The Brewers Arms once was owned by the Dursley Brewery, which passed through the ownership of Richard Chapman (1891) and T.W. Elvy (1903). The Dursley Brewery in Silver Street went into liquidation in 1906 and the brewery and 21 tied houses were acquired by Godsell’s & Sons of Salmon Springs, Stroud. John Pegler and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth, were landlords at the Brewers Arms at this transitional time. They had six children and apart from being licensees the family were also running a hauling business, coal delivery and a small grocery store! The pub then became a Stroud Brewery house, and ownership eventually passed to West Country Breweries / Whitbread.
The Citizen, 12th November 1976 – Man badly injured in pub brawl: A scrum in the bar of a Stonehouse pub led to a court hearing yesterday when magistrates were told a local man was seriously hurt in a brawl. Whitminster Court fined Peter Bicknell, of Brisbane, Stonehouse, £25 after he admitted causing actual bodily harm to Mr Robert Birch, and Bicknell was ordered to pay him £50 compensation.
Proper compensation for his fractured hip and dislocated shoulder would doubtless be made by the Criminal Injuries Board to Mr Birch, said magistrate Mr Sidney Loosley. Mr Birch spent five weeks in hospital after the brawl, said Mr Roger Fry, prosecuting.
Bicknell and his wife, another couple and two other men had gone to the Brewers’ Arms shortly before it closed one Saturday night, after having drunk a lot at their private barbeque party. They drank port and lemon in the lounge bar. At closing time the three men, including Bicknell, “burst through the public bar door”. The incident then led to three of the locals, two of them in their 50’s and one of them aged about 60, ending up lying on the floor. Bicknell accepted that he knocked against someone. In his statement he said: “It all happened so quick. I feel sorry for the bloke who was taken to hospital.” His solicitor Mr Hugh Read said: “He was very drunk on the night and can’t remember much about the evening.” Mr Read added that Mr Birch’s injuries were not directly from blows, but from falling against something.
The Citizen, 23rd September 1981 – New slot for Jeff: Landlord Jeff Perry of Stonehouse has found a new slot in life. After 10 years as host at the Brewers Arms in Gloucester Road, he is leaving the licensed trade to become a leisure company manager. But he won’t be losing touch with the pubs altogether, for part of his new work will be visiting hotels and inns with amusement slot machines. But it will probably be November before Mr Perry actually leaves the pub where darts, crib and quoits sides have all flourished during his tenancy.
“My life as a landlord has been very enjoyable, but very tiring,” said Mr. Perry (39), who now hopes to spend more time with his children, and his wife Glen who has helped as landlady.
The Citizen, 18th November 1981 – New faces at the local: The local pub has become home for former haulage boss Geoffrey Webb. A regular at the Brewer’s Arms in Stonehouse for many years, Mr Webb (44) has closed down his transport firm and taken over the pub. He shut down G.Webb & Sons in the summer, after more than 10 years trading, because of “bad debts and non-payers”. Said Mr Webb, “I wanted a business where you get cash for everything.”
His wife Mary is helping as Brewers landlady. “We looked forward to the change. We were already great pals with Mr Perry, the licensee before me, and my wife went to school with Mrs Perry. We’d even been on holiday together.”
Mr Webb intends to support the support the Brewer’s thriving darts and quoits teams. Also he plans to re-open an upstairs functions room, and hoped to organise beer garden too, by the time the weather turns warmer.
The Citizen, Friday 4th May 1984 – Police in pub swoop: April Fools Day was no joke for Stonehouse licensee Geoffrey Webb and 10 customers when his pub was raided by police out of opening hours. Police officers had been watching the Brewers’ Arms in Gloucester Road since 9.30am on Sunday, April 1st and saw customers begin to drift in from about 11am – out of permitted hours – Whitminster Magistrates were told. Licensee Webb (46), pleaded guilty to supplying beer to nine customers and was fined £30 on each offence – a total of £270. Mr Charles Boyce, defending, told the court Webb had been licensee at the pub for two and a half years during which time there had never been any need to call police to the premises. “He and his customers recognise it was a foolish thing to do and Mr Webb recognises the seriousness of the matter as far as general conduct and responsibility to the licensed premises is concerned,” he said.
Stroud News & Journal, 13th August 1997 – Advertising Feature, Brewers Arms’ new look: After six weeks out of action, the Brewers Arms, Stonehouse is reopening on Friday with a brand new look. The final touches are being made to the décor which has involved a complete refurbishment of the pub. Landlord Steve Davies said: “We have made tremendous changes. The aim is to create a traditional and comfortable style of pub.”
The pub stocks a wide range of beers, lagers and spirits, but the Brewers Arms will not simply be a pleasant place for a pint. Steve Davies has ensured that the pub will be the home for all kinds of entertainment. The refurbishment has also seen the installation of a skittle alley, state-of-the-art CD system, full-size pool table and a darts board. “We plan to have music most weekends,” said Steve. Solo and duet musicians will keep customers entertained, and he plans to apply for an entertainment licence which will allow the Brewers Arms to host bands.
A wooden floor has been installed in the front bar and the back bar has been given a complete facelift with new curtains, paint and furnishings. A brand new block of ladies’ toilets should make queues a thing of the past and the gents’ has also been given a re-fit.
The Brewers Arms ‘ menu consists of simple but wholesome snacks. As well as traditional homemade soups, it features vegetarian dishes, Balti dishes and Steve Davies’ own lasagne and chilli creations. And if you feel like treating yourself, the menu features such traditional delights as spotted dick and treacle pudding.
The Brewers Arms might have only just re-opened, but Steve is certainly not complacent and already has plans for its future. “We hope to have Sky TV installed shortly,” he said. Work will soon be starting on a beer garden and children’s play area ready for early next year. It seems that the Brewers Arms certainly won’t be resting on its laurels.
Stroud News & Journal, 27th August 1997 – Letters, ‘New look pub is not wheelchair friendly’: Madam – With reference to the refurbishment of The Brewers Arms, Stonehouse, the Stroud Access Group for Disabled People, feel we must point out that no toilet facilities have been installed for the wheel-chair bound and those who have difficulty walking. This is a shame because we are told a skittle alley has been built and this is one of the games most appreciated by wheelchair users. Les R. Winter, chairman.
The Citizen, 7th October 2003 – Fruit machine at pub raided: Around £500 in takings has been stolen from a fruit machine at the Brewers’ Arms pub in Stonehouse. Four men with Liverpudlian accents who came into the pub around 9.30pm last Tuesday are thought to be involved in the theft. Staff discovered the cash box had been stolen when they checked the pub the following morning.
Stroud News & Journal, 24th December 2003 – Full up with festive spirit: Pub-goes in Stonehouse were dizzy when the threw a special party for the town’s youngsters. Generous regulars at the Brewers Arms i Gloucester Street spent all year donating their spare change to collect the £400 needed for the annual children’s bash. Around 35 lucky children enjoyed a disco and a slap-up feed – even a visit from Santa – during the festive fun on December 14th. Pub landlord Wayne Beachus has been throwing the annual parties for the last five years.
Stroud News & Journal, Wednesday 17th March 2004 – Social club rescued by a generous landlord: A big-hearted landlord put community ahead of business to come to the rescue of a decades-old social club in Stonehouse.
Founded in 1975, members-only Magpies Social Club in Oldends Lane has been into the ground in recent years, according to new treasurer Christine Harnden. Just as a fresh committee was struggling to revive its fortunes police declared it did not have a valid liquor license and would have to close. The game looked as though it was up until Wayne Beachus, landlord of the Brewers Arms in Gloucester Road, put his signature to a temporary license so the club could open while it applied for a new one.
A modest Mr Beachus told the Stroud News and Journal: “From a business point of view I’m stupid because if they close the people will come up here [to the Brewers Arms] and I will make more money. But it’s not about business, it is about community.”
Stroud News & Journal, 2nd November 2005 – Man knocked out in pub incident: A man was knocked unconscious after being punched in the face and kicked in the head at the Brewers Arms in Stonehouse just before 11pm on Friday. The 35-year-old, from Stonehouse, was treated at the scene and did not need hospital treatment. Police are searching for a 19-year-old man in connection with the attack.
The Citizen, 24th June 2009 – pub with potential on market: The Brewers Arms in Stonehouse has been put on the market through Christie & Co at an asking price of £220,000 for the freehold interest.
Nicholas Calfe, director of Christie & Co’s Bristol office, said: “The Brewers Arms is currently closed and offered for sale with vacant possession. In particular, it represents a development opportunity.”
The Citizen, 3rd August 2010 – Pub site for tots’ school: The owner of a pre-school has spoken of her excitement of extending her business into a former pub. The Brewers Arms in Gloucester Road, Stonehouse, has been sold to the owners of the Cornerstone Specialist Independent School and Pre-school.
Established four years ago, the Cornerstone School in Ebley outgrew its premises and was looking to expand into Stonehouse. When the pub came on the market a few months ago, owner Rebecca Davidson snapped it up. She said: “I had a look at it when it was up for sale and it was just perfect. I believe it used to be living accommodation as the downstairs was open plan, which lends itself perfectly to what we do.”
Developers have been renovating the former boozer since May and it is re-opening as a pre-school today.
Licensing Details:
Rateable Value in 1891: £13.10s.0d.
Owner in 1891: Richard Chapman, Dursley Steam Brewery
Type of licence in 1891: Beerhouse
Rateable Value in 1903: £21.0s.0d.
Owner in 1903: Thomas William Elvy, Dursley Steam Brewery
Closing time in 1903: 11pm
Owner in 1906: Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs Brewery, Stroud
Owner in 1928: Stroud Brewery Company
Landlords at the Brewers Arms include:
1891 Frederick W. Wingfield
1903 John Pegler
1939 Isaac Muncaster
1971-1981 Jeff and Glen Perry
1981,1985 Geoffrey and Mary Webb (Geoffrey previously had his own transport and haulage business)
1997 Steve Davies
1998, 2004 Wayne Beachus
