The Greyhound Inn opened in 1985. It was the second pub in Gloucester to have been built by Banks’s Brewery (Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries). In common with the Basketmakers in Quedgeley, it used recycled bricks from the old Gloucester Infirmary in Southgate Street in its construction.
The Citizen, Tuesday 26th July 1983 – 50th Anniversary of Gloucester & Cheltenham Greyhounds Ltd. (Advertisement): Greyhound racing began at Longlevens in July 1933 and has continued on the same site until the present day. To celebrate this Golden Jubilee, there will be a special 12 race meeting on Saturday at 6.45 pm.
Harold Richards, general manager of G&C Greyhounds said: “Our late chairman, Jack Edge, who was also Mayor of Gloucester twice, left his majority shareholding to a local charity who, after a decent interval, disposed of them to a property developer. The present developers have very kindly allowed us to stay at Longlevens until at least July 1984 and with a little bit of luck we may be able to continue to race for another 50 years on a new site.”
Gloucester Citizen, 17th October 1983 – End of City Dog Racing: Greyhound racing in Gloucester will come to an end on Saturday after 50 years. The date of the last race meeting at the stadium in Cheltenham Road was confirmed today by Mr Harold Richards, general manager of Gloucester and Cheltenham Greyhounds Ltd. The end of greyhound racing follows sustained but unfruitful efforts to find a new home for the sport in Gloucester.
Builders Westbury have already been granted outline planning permission to develop the site for housing and currently have an application before the City Council for a housing estate, pub and new junction with Cheltenham Road at the Nine Elms Road intersection.
Gloucester Citizen, Thursday 8th August 1984 – Pub plans branded appalling: Councillors threw up their hands in horror at plans for a pub on the former Greyhound Stadium site in Longlevens. The pub was compared to a circus, a 19th century school and “something at the end of Blackpool pier.”
“It would be a blot on the landscape,” said Coun. Hugh Goodwin (Con., Longlevens). “It’s an appalling design to put in the middle of that development.” Councillor David Cosstick (Lab., Barton) said: “That really does aestherically offend me, especially when you consider the modern type of Westbury house that is being built around the corner.” Councillor Mike Welsh (Lib., Linden) said he would never drink there if the pub was allowed and Coun. Freda Wilton (Con., Westgate) said it was appalling.
Planning officer Keith Beaumont admitted: “We all took in a deep intake of breath when we saw the plan.”
But after consideration it was very difficult to criticise the pub plan from a design point of view. The City Planning Sub Committee eventually decided to ask the arcitects for a scale model of the planned pub, proposed by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, and deferred a decision.
Gloucester Citizen, 5th September 1984: Pub approved – just: Longlevens is to have a new pub, thanks to the chairman of the City Planning Committee, Councillor Norman Partridge. When it came to a vote at last night’s meeting on the controversial design of the pub proposed for the former greyhound stadium site, councillors were divided 5-5. But Coun. Partridge had no hesitation in casting his vote in favour of the proposal by arhitects Hickton Madeley and Partners on behalf of Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries PLC.
City Planning Officer Mr Ian Stuart said that the building stood in its own grounds and therefore did not necessarily have to fit in with its surroundings. “Having said that, I think it is a dreadful building, very gimmicky, with a curious mixture of Victorian pediments and other styles mixed together. In 15 years time they will be wanting to alter this building to keep up with the times,” he warned.
The refurbished Greyhound, under the Marston’s name, opened on September 17th 2007.
Landlords:
1986,1988 Des and Edith Plant
1991 Steve and Caroline Turley
2000,2002 Steven Tait (manager)
2014 Denis and Rachel Gosling