Originally 311 High Street and renumbered 308 the Red Lion Inn was a few yards west of the Ambrose Street junction on the south side. The Red Lion closed in 1906 and the building was subsequently used as house furnishers (Lane & Williams in 1926), a motor garage (Cheltenham Motors in 1955) and in recent years it has been an oriental foodstore. There is nothing visible to indicate that it was once a public house. Directly opposite is the Frog and Fiddle public house in the old premises of T.W. Harvey & Sons Ironmongers and Builders Merchants (latterly Apollo 2000).

Ambrose Street to the left, High Street to the right.

Occasionally the owners of a public house are something of a surprise. The Red Lion in Cheltenham’s Lower High Street is a good example as in both 1891 and 1903 it was owned by the trustees of the Baptist Chapel. The Cheltenham Original Brewery took out the lease of the premises which was licensed as an ale house. The annual rateable value in 1891 was £29.15s.0d. which increased by four pounds and five shillings to £34.0s.0d. in 1903.


Proceedings were taken against Charles Henry Newth, landlord of the Red Lion Inn, High Street, Cheltenham for keeping his licensed premises open outside permitted hours on 13th December 1894. Fined £5.


Landlords at the Red Lion include:

1830 John Beaven

1844 Thomas Hooper

1856 Mrs A. Hallewell

1859,1885 Mrs Charlotte Hallewell

1891 Joseph Hallewell

1894 Charles Henry Newth

1903 John Gibbins

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