27 Slad Road, Uplands, in 1939 directory. On the eastern corner of Springfield Road and Slad Road.
The ‘Stroud News’ reported on September 1867 that ‘a spirit licence had been granted to D. Estcourt of the Fountain Inn, Slad Road.’
Isaac Englishmann had moved to the Robin Hood, Bristol Road, Gloucester by 1906.
On the Slad Road side of the pub there are two bay windows. The original entrance to the Fountain was through a square porch midway between these bays. This porch has long since been removed. The brick built building has also been plaster rendered.
The Citizen, 17th October 1979 – ‘Five Valley Talk’ – A new face at the Fountain: Licensee Trevor Lester has left the Queen’s, at Cheltenham to become king of his own pub! He and his wife Susan, are the new faces behind the bar of the Fountain Inn, Slad Road, Stroud. “We have always wanted to run our own pub,” said Mr. Lester, father of four children.
For the past two years he has worked as a maintenance engineer at the 77-bedroom Queens Hotel, Cheltenham. Previously he had his own painting and decorating business.
The couple have taken over from Mr Harold Bingle (58) and his wife Sheila, of the Hill, Merrywalks, who have retired after 18 years in the licensed trade. At a farewell ceremony, Mike Williams, the local County and Stroud District councillor, presented Mr. Bingle with a carriage clock on behalf of the customers. There was a bouquet for his wife.
The Citizen: Wednesday, November 11th, 1987 – Bill to Pull the First Pint: An 82-year-old man who has been supping pints at a Stroud pub for sixty yeas will be on the other side of the bar tomorrow. Bill Wathern will pull the first pint at a lunchtime celebration to mark the completion of the new look at The Fountain Inn, Slad Road.
Bill, whose son-in-law Harold Bingle was licensee at the Whitbread Flowers’ pub for 17 years, has been chosen as guest of honour because he is the Fountain’s most loyal customer.
Licensees Bernard and Jude Moore have combined with the brewery to pay for refurbishments including a new lounge and smarter surroundings for the pub’s darts, quoits, quiz league, crib, dominoes and pool teams.
Stroud News & Journal. ‘Business Today’, Wednesday 27th February 2013- couple save their local by Hayley Mortimer: Traditional British pubs are closing at an alarming rate – but how far would you go to save your local? Des and Kathy Adams couldn’t face their favourite pub, the Fountain in Slad Road, Stroud, closing so they decided to run it themselves. The couple, who have kept their day jobs, took over in January and are hoping to give it a new lease of life.
Des, 56, a digger driver by day, said: “We want to create a good family atmosphere and have a good time too.” The pub serves traditional ales and will soon be serving food and the couple plan to have regular karaoke and live show music nights as well as showing sports. Kathy said: “The first month has gone really well. The locals have been so good.”
Stroud News & Journal, 20th April 2013 – Saturday brawl: Police were called to the Fountain pub in Slad Road, Stroud after eight men and women began brawling there. By the time the police arrived about 12.30am the fight had stopped.
Stroud News & Journal, 7th June 2017 – Heartbreak as pub boss dies at 44: Tributes have poured in for pub landlord Jim Anderson who has died aged 44 following a heart attack on Friday. Father-of-two Jim had only taken over the Fountain Inn, in Slad Road, Stroud, along with his partner Claudia Kahler, three months ago but had quickly become hugely popular with locals.
Originally from Strabane in Northern Ireland, Jim will be laid to rest in his homeland. Speaking to the SNJ, Claudia said: “There were so many sides to Jim, he was bigger than life and the heart and soul of the pub. Jim was such a brilliant host, he always remembered everyone’s name and even the names of their pets. He was so popular you could say that sometime you could say that sometimes I was left in his shadow.”
The pub was closed on Friday as a mark of respect to Jim. Jim’s brother Stuart arrived on Monday evening to speak to mourners, and the Fountain Inn reopened that night.
Stroud News & Journal, 30th May 2018 – pub regulars to remember landlord Jim: A remembrance celebration will take place this Saturday at the Fountain Inn in Stroud in memory of landlord Jim Anderson who died suddenly last year. The event, which will mark a year since father and publican passed away, will be an opportunity for friends, family and customers to come together to remember the larger than life character.
The event at the pub will include DJ’s and a barbeque, as well as a dedication in a new area of the inn’s garden.
Stroud CAMRA – October 2020: Pub Survey – The Fountain, Slad Road, Stroud.
For this outing, the Fountain was chosen having been subject to recent refurbishment. Due to delays in the endeavour, this was one of our last pubs to exit the lockdown. Claudia Kahler and Andrew Esmonde-White are the pilots of this Hawthorne Leisure establishment, and during the lockdown Claudia like a lot of licensees took the opportunity to invest in the future and replace the carpet and do some decorating. Sadly, this did not go to plan with the discovery of rot and damp and the need to engage a pubco surveyor during lockdown and the increased work caused delays to their re-opening.
Happily, the pub has now reopened but there is still some finishing ongoing. The exterior looks awesome when pictured, dusk, the lights on and angle of photo put the pub in an imposing posture over its surroundings. Inside the cellar is spotless and well organised, the toilets are completely replaced and finished to a high standard, the main bar area resplendent with its new carpet is comfortable and welcoming. Claudia is still working what was the pool table area at the left end of the bar, but I guess will have time to complete this after Thursday. Similarly, due to ongoing work in the kitchen food is currently not a feature here, but is planned going forward.
From a real ale perspective St Austell Doom Bar and Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold were on offer and aside from the Doom Bar being a little low in temperature (something Claudia knows about and is addressing) both were as expected. Claudia does not always offer up two Ales, sometimes offering just one and also does mix it up with Wickwar BOB occasionally.
To sum up this is a community pub, Tardis like in its dimensions, with (under normal times) Pool, Darts, and the usual gamut of behind the bar games (dominos, cards etc.) to entertain. It has a garden to one side and covered area out front; Claudia and Andrew are welcoming hosts; these are all the right ingredients for a successful community pub.
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: Stroud Brewery
Rateable value in 1891: £14.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Stroud Brewery
Rateable value in 1903: £14.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Closing time in 1903: 11pm
Landlords at the Fountain Inn include:
1867 D.Escourt
1885 John Kemeys
1891 John William Loydell
1896,1903 Isaac Englishmann
1906 Edward Ball
1919,1939 Frank Mills
1972,1979 Harold and Sheila Bingle (retired after 18 years in the trade)
1979 (October) Trevor and Susan Lester
1983 (June) Eddie and Janet Whittard
1986 (July) Bernard & Judith Moore
2013 Des and Kathy Adams
2017 Jim Anderson and Claudia Kahler
