When the Kings Head closed it was feared that the residents of Norton would lose their pub forever. An application by New Dawn Homes for a small housing development on the pub car park caused concern that the viability of the Kings Head as a pub would make it unviable as a business and it would close. However, probably against expectations and after extensive renovations, the property developer re-opened the pub in August 2017 as the New Dawn Inn.
April 2007
Gloucestershire Echo, Wednesday 20th March 1991 – Planning application: Mr. D. Hill. The Kings Head Norton, Gloucester: ‘extension to existing public house to provide enlarged kitchen facilities’.
Gloucestershire Echo, 28th October 2005 – Friendly pub dishes up a feast fit for royalty (pub review by Joyce Matthews – edited): If you want a pub where you can take your parents, friends, or children, then the Kings Head won’t disappoint. Easily reached from Gloucester and Cheltenham, this cosy white cottage-style building is set back from the main road at Norton. Here owner Michael Dee has mixed traditional and modern to create a homely pub that suits everyone. For those that want to drink, real ales like Piddle in the Park, brewed locally at Wyre Piddle, satisfy most tastes.
On the food side, head chef Matthew Brown has come up with a treat of a menu. Everything is home-cooked using fresh produce and it shows. Michael said: “I want it to be the kind of place where people can relax and have a chat. Somewhere with good food at good value, where I would want to bring my wife, my friends or my parents.”
Gloucester Citizen, 1st August 2009 – Pub opens as landlord takes it on: A pub that regulars feared would close forever has re-opened. The Kings Head at Norton, near Tewkesbury, shut in February when the tenant landlord couldn’t afford to run it anymore. But now Enterprise Inns has found someone to take it on. Ross Warren is the new licensee, supported by members of the family. A spokeswoman for the pub said Mr Warren was away on a course but the family was delighted to be at the pub. She said: “It’s a wonderful place. The people that have been in here have been absolutely marvellous.” She added that the function room was not yet open because renovation work is ongoing.
Regular Mark Hatcher said: “We’re delighted to have the pub back open. We were concerned that they might develop the site.”
Gloucestershire Echo, Friday 25th August 2017 – A new dawn. Doors open on revamped pub (by Robin Jenkins): When the Kings Head at Norton closed four years ago, not many people thought it would ever open again. It had been opened and closed a number of times before and when estate agents advertised it as being a possible residential site, locals feared the worst. They felt sure that it would make way for housing on the A38 site, by the village that lies between Tewkesbury and Gloucester.
But Cheltenham-based developer New Dawn Homws has combined building eight houses on the site’s former car park and play area with revamping the pub. It has reopened this week, as the newly named New Dawn Inn, after the company spent £250,000 on refurbishing it. Angela Hughes, its director said: “There was such strong feeling in the village to reopen the pub that the villagers looked into buying it themselves, headed by parish councillor Steve Norgate. It soon became apparent how much time, work and money was needed to do the pub refurbishment justice so New Dawn were happy to step in and save it.”
She continued: “It is such a shame to lose a community asset which is so valued by everyone. Steve Norgate’s enthusiasm was infectious. We were excited to show the New Dawn Inn to the community last weekend, just prior to it being opened to the public.”
The refurbishment of what had been a dilapidated pub has taken two years. Angela said it was now a “very smart gastropub, specialising in good home cooked food, speciality coffees and sumptious desserts.”
Mr Norgate said: “When it closed, most people never thought it would open again as a pub. It seemed like the final coffin. But New Dawn Homes said they would open it again and they have been true to their word and we’re delighted that they have been.” He added that he felt any other developer would have closed the pub for good so it was lucky that New Dawn Homes had bought the site.
Tewkesbury borough councillors for Coombe Hill, Mark Williams and Dave Waters, formerly opened the pub by unveiling the original Kings Head sign that has been restored and installed in the “Kings Room”. There is a new bar, a kitchen viewing window, new toilets and a lounge area designed to make the most of the views of the countryside. The company said that despite the housing, there was a large car park and three outside seating areas.
It has appointed Martin and Sue Hand to run the pub.
Above: Inn Sign Society (courtesy Matthew Sproston, archivist)
Steve Maidment has done some extensive research on the Kings Head at Norton on behalf of the Norton & Leigh Historical Society. I am very grateful to Steve for giving me permission to share his detailed work on the Kings Head via the following link:
https://5d8c121799c58.site123.me/property/king-s-head-inn
Map Reference: SO 857241
Licensing Details:
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1891: Charles Betteridge Walker (free from brewery tie)
Rateable Value in 1903: £34.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: George N. Walker (free from brewery tie)
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Kings Head include:
1856 G. Simmons
1885 Alfred Simmons
1891,1903 Alfred Thomas Simmons
1919 Mrs Mary Elizabeth James
1927,1939 Ralph James
1966-1968 Russell (‘Blondie’) and Doreen Head (moved to the Fox and Elms, Tuffley)
1968,1987 Dave Hill
1998,2009 Michael Dee
2009 Ross Warren
2017 (August) Martin and Sue Hand (New Dawn Inn)