Language
As a provincial British town, you will almost certainly need to be able to speak English to get around in Gloucester. There is a sizable immigrant population in Gloucester from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Poland and the Czech Republic and so you may have more luck with these people should you speak one of their languages. Gloucester also has a large for the region black mainly of Caribbean origin community.
The Tourist Information Office has literature in most major languages, including Japanese.
Generally, the Gloucester accent is clear to understand and isn't peppered with dialect terms. However, understandably for the area, there is a West Country 'burr'and tourists whose experience of English accents is limited to either Cockney or Queen's English may notice this. The 'burr' becomes more pronounced more westerly, in nearby Forest of Dean,
Understand
The City of Gloucester is the furthest inland port in the UK, situated beside the River Severn. It inspired the old English nursery rhyme:
"Dr Foster went to Gloucester in a shower of rain.He stepped in a puddle,Right up to his middle,And never went back again."
'Dick Whittington', born around 1350, a well-known character through the pantomime story, has connections with Gloucester. The story is based on the real life Richard Whittington, who, unlike his pantomime character, was not poor, being the third son of Sir William Whittington of Gloucester. The traditional tale has a 'poor' Dick going to London to seek his fortune, but he eventually becomes Lord Mayor of London.
A traditional rhyme is associated with this episode, as follows:
"Turn again, Whittington,Once Mayor of London,Turn again, Whittington,Twice Mayor of London,Turn again, Whittington,Thrice Mayor of London!"
The city is also known for 'The Tailor of Gloucester', a children's novel by Beatrix Potter that was first published in 1903. It is traditionally read to children on Christmas Eve, just before bedtime.
It was a main Roman city, 'Glevum' - Roman tunnels and fortifications exist underneath the city centre and can be visited through the museum.