The front elevation of the pub has changed little in 400 years but the pub has been constantly enlarged and altered over the years and now includes a 100 seat restaurant. At the time of writing (March 2024) the Fox Inn is up for sale with doubts over its future as a licensed premises.
The 1891/1903 petty sessional records give the owner and brewer as Cook. I am assuming that this is Messrs Cook of the Tetbury Brewery.
The Gazette, 17th April 1998 – Football dinner: Hawkesbury Football Club, which celebrates its centenary this year, will be holding a dinner at The Fox on Saturday 1st August. Former players will be welcome.
The Gazette, 25th June 1999 – Pubs in raiding spree: A gang burgled a pub and two hotels within a mile of each other on the same night. In the early hours of last Thursday morning The Fox Inn at Hawkesbury Upton and the Petty France Hotel and Bodkin House Hotel, both on the A46 near Badminton, were raided. It is believed that the gang struck at The Fox Inn between 2-6am, forcing their way through a window and making off with large sums of money from games machines and a wallet containing cash and cards.
The Gazette, 1st September 2000 – Fox Inn is a real family pub! (advertisement): Running The Fox Inn at Hawkesbury Upton is a family affair for the McPhersons. Jenny and Steve McPherson run the pub with their daughter Nicky, and her partner, Robert Dobson. They look over the High Street leased house two-and-a-half years ago. It serves three cask ales, two of which are Smiles and Tetleys, and the third is a guest beer changed every week. Other beers include Flowers and Stella, while there are two ciders.
The pub offers food seven days a week, lunchtimes and evenings. Miss McPherson said the food had a foreign feel. “We serve anything from Italian to Indian – a really good mix,” she said. She described The Fox Inn as both a food pub and a beer pub. The premises are popular with locals and visitors alike. Miss McPherson said the locals’ following was made stronger by the fact the pub has one of the longest skittle alleys in the area. The inn is home to ten summer skittles teams and seven teams in the winter. “We do feel part of the community,” Miss McPherson said.
The fronr of the pub building dates back more than 400 years. There have been several extensions to the pub since, including a 100-seater restaurant. The pub is a delight for children as it has a huge garden with a wooden play area.
The Fox is the first licensed house the McPhersons have run, and they are thoroughly enjoyng it. Miss McPherson laughed: “We are a close family but we have two separate acommodations so that helps!” And the secret of running a sucessful pub? “Listening to your customers and givng them what they want,” she said.
The Gazette, 2nd February 2001 – Beaufort Hunt: An anti-hunt demonstration planned to disrupt the Beaufort Hunt’s meeting at Hawkesbury Upton on Wednesday, failed to materialise. Around 70 members of the hunt, including children, met unhindered at The Fox pub in the cillage for the start of the hunt, but there were no signs of any protesters – just hunt supporters watching the riders prepare themselves.
Dursley Gazette, 25th April 2019 – Knifeman jailed: A man who carried a large knife into a pub in Hawkesbury Upton, before later assaulting police officers at another address has been jailed for nine months. The man, 46, of Hawkesbury Upton entered the Fox Inn pub on 17th March. A struggle broke out in the bathroom of the pub before he was removed from the premises. Police were called after he was removed from the pub and he was then arrested at another address in the village.
Hawkesbury Parish Council, Wednesday 14th June 2023 – Drop ‘inn’ meeting: The Parish Council is looking into the potential to register The Fox Inn on Hawkesbury Upton High Street as a ‘community asset’ – defined here as a building where its main use has recently or is presently used to further the social well-being or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future.
We would like to get parish residents’ input at an early stage with your ideas, options, challenges, etc. There will be a ‘drop inn’ session on Saturday 15th July 10am-12noon at the Village Hall.
Hawkesbury Parish Council, 20th July 2023 – Future of The Fox Inn: Thank you to everyone who attended the ‘Drop Inn’ on Saturday 15th July. Around 45 people attended. Prior to the meeting the Parish Council received notification thar their application for a community right to bid for the Fox Pub had been rejected which was disappointing news. An email from Stonegate was received informing us that they would be instructing agents to market the Freehold.
The majority of the suggestions made was to see a cafe/restaurant/bistro and Bed and Breakfast facilities. Other suggestions included acommunity hub/small business/remain as a pub/workshop.
In the Spring of 2024 Matthew Phillips Surveyors were marketing the pub which had been put up for sale with an asking price in excess of £499,950. The estate agents sale particulars said: ‘The Fox comprises an original two storey stone and slate building set back behind an attracive shale beer patio fronting the High Street and to the side and rear there are two storey rendered extensions of more modern design with pan tiled roofs. The pub includes a surfaced car park for six cars alongside with a driveway leading to the rear car park providing another eight car park spaces. The property benefits from a large beer garden to the rear.’
Tenure: The property is held freehold and will be made available with the benefit of a vacant possesion. The property has been listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). A qualifying group have triggered the full moratorium, which ends at the close of business on 30th July 2024. During the full moratorium, the property can only be sold (which, for the avoidance of doubt, includes contracts for sale of the property) for continued use as a public house. Once the full moratorium has expired, the property can be sold to any third party for any proposed use (STP).
Map reference: ST 779869
Owner in 1891: Messrs. Cook, Tetbury Brewery
Rateable value in 1891: £14.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Messrs. Cook, Tetbury Brewery
Rateable value in 1903: £14.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Fox Inn include:
1856 S. Watts
1885,1891 Mrs Elizabeth Richings
1902,1919 Samuel Richings
1927 Edwin Martin
1939 John Hiscock
1998 Jenny and Steve McPherson, Robert and Nicola (Nicky) Dobson
2001,2002 Steve and Claire Mahoney
2004,2005 Victoria (Vikki) Katte Robertson
2006 – 2009 Colin Stainer and Ann Arney (August 2006 to November 2009)
