Gloucester History Festival’s eagerly anticipated spring weekend remains on track despite the City Council’s recent financial challenges. Last week, the council announced it will be giving up its lease on Blackfriars Priory— the historic venue that has long hosted the popular festival.
Blackfriars Priory, owned by English Heritage, was leased by the City Council as part of efforts to preserve and utilize the site. However, as part of ongoing financial recovery measures, the council has decided to relinquish this lease.
“There’s no cause for panic—the spring weekend is full steam ahead,” confirmed Richard Graham, co-chair of the Gloucester History Festival, in a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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While the future lessee of Blackfriars is still unknown, Graham assures festival attendees that the event will continue to be held at the venue. “Whoever takes over might bring exciting new initiatives to Blackfriars,” he added.
Graham reflected on the venue’s transformation since the council began leasing it from English Heritage in 2009. Before then, the medieval priory was rarely accessible to the public, representing “an extraordinary waste of a precious heritage asset,” he said.
He continued, “I saw Blackfriars as the perfect location for a History Festival. Since hiring it first in 2011 for just £500 a day, we’ve grown to pay a much larger fee for both our three-day Spring Weekend and the ten-day September Festival."
Today, Blackfriars is better known than ever, recently earning the title of Wedding Venue of the Year in Southwest England. Though development continues—such as the completion of the courtyard and reopening of the Buttery—there remains potential for further enhancements, including creating vibrant dining spaces within the West Wing and surrounding green areas.
Graham emphasized the importance of visionary investment, stating, “English Heritage holds architectural treasures but limited revenue. Realizing Blackfriars’ full potential requires a visionary with deep pockets and passion for heritage.”
For now, Gloucester History Festival participants can look forward to a spring weekend full of history, community, and celebration at Blackfriars Priory—unchanged by the City Council’s financial reshuffle.