A former regional daily editor who led his title for six years before going on to become a leading figure in his local business community has died aged 60.

Tributes are being paid to former Gloucestershire Echo editor Kevan Blackadder, who died on Monday following a long battle with bowel cancer.

Kevan edited the Cheltenham based title from 2008 to 2014 before going on to become Cheltenham town centre manager and more recently director of Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID).

Kevan, who is survived by his wife Liz, began his career at the Whitehaven News and enjoyed stints at the Sunday Independent in Plymouth and the Bristol Post before his move to Gloucestershire.

Former Bristol Post and Cotswold Life editor Mike Lowe, who worked with Kevan in Bristol, was among those who paid tribute ot Kevan after his death was announced last night.

He told Gloucestershire Live: “I worked with Kevan for eight years on the Bristol Evening Post where he ended up as assistant editor before moving to Cheltenham as editor.  He was a terrific professional to work with; a real old-school hard news man.

“I think I often frustrated him because he always wanted things doing just right while I was liable to take the odd flyer on a story, but he soon pulled me back on track.

“We had a great team there and Kevan more than played his part in turning out some great newspapers. He was also a thoroughly nice man – hard-working and loyal – and he loved his football, both Bristol Rovers and his home patch club of Carlisle United. He will be sorely missed.”

Jenny Eastwood, who was the Echo’s head of news when Kevan was editor and later worked alongside him as editor of the Echo’s sister title The Citizen, described him as a “a regional newsman through and through.”

“I know reporters who joined the Echo during his time as editor will have left better journalists because of the values of quality reporting he instilled,” she said.

“When he arrived in Cheltenham from Bristol, he really embraced the local community with gusto and his later role for the Cheltenham BID is testament to how much he had come to call the town home.

“Kevan was a great source of support for me when I first became editor and I will always be grateful for him helping me learn the ropes in the early days. Many people will have some great memories of his time as editor at the Echo.”

Phil Norris, a former sports editor and news editor at the Gloucestershire Echo, said: “Kev was someone who loved his job, but who also loved his life outside the office.

“It was his belief in Cheltenham and its people that made him such a great ambassador for the town in his role as town centre manager and as BID director. Kev would always talk fondly and happily of his life outside of work, whether that was his love of football, real ales or music.

Belinda Hunt, BID operations manager, said: “Kevan’s influence as he led the BID team was far more than anyone realised. He was a mentor and friend, able to find common ground with everyone he worked with.

“He was the motivation behind the team, encouraging us to learn and look at things from every perspective. We will all miss him a great deal.”