The Cheltenham Original Brewery were the owners of the Leckhampton Inn in 1891. It was a licensed ale house with an annual rateable value of £23.15s.0d. By the time of the following licensing returns twelve years later in 1903 the annual rateable value had increased by six pounds to £29.15s.0d.
Cheltenham Examiner, 27th November 1867 – notice of sale by auction by Engalls, Sanders & Co on Thursday 28th November at two for three o’clock precisely at Cheltenham Auction Mart –
Freehold property, for many years known as the Victoria Brewery, situate at the junction of the Tewkesbury Road and Sun Street, with necessary yards, stabling, malt and hop rooms. Offices and extensive cellarage.
With. The Leckhampton Inn. [note – also in the sale was the Malvern Inn, Endeavour Inn (Charlton Kings) and Pilgrim Inn]
Now in the occupation of Mr. J. Smith, is situate at the junction of the Painswick and Leckhampton Roads, in a very populous locality, full Licensed, and now doing a good business, containing Bar, Bar Parlour, Tap Room, and Sitting Room. Four good Bed Rooms, underground Kitchen, and capital Cellarage. The Outbuildings consist pf capital Skittle Alley, large Brew House, Stable and Coach House, with other Outbuildings. There is a large garden at the side, having a good frontage, and ample depth to the Painswick Road. Yard and Out Offices. The Gas is laid on, and there is a good supply of Water.
Information and research courtesy Alan Jones.
Friday, 12th January 1995 – Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts
Friday 9th February 1996 – Martin Carthy
Gloucestershire Echo, Saturday 8th March 1997 – Ghost sups pints in our local: Pub landlord Andy Hobbs gets shivers down his spine every time his latest pair of regulars walk in. Customers at the Leckhampton Inn in Shurdington Road, cheltenham, reckon they have been joined by a spook and his dog. The elderly gent sits in the bar on Sunday lunchtimes with the little mutt by his side.
Describing his first encounter with the ghostly pair, andy, 38, said: “I saw this old guy sitting at the bar with a dog. When I said ‘afternoon, what can I get you?’, he just blanked me. When I looked up, they’d gone. Andy reckons he’s seen the spook at least a dozen times since he took over the pub. “He comes in early on most Sunday lunchtimes. He sits there with his dog, like he’s having a pint.”
Now Andy thinks he may have a clue as to the ghost’s identity after a regular dropped in an old photograph of a man and a dog, which bore an uncanny resemblence. “it certainly looks similar,” he said. “He didn’t know who it was. If someone could tell us, we could trace them back and see if they had any links with the place.”
Gloucestershire Echo, 11th May 1998 – ‘Who’s afraid of the daleks? – They are: Derek the Dalek exterminated the opposition when he took to the pool table at the Leckhampton Inn. Doctor Who’s arch enemy from the cult BBC sci-fi series invaded the Cheltenham pub to help raise money for cerebral palsy charity Scope. But the dalek, who was named Derek by regulars, found the pub even more difficult to storm than the Doctor’s time travelling Tardis.
“We had to take his wheels off and take one of our doors off its hinges to get him in,” said barman Keith Hobbs. “When one of the regulars got inside it and wheeled the dustbin-shaped machine around the bar it was quite spooky. “We renamed Adam, our dog, K9 after the Doctor’s dog. He doesn’t like the dalek at all.”
Derek, who was loaned to the pub courtesy of the Doctor Who Society, was joined by actor Richard Franklin, who played Captain Mike Yates in the series.
Below: Keith (left), Derek the dalek and Andy Hobbs.
Image: Mike Williams
Image: Mike Williams
Gloucestershire Echo, 16th May 2001 – Inn could make way for homes: The Leckhampton Inn could be bulldozed and replaced with flats if developers get their way. Sited at the corner of Shurdington Road and Tryes Road, the old pub is not a listed building but it is in a conservation area. It closed two months ago and is now boarded up.
Touchwood Developments, of The Lanes, Leckhampton, has applied to Cheltenham Borough Council for permission to demolish the pub and build a three-storey block of nine flats on the site. Although the applicants were unavailable for comment, plans of the proposed development show a modern building with a sloping slate roof and a nine-space car park, with an access in Tryes Road.
Some neighbours are unhappy about the plans and think the building should be converted into flats rather than demolished. Patrick Travis, an architect who lives in Gratton Road, said: “It’s not a particularly fine building but the collective effect of all the older buildings makes the whole are attractive. Over the past three to four years I believe there has been a succession of applications to demolish perfectly serviceable old buildings and rebuild higher density developments on the sites.” Mr Travis said he understood the borough council was under pressure from government to build new housing but he felt they were not paying enough attention to protecting the town’s heritage and environment.
Chris and Rose Baynham, who live in Tryes Road, said they were worried about further development. Mr Baynham said: “We’re concerned about the increase in traffic and possible parking problems.” Mrs Baynham added she was also worried bout the impact the flats might have in the area. “It’s a nice quiet area at the moment with a lot of families. Who will live in those flats?”
The plans are expected to go before the borough council’s planning committee next month or in July.
Gloucestershire Echo, Saturday 25th May 2002 – Knocking down pub falls flat: Architects have been told to go back to the drawing board with plans to redevelop the Leckampton Inn site. Touchwood Developments withdrew an application to demolish the pub and the neighbourhing Dick Lovett garage after criticism from Cheltenham Borough Council planning officers. The council’s planning committee also deferred a second application to build three blocks of flats on the site. The Leckhampton-based firm wants to build 19 flats with a car park for 19 cars. Each of the two-storey blocks would have its own pedestrian access from Shurdington Road. The car park access would be off Tryes Road.
Officers ere unhappy with the designs, layout and proposed demolition of the pub. Though not listed, the pub stands within a conservation area, and council officers say it fits in well with neighbouring houses and shops. English Heritage, which has been consulted over the scheme, also raised doubts about the necessity of demolishing the pub, and objected to the design of the flats.
Cheltenham Civic Society members branded the development “ugly”. The pub closed in March last year and has stood empty and boarded up since then. In February fire crews spent 20 minutes bringing a fire there under control.
Gloucestershire Echo, 25th October 2004: Leckhampton Inn to be demolished:
Landlords at the Leckhampton Inn include:
1856 E. Cretchley
1870,1891 John Smith
1902,1906 Charles Thomas Arundell
1919 Charles Bernard Hawkins
1926,1939 Henry John Higgins
1997 Andy Hobbs