The Railway Hotel opened on 1st September 1845. An old advertisement reads: “Railway Commercial Hotel, Russell Street, Stroud. Opposite the Great Western Railway satation. The best draught beers and stout in the district. Bass’ Bitter and Guinness Stout in bottles.”



Gloucester Journal: February 1890 – On Thursday evening, Mr. A.W. Beale of Gloucester, sold by auction four freehold cottages with gardens, at Stonehouse. The sale was held at the Railway Hotel, Stroud. There was a good company present, and after a fair amount of competition, the property was sold to Mr. Frederick Smith of Ebley, for £510.



Stroud Licensee Moving: 4th August 1977 – Dursley licensee Mr Jack Hale, landlord of the Kingshill Inn, for the last eleven years, is to retire later this month. His place will be taken by Stroud Licensee John Davis and his wife Betty, who have managed the Railway Hotel in Russell Street for just over a year.


The Citizen, Saturday October 25th 1980 – Licensee Hurt in Charity Leap: Stroud licensee Mike Hewitt was hurt yesterday as he landed awkwardly after a 2,500 feet charity parachute jump. Mr Hewitt (26), landlord of the town centre Railway Inn, suffered back and neck injuries when he landed on the tarmac runway after his leap at Shobden Airfield, near Hereford. He was detained in Herefordshire General Hospital, where a spokesman today said his condition was ‘satisfactory’.

Mr Hewitt, who became Stroud’s youngest licensee when he and his wife Tina (23) took over their pub in Russell Street earlier this year, was expected to be discharged from the hospital later today. His leap, to boost the Cheltenham Cobalt Unit ‘Crack Down on Cancer’ campaign, raised around £200 from sponsors, who promised over £1,000 altogether for the “Dirty Dozen” from Stroud who planned to make the drop.

The charity jumps, first planned for Wednesday, were put off until Thursday and then cancelled again because of high winds that day. Eventually, only four of the dozen made jumps yesterday. Two men landed safely on the grass, but one of the girls involved in the jump so far – Sarah Russell of Uplands House – became tangled in trees.


Friday 16th July 1982 – Meeting: Folk music enthusiasts might like to make a note in their diaries of the Great Western Railway Folk Club’s meeting on Sunday. The club, which meets in the Railway Hotel, Station Road (sic), Stroud every Sunday at 8.00pm, alternates between a singers’ night one week and a guest night the next.


The Citizen: 7th November 1984: Couple Call Time – Popular Stroud licensees Mike and Tina Hewitt have blown the whistle on pub life. The couple, who were Stroud’s youngest landlord and landlady when they took over the Railway Inn four and a half years ago, have now opted for a new station in life. They have moved with their son Scott, aged just 18 months, to the Daisybank, near the town centre and have raised their glasses to a new business venture – two quality chain store seconds clothing shops.


August 1985


The pub was renamed Shunters in the mid 1980’s. CAMRA described it as a ‘spacious town centre pub with L-shaped bar. Busy at weekends. Pool table.’ The 1996 Real Ale in Gloucestershire publication also listed it as serving Boddingtons Bitter, Fullers London Pride and Whitbread Flowers Original.


Stroud News & Journal, 10th December 1997 – Mass Brawl: Over 20 people were involved in a fight at the Shunters pub, Russell Street, in Stroud, on Saturday night. The scuffle spilled out onto the street, and 12 police officers attended at 9.30pm. Two men were taken to hospital and were released later that night. One police officer sustained minor injuries to his face. A pair of local men aged 29 and 32 have been arrested for assault.


Stroud News & Journal, 18th June 2003 – Woman accused of assault. A woman appeared in court on Tuesday accused of wounding another woman with a bottle in Shunters pub in Stroud. The Prosecutor said: “There may be issues of self defence. We are in discussions about that.”


Stroud News & Journal, 20th April 2005 – Plans for bistro fail: Plans to build 13 flats and a new wine bar and bistro on a former pub site in Stroud have been given a thumbs-down by civic leaders. Developers want to demolish most of the Shunters pub in Russell Street and put up new buildings to house the flats and bistro.

But at a meeting, on Monday night, Stroud Town Councillors objected to the proposals, as developers had not offered any cash towards education or nearby play facilities. And they also said they wanted to see a more mixed use for the site, possibly with some of the flats being used for small businesses. “There is a general agreement in principle to putting some housing in there,” said Cllr Andy Read, chairman of the planning applications committee. “But we object because there is no contribution for education or play facilities. This must be secured.”

Members voted their support for more housing in the town. Councillors were also worried that lorries delivering to the bistro could block the road and hamper plans for the proposed bus / rail interchange at Stroud Railway Station. Cllr. Chas Townley said: “We shall be pushing for what is good for Stroud – not what is good for developers.”


An application was submitted to Stroud District Council for change of use in May 2005. The plans involved demolishing most of the ex Railway Hotel and replacing it with flats and a bistro.


The Citizen, Saturday December 30th 2006 – Dining’s Polished up with eatery: The flavours of Italy and Poland have come to Stroud, thanks to a successful new restaurant in town. Since opening its doors four weeks ago, Casa Moja – meaning ‘my house’ – in Russell Street, has been inundated with bookings from food fans eager to try out its dishes. Magdalena Fiutko, with her partner Benjamin Ford, set up in the former Shunters pub.


Stroud News & Journal, 4th July 2018 – Revamp: A much-loved restaurant in the heart of Stroud is closing for nearly a month as it is being refurbished and expanded. This comes as part of a fresh new look for Sorrento Restaurante & Pizzeria which temporarily closed on Sunday. The cosy Italian diner located in Russell Street is due to re-open on July 18th and promises to return in style. In addition, the team at Sorrento are celebrating 10 years in business.



Licensing Details:

Owner in 1891: Edmund Edwards (leased Stroud Brewery)

Rateable value in 1891: £75.0s.0d.

Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse

Owner in 1903: Stroud Brewery

Rateable value in 1903: £136.0s.0d.

Type of licence in 1903:  Alehouse

Closing time in 1903: 11pm


Landlords at the Railway Hotel include:

1852 John Flight (pub keeper. The Railway Inn, Russell Street).

1885 Edmund Edwards

1891 William Basil Smith

1903,1906 Charles Angell

1919,1927 George William Allen

1939 Stanley Harris

1977 John and Betty Davis

1980 Mike and Tina Hewitt (started at the Railway Hotel July 1980, left November 1984)

1986 Andrew Harwood (Shunters)

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