Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Tour to put county’s attractions centre stage
THE Gloucestershire stage of the Tour of Britain will inspire the next generation of local cyclists.
That is what leaders at Gloucestershire County Council hope will be among the lasting legacies of this year’s race.
Stage six of the tour will start on September 9 in Tewkesbury and go through Bishop’s Cleeve, Winchcombe, Chedworth, Cirencester, Tetbury, Yate, Wottonunder-Edge, Dursley, Uley and Stroud before finishing in Gloucester.
On average, the net economic benefit of hosting a stage of the Tour of Britain since 2016 has been worth £3.5m to venues. And just under five million people watched the Tour of Britain and Women’s Tour in the UK in 2021.
In 2021, 60% of fans were inspired to ride more after the Tour of Britain and Women’s Tour. And environment and planning cabinet member David Gray (C, Winchcombe and Woodmancote) hopes it will again encourage more people to take up cycling.
“Some of the benefits of hosting a stage of the tour are unquantifiable,” he said. “There is an immediate direct benefit that people will come into the county and will watch the tour.
“And then there’s the kick-on benefit of the tour which highlights what a great county we have and we hope they will stay and book their accommodation.
“The big TV audience for events like this will see Gloucestershire and what a beautiful county that we have. So it helps build interest in coming and visiting Gloucestershire.”