The former Riverside Hotel is on the western side of the High Street, at the northern end. It is a large building and the rear of the property backs onto the River Avon. For many years it was the private residence of the town clerk. It opened to the public in 1932 as an unlicensed residential hotel. The Moffat Hotel provided bed and breakfast for seven shillings and six pence (7/6) and full board for seventy three shillings. A ‘table licence’ was later applied for and the Moffat was eventually given a full licence. During the early 1960’s it changed its name to the Riverside Hotel and the owners converted it into a late night venue with dances, cabaret and other entertainment. However, the business failed and the Riverside Hotel was closed in January 1966. It reopened six years later in 1972 as a restaurant.

The Tippler, the newsletter for the Gloucestershire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, reported in July 1979 that the Riverside Hotel was serving William Youngers Draught No.3 Scotch Ale and McEwans 70/- Bitter – both rare beers for Gloucestershire at the time.

It changed its name from the Riverside Hotel to Montell’s in 1996. Scott Mansfield, a Canadian businessman, bought the property for £150,000 and converted the hotel to a nightclub.  During the building of an extension to the rear a World War II air raid shelter was discovered in the garden.  Montell’s is advertised as Tewkesbury’s premier nightclub. Scott caused a stir with local residents when he organised the first lap dancing events in Gloucestershire in 1999. An elderly neighbour told the local press: “I think it’s absolutely disgusting. What will they do next?” In September 2002 Scott opened a new Lizard Lounge in the club where four live Tokay geckos were displayed in a transparent glass unit in the middle of the nightclub. The RSPCA criticized Mr Mansfield for keeping the lizards in an environment that was likely to cause the animals stress. In September 2003 Montell’s was bought by  consortium including Bill Jepp, who once played guitar in the 1960’s/1970’s pop group Marmalade.

This page will be updated with additional information.

Map Reference: SO 894331

Landlords / Owners:

1962 Greville Edwards

1966 Leslie Green

1972 Mr Caldicutt

1973 E.C. & P.M. Clements (managers)

1998 John (Scott) Mansfield (Montell’s)

2004 (Aug), 2006 Daniel Boyall and Bill Jepp (manager, Montell’s )

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