The Cross Keys was one of the few pubs in Gloucestershire owned by the Ashton Gate Brewery, Bristol. It was completely rebuilt possibly in the 1930’s. The suburban pub has had a long association with Bristol breweries as it was owned by Courage’s for many years.
Citizen, July 21st 1971. Advertisement. Now open – the ‘Barnwood Lounge and New Public Bar’ – Customers visiting the Cross Keys pub in Barnwood this week are getting quite a surprise. For the Cross Keys they used to know disappeared for good when the builders moved in and began a major improvement scheme to turn the house into one of the most comfortable in Gloucester. The final phase of the three-month programme has now been completed and the pub is once more being fully used.
A complete change round of bars means the colourful new public bar, with its new furnishing and décor, takes the place of the old lounge bar. Customers have been using this for some time while the other work proceeded – with a very favourable reaction. But the most dramatic change has taken place at the front of the pub where the completely new bar has been created from the old public bar.
Designed to give a feeling of spaciousness the Barnwood Lounge is still able to achieve a great deal of intimacy as a result of several ‘booths’ made of decorative stonework having been erected.
Changes outside are expected to have a big effect on trade. Until now motorists passing the house have felt disinclined to try and negotiate the small, awkward carpark. Now there is plenty of room for them to pull off the road safely and easily.
Your hosts at the Cross Keys are Mr. and Mrs. Frank Tait.
.When South Africans Ross and Debbie Graham became licensees in 2001 they realised that a lot of the pub was not being used to its full potential. They established an internet café and a South African shop on the premises. Their efforts were rewarded with an Innovator of the Year Award in 2002. The judges commented that Ross and Debbie had “transformed a typical community pub into a highly innovative destination.
The Courage trademark wooden cockerel that had been standing on the pub sign for decades was removed when the pub had a refurbishment in 2006.
The Cross Keys is now Queens, a fish & chip take away restaurant.
Licensing details:
Owner in 1891: John Gardner
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Ashton Gate Brewery, Bristol
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Landlords at the Cross Keys include:
1856 John Gardner
1879, 1885,1891 Alfred Matthews
1903,1906 Frederick Elliston
1919,1927 William Thomas Browning
1936 C.E. Edwards
1939,1957 John Moffatt
1971 Frank Tait
1980 Austin Salway
1985 Austen & Pegg Salway (Austen retired on his 60th birthday in December 1985)
1991 Debbie & Ernie (opening party on Saturday 29th June)
20012005, 2007 Ross and Debbie Graham
