might seem a very daunting time for young people.

But staff at the University of Gloucestershire have said that they will be on hand to offer support and information to anyone deciding on their next steps.

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Tuesday, August 11

Update #1217 - 16.27 MP questions Police and Crime Commissioner's no-bid decision

Gloucester MP Richard Graham has repeated his call for details on why Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl did not bid for a share of a £25million government fund.

But Deputy PCC Chris Brierley said low crime rates and continuing reductions in burglary made any bid for a share of the Safe Streets Fund was unlikely to be successful.

Mr Brierley was replying to tweets from Mr Graham asking why Gloucestershire had not bid for the fund, which saw 35 forces share payouts of up to just over £1.5million.

The Deputy PCC wrote: "Based on the criteria, we believed it was unlikely a Gloucestershire bid would be successful."

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Update #1216 - 14.47 Domino's sees pizza sales surge but profits fall

Pizza delivery and takeaway company Domino's has reported a sales surge through lockdown, but a drop-in profit due to higher operating costs.

The business has released its interim results today, revealing a 5.5 per cent increase in revenues to £628.9 million in the 26 weeks to June 28.

However, data also shows that profits fell by 4.6 per cent to £47.6 million.

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Update #1215 - 12.58 Largest drop in employed workers in 11 years

The number of people in work across the UK fell by 220,000 in the three months from April until June.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the largest decrease since May-July 2009 which was at the heart of the financial crisis.

The figures show that young, old and manual workers have been the worst affected during the coronavirus pandemic.

And they do not include people who have been furloughed, anyone on zero-hours contracts who is not receiving any shifts or people on unpaid leave which helped the unemployment rate to remain at 3.9 per cent.

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Update #1214 - 12.55 Debenhams announces 2,500 more job losses

Debenhams is cutting 2,500 jobs from stores and warehouses in a move it says was giving the company "every chance of a viable future".

Some of the job cuts will be part of a management restructuring process with the scrapping of sales manager and other roles with its distribution centre also affected.

No fresh store closures are planned as part of the move.

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Update #1213 - 12.52 Sales take small step in right direction

Retail sales rose during July but online sales continue to make a dent in the number of shoppers on the high street.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium said sales rose 3.2 per cent from the same month last year - a second successive monthly increase.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: "While the rise in retail sales is a step in the right direction, the industry is still trying to catch up lost ground, with most shops having suffered months of closures.

"The fragile economic situation continues to bear down on consumer confidence, with some retailers hanging by only a thread in the face of rising costs and lower sales,"

According to KPMG, online shopping accounted for 40 per cent of sales.

Update #1212 - 10.33 Versarien optimistic despite loss

Versarien chief executive Neill Ricketts expressed "optimism and confidence" despite reporting a £4.7million pre-tax loss.

The Cheltenham-based advanced materials engineering group, who last week launched a graphene enhanced face mask, saw group revenue for the year to March 31 fall to £8.3million (down from £9.1million the previous year).

Since the period covered by the figures, the firm has been awarded a £5million loan facility from Innovate UK for the production of sufficient quantities of graphene to meet market supply.

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Update #1211 - 10.30 Eating out scheme draws 10.5 million

More than 10.5 million meals were served in the first week of the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

The initiative, introduced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, is aimed at getting people back to restaurants, cafe and pubs by offering 50 per cent off a meal (up to £10 per head) from Monday to Wednesday throughout August.

Participating venues receive the discount back and Treasury figures said it had received 10,540,394 claims by August 9 at an average of £5 - a cost of around £50million in the first week.

The Government, which has set aside £500million for the scheme, said 83,068 restaurants has signed up.

Update #1210 - 08.30 Update on new coronavirus cases in Gloucestershire

Public Health England has released new data showing the total number of positive cases of coronavirus in the county has risen to 1,912 as of 5.53pm on August 10.

Figures show that the area with the largest number of positive cases remains to be Gloucester with 556 cases since the outbreak began.

Case levels in other areas of Gloucestershire districts are:

Cheltenham - 438 cases

Stroud - 272 cases

Tewkesbury - 263 cases

Cotswolds - 217 cases

Forest of Dean - 166 cases

Information released on Thursday said that the death toll in Gloucestershire remains at 229.

Of these deaths, 194 were in the care of Gloucestershire Hospitals and 35 were patients at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Monday, August 10

Update #1209 - 17.15 Coronavirus death toll in the UK increases by 8

The Government's Department of Health and Social Care has released the latest figures on the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.

It has been said that a further 8 people have sadly passed away after testing positive for the coronavirus, as of 5pm yesterday (August 9).

The latest total death toll for the UK now sits at 46,574 - which includes those in care homes, hospitals and in the community.

Across the UK, 816 people have tested positive for the virus over the last 24 hours, with a total of 311,641 positive cases since the outbreak began (as of 9am this morning).

Update #1208 - 17.05 Profit warnings outstrip 2019 inside six months

Almost 50 per cent more profit warnings were issued by retailers in the first half of 2020 than the whole of last year.

The latest Profit Warnings Report by EY showed nine FTSE-listed retailers issued warnings in the second quarter, taking the total for the first six months of the year to 47.

That compares to 32 for the whole of 2019.

Of this year's warning's 36 cited the coronavirus pandemic as the reason for the lowering of profit expectations with 17 of them coming from specialist retailers.

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Update #1207 - 16.45 Don't let grants go to waste urges FSB

Businesses and councils have been urged to ensure grants do not go to waste before the deadline for applications at the end of August.

Councils across England have distributed an average of 92 per cent of the funds allocated to them to help small businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic - meaning around £1.5billion of funds remain unspent.

And the Federation of Small Businesses has called on any remaining companies to apply and councils to ensure payments are processes as quickly as possible.

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Update #1206 - 16.36 Baird Group tailors proposal for restructuring

Fashion wholesaler and licensee Baird Group has launched a CVA proposal which could see more than 250 job losses

The menswear business is a licensee for Suit Direct, which has a branch at Gloucester Quays, and operates concessions for Debenhams for brands such as Ben Sherman, Jeff Banks and Racing Green.

If the CVA proposal is agreed by at least 75 per cent of creditors, a restructuring plan will see 18 shops, one warehouse and an office close with changes - including rent negotiations - at a further 29 outlets.

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Update #1205 - 12.49 WHSmith deny CVA on the horizon

WHSmith has denied reports it is pursuing a CVA proposal, but has not ruled it out as it looks at ways of recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

The high street retailer last week announced it was planning to cut 1,500 jobs with shops at airports and railway stations particularly badly hit due to the low number of passengers.

The Sunday Times reported that the CVA was being considered as a possible tool to help negotiate fresh rental terms with landlords, but the company said such a proposal was not "actively being pursued".

The firm's high street revenue was down 25 per cent in July compared with the same month last year - having been down 71 per cent in April - with losses after tax predicted to be £70-75million in the year up to August 31.

Update #1204 - 12.39 Early signs suggest people heading out to eat out

The second week of the Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme gets underway today with early indications suggesting it has enjoyed some early success.

No official figures have been released by the Treasury on the opening week of the scheme, but money app Yolt reported a 14 per cent increase in people eating out.

And a report by data provider Springboard showed an increase in visits to high streets after 6pm on the included days of almost 19 per cent on the previous week - a rise which is close to 10 per cent at lunchtime.

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Update #1203 - 11.48 One in three employers expecting to make cuts

One in three employers across the UK expect to make job cuts before the end of September according to new research.

The survey by recruiter Adecco and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, which quizzed more than 2,000 employees, showed 33 per cent of them planned to make redundancies in the next quarter.

That was a 50 per cent rise on the figure three months ago with 38 per cent of public sector employers saying job cuts were on the cards.

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Update #1202 - 11.45 Superdry fashions stronger position with deal

Superdry has strengthened its financial standing by securing a £70million financing deal after reporting sales above expectations.

The Cheltenham-based fashion retailer saw total sales fell by 24.1 per cent in the three months to July 25 with online sales during lockdown helping to cover for losses caused by the closure of shops.

Co-founder Julian Dunkerton, who returned as chief executive after a boardroom shake-up last year, said the financing deal with HSBC and BNP Paribas which is extended to January 2023 would help to "secure our recovery".

He said: "The actions we have taken to date have greatly strengthened our cash position which, together with our new asset-backed lending facility, give us the flexibility to execute our current plans and to secure our recovery.

"Together we are making our way through this unprecedented period and I'm confident we can reset the brand and deliver on our transformation plans."

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Update #1201 - 11.42 Pret cutting hours to protect jobs

Pret A Manger has asked thousands of staff to work shorter hours as part of a restructuring plan designed to help it survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month the sandwich chain, which has a branch in Cheltenham, announced it was closing around 30 outlets and shutting 1,000 jobs.

While the majority of its 410 UK shops are open, trade continues to suffer with so many workers staying at home and not popping out of offices to grab lunch.

A Pret spokesman said: "With footfall in our shops still significantly below normal levels, we have had to review the hours team members are contracted to work each week - although of course we hope to increase these hours as trade improves.

"By making these changes we are able to save a large number of roles."

Update #1200 - 08.35 Latest coronavirus figures for the UK and Gloucestershire

The latest data for coronavirus cases and deaths of patients with COVID-19 were released yesterday by the Government's department of health and social care and NHS England.

Updated figures released on Sunday show the UK death toll of people with coronavirus rose to 46,574 - which includes those in care homes, hospitals and in the community.

This is an increase of 8 on the previous day's figures.

In Gloucestershire, confirmed coronavirus deaths remain at 229 according to figures released by NHS England on Sunday - no increase for more than a week.

It has been reported that of those who have died since the pandemic began, 194 were being cared for at Gloucestershire Hospitals while 35 were being treated through Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Latest Public Health figures show that the total number of cases within the county sits at 1,908 as of Sunday afternoon.

These cases are split across the following regions:

Gloucester - 553 cases

Cheltenham - 438 cases

Stroud - 271 cases

Tewkesbury - 263 cases

Cotswolds - 217 cases

Forest of Dean - 166 cases