Mick Grundy is the new Centre Manager of Five Valleys in Stroud, he joins the centre with extensive leadership experience, including two decades of service in the British Army, as well as senior roles with the Royal British Legion and English Heritage.
Welcome to the first of our new regular Stroud Times columns, where we’ll be sharing news and updates about what’s happening here at Five Valleys. I’m kicking things off this month, and next month you’ll be hearing from our Assistant Centre Manager, Mollie Phillips.
It’s been a whirlwind first few weeks since I stepped into my new role as Centre Manager – and I couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome to Stroud. I’m delighted to be working alongside Mollie, and together we’ve already hit the ground running.
We’ve joined at a particularly exciting time. Across the centre we’re seeing new businesses open, others relocating and expanding, and further building work underway to create even more space for new and growing businesses. With autumn here and the festive season just around the corner, it’s also one of the most important times of the year for retailers – and we’ve got plenty of events planned to make this a Christmas to remember.
Right now, we’re preparing for a spooktacular Halloween celebration on Friday 31 October. There’ll be free crafts for families, live music and lots more, as well as our late night street food market – a brilliant opportunity for the community to come together and have some fun.
Of course, Five Valleys is also home to Vue cinema, which has some fantastic new autumn releases lined up – perfect for cosy evenings or family outings. Tickets are just £5.99 when booked ahead online. You can check the latest releases on the Vue website for Stroud here www.myvue.com/cinema/stroud/whats-on. Alongside the latest blockbusters, Vue also offers great family deals like Big Shorts and Mighty Mornings, making it easier than ever to enjoy a trip to the cinema together.
One of the things we’re especially proud of at Five Valleys is of course our Food Hall. It has become a real hub for local people and visitors alike, showcasing our brilliant independent street food traders. We’re determined to build on that success, and we’re excited about a number of new developments – including the expansion of the Food Hall with new opportunities. We also have some plans for the former Wilkinsons space and we’ll be sharing more details very soon.
This summer, we installed a new air conditioning system in the market hall. Not only will this keep the space cool and comfortable during hot summer days, but it will also ensure the area stays warm and welcoming throughout the winter months – just in time for Halloween and Christmas.
On behalf of Mollie and myself, thank you once again for making us feel so welcome in Stroud. We’re really looking forward to working with everyone – our traders, our partners, and of course our customers – to keep building on the success of Five Valleys and the town centre as a whole.
Mick Grundy
Centre Manager, Five Valleys
