With the connecting bridge now in place, Punchline-Gloucester.com has been given a tour of Gloucester's landmark Forum development.

More than 200 people are currently working flat out to get the £107 million scheme finished on time and on budget.

The development, which is being brought forward by Gloucester City Council in partnership with developer Reef Group, is being built on the site of the former Bruton Way car park.

Due for completion by summer 2024, The Forum will include a business hub, hotel, gym, restaurants, shops, bars, a multi-storey car park and apartments.

Contractor Kier has been on site since April last year.

Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester City Council, said he was "absolutely proud" of the workforce, adding: "They're doing an amazing job of getting this development towards its final conclusion next year. I believe it is all on time and, as far as I'm aware, at the moment we are also on budget.

"I think the work that Reef have done in helping us deliver this and the work that Kier are doing in building it is true partnership working and it's going to be an absolutely fantastic place to see and work in."

The footbridge connecting the two Forum buildings, which was lifted into place by a massive crane last week, is said to be the most expensive bridge in Gloucester, costing around £15,000 per square metre.

The 650 tonne crane couldn't be transported to the site in one piece as it was too heavy for the bridges of Gloucester so it was split it up and brought in in parts and then put together at Keyway's Gloucester yard and transported to the site.

Kier are using a mix of both local and international contractors on The Forum development. These include interior contractors from Bristol, a metal work contractor from Gloucester and a cladding contractor from mainland Europe.

The local brickwork contractor is expected to lay 180,000 bricks over the next few months, using up to 25 bricklayers at any one time.

The Forum is part of a £200 million rejuvenation of Gloucester city centre which includes the University of Gloucestershire's transformation of the former Debenhams store into a teaching centre.

Cllr Cook said: "I suspect it was our investment in The Forum project that persuaded the University that they should invest in the former Debenhams building, so it's all coming together. Because of our demonstration of confidence in what we can do for the city, it's attracting more and more developers to come into the city."

Last week it was announced that a Levelling Up investment of £11 million from the Government is set to improve the Eastgate and Greyfriars area of Gloucester.

And earlier this month, Punchline-Gloucester.com revealed that Asian-themed adventure golf firm Putt Putt Noodle is to occupy the former Primark store in Eastgate Street.

Cllr Cook said: "Putt Putt Noodle is a fantastic example of a non-retail operation that's going to be coming into the city early next year and there will be more and more of those as we switch our emphasis from a retail-led city centre to a leisure-led city centre."