Prestbury is fortunate to still have two superb traditional pubs. The Royal Oak is a 16th century stone built pub with two bars. The Royal Oak is everything that a village pub should be. It does not have a thatched roof like the Plough Inn but the Royal Oak is still a classic.
The annual rateable value in 1891 and 1903 is of interest as it was set at just £5.0s.0d., probably the cheapest value of any pub in Gloucestershire. (10 p.m. closing). It was leased to Flowers & Sons of Stratford on Avon but, unusually, in 1903 it was owned by the Stroud Brewery – perhaps Flowers and Stroud Brewery ales were both available.
On March 20th 1975 Tom Graveney, ex England, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire cricketer, became landlord of the Royal Oak. The pub has a £150,000 refurbishment in 2007; the improvements being a new skittle alley, state of the art conference facilities and a landscaped garden with a patio and decking area. The refurbished garden featured in the 2007 film ‘Outlaw’ starring Sean Bean.
In 2007 a special beer was brewed by using water from the Noverton Spring – probably the first Prestbury brewed beer to be sold in a pub since home made beer was available at the Kings Arms and the Grotto in 1856.
The Royal Oak is now owned by Butcombe Brewery (Liberation Group)
The Royal Oak is the closest pub to Cheltenham Racecourse and gets very busy during the Spring National Hunt Festival.
This page will be updated with more information.
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: Jane Kitchen (leased Flowers & Sons, Stratford on Avon)
Rateable value in 1891: £5.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Beerhouse
Owner in 1903: Stroud Brewery Co. (leased Flowers & Sons, Stratford on Avon)
Rateable value in 1903: £5.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Beerhouse
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Royal Oak include:
1849 Thomas Turfrey
1891 Edward James Griffin
1902 Alfred Ockwell
1903 Albert Ockwell
1906 Arthur Waring
1919 Robert Edward Prince
1926,1927 Oscar Green (Oscar A. Green in 1927)
1939 Percy Ernest Hill
1954-1975 Les and Beryl Hicks
1975,1978 Tom Graveney
1992 – 1995 Ed Biscoe
1995 (Sept 11th) – Julian Bingham and Diane Jones
2000, 2008 Simon and Kate Daws
