The licensing records are a little vague, simply listing Mrs Lawrence at the Salisbury Arms in both 1891 and 1903. It was classified as an ale house and, throughout those years, the annual rateable value was set at £59.10s.0d. Mrs Lawrence ran the Salisbury as a free house.
The pub stands in a row of fine Regency architecture. It is named after William Salisbury – the man who first made the building a pub in 1847. The Salisbury was tied to Whitbread. In the 1990’s it changed its name to the Tut and Shive. This was an attempt by Whitbread to cash into the real ale revival. The pub was filled with strange items of junk and bygones. It certainly created atmosphere. However, the fad was shortlived and on April 28th 1998 the clutterless pub was relaunched as Hydes Bar. It has since reverted back to ‘The Salisbury’. Enterprise Inns gave a major refurbishment in 2002 and another cosmetic makeover in April 2003.
The premises is now an Italian restaurant – Come A Casa Ristorante.
Landlords at the Salisbury Arms include:
1859 William Salisbury
1870 J.W. Harper
1878 William Salisbury
1883,1891 James Connor
1902 Henry Ball
1903,1906 John Isaac
1919,1927 Harry Evenden
1939 Charles Napier Pearce
1982 Peter Haines
2003 Graham Walters
2003, 2005 Kirsty Wiseman
Hi Geoff,
As you say, William Salisbury opened The Salisbury Arms in 1847 at 2 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street – the building adjoining The Montpellier Wine Bar now which is home to the Taboui Terrace Restaurant. In early directories like the 1849 Annuaire and 1850 Edwards Directory though, it is listed under “Resifent Tradespeople” as “Salisbury W., Porter Vaults…2 Montpellier Street.”
In the 1852 Edwards Directory it is listed as “Salisbury W. Porter Store.” This in a street order listing which runs
“Montpellier Rotunda…west side
Davis, H. library
1 Davis, H. Chronicle and Looker-On Office
2 Salisbury, W. Porter Store”
It wasn’t until the 1856 Annuaire (in the directories I had access to) that I saw it listed as “Salisbury W., Salisbury Arms” (still under “Resident Tradespeople).
Then in the 1858 Annuaire it is under “Classified Tradespeople” and the listings therein for “Innkeepers.”
I think it remained the Salisbury Arms right through until the 1980s when Whitbread, the then owners, gave it a refurbishment and changed the name to The William Salisbury with the Salisbury Vaults downstairs. This was surely the last pub in Cheltenham to have at least partial gas lighting! I think because of the lighting and old furniture and artwork, it really suited the “Vaults” name, and that is all my friends and I ever called it, drinking in the “Vaults” quite regularly.
Then in the 1990s it changed name again – to the Tut & Shive, and they crammed it with strange items of bric-a-brac and bits of junk/paraphernalia from bygone times. I think this was part of Whitbread’s attempt to hook its wagon to the ‘real ale’ trend that had risen, with micro-breweries and beers became an ‘in thing’ and naming pubs after pairs of trade related things seemed to be the zeitgeist (e.g Pump & Optic, Tap & Spile etc). It certainly created an atmosphere, but I think we thought it was a bit OTT – a pub version of Mr. Summerfield’s antique shop, or something! Though you could still get a decent pint there.
In 1998 another refurb saw all the bric-a-brac gone and the venue reinvented as Hyde’s Bar. It was ok, but no longer had the appeal of the “Vaults” or even the Tut & Shive to myself and my drinking mates. Perhaps this was a more widespread feeling, because I believe it went back to being The Salisbury after a while, before becoming an Italian restaurant.. But later it was re-invented yet again – modernised and updated into the award-winning Soho Bar, which in 2018 was nominated for a Best Bar in Gloucestershire award.
However, in July 2023, following the Covid nightmares, it had changed yet again – this time into the Novo Club bar & restaurant – all pastel-coloured flowers – like an explosion in a drag-queen’s dressing room or something – beautiful, I’m sure, if that’s your taste.
As far as landlords and landladies:
1847, 1849, 1850, 1852 , 1856 and 1858 I found William Salisbury listed additional to the ones you already have listed.
Alan Jones
Here is a bit of additional (mainly early) stuff relating to the Salisbury Arms.
In the 1848 Edwards Directory under “Trades and Professions,” W. Salisbury is listed for 2 Montpellier Terrace, but under “Dairymen,” so maybe the pub was a new line of work or secondary income for him.
In the 1849 Annuaire though, under “Resident Tradespeople” the listing is for “Salisbury, W. Porter Vaults..2 Montpellier street.”
1850 Edwards Directory has an in order listing for “Montpellier Rotunda..West Side” which runs:
“Davis, H. Library
1. Davis, H. Chronicle and Looker-On office
2. Salisbury, W. Porter Store”
This shows that the building which would later become the Montpellier Wine Bar started off as a library and office where the Cheltenham Chronicle and Looker-On newspapers were printed. I know that the Looker-On was based there well into the 20th century.
1851 & 1852 Annuaires list “Salisbury W. Porter Vaults, 2 Montpellier street” and the 1852 Edwards has “Salisbury, W. Porter Store” listed under “Montpellier Street and Walk.”
1853 – 1855 Annuaires listings are the same as 1851 & 1852
1856 Annuaire is the first time I saw it listed under the pub name – under “Resident Tradesmen” for “Salisbury W., Salisbury Arms” – 1857 Annuaire the same
1858 Annuaire is the same listing details under “Resident Tradespeople,” listed under sub-heading “Innkeeper”
1859 – 1861 Annuaires as above
In the 1863 Annuaire though, W. Salisbury is listed for The Berkeley Arms in Albion Street, and T. Ashby is listed for the Salisbury Arms.
1868 Annuaire T. Ashby is still listed for the Salisbury Arms
1872-3 Royal Directory W. Salisbury is listed for 291 High street as a “beer seller” – the address would make this the Devonshire Brewery / Inn formerly the The Black Horse, Devonshire Street
J.W. Harper is listed for the Salisbury Arms Inn
1876 & 1878 Royal Directories William Salisbury is back at the Salisbury Arms Inn
1880-1 Post Office Directory Mr. J. Conner is listed for the Salisbury Arms Inn
1883-4 Post Office Directory still J. Conner listed for Salisbury Arms, 2 Rotunda Terrace
1884, 1888 & 1889 Annuaires J. Connor Salisbury Arms, Montpellier street
1891-2 Post Office Directory J. Connor Salisbury Arms, Rotunda terrace
1899, 1899 & 1900 Annuaires Mr. E. Griffin is listed for 2 Rotunda terrace, but no pub name is listed
1902 – 1904 Built-Leonard Directories list J. Isaac Salisbury Arms and 1905 Annuaire lists J. Isaacs at 2 Rotunda terrace again but with no pub name
1906 – 1910 Annuaires list Mr. G.H. Hews with no pub name
1911 Annuaire lists Mr. W. Edwards with no pub name, but the 1911 Built-Leonard lists A. Taylor Salisbury Arms
1912 Annuaire Mr. J. Sweet Salisbury Arms
Why no pub name in 1899 – 1910 Annuaires and a different landlord than the Built-Leonard but pub name listed again in the 1911 Annuaire I don’t know.
1913 – 1916 Looker-On Mr. H. Evenden Salisbury Arms
1922, 1924 & 1925 Built-Leonard still H. Evenden Salisbury Arms
1926 – 1933 Kelly’s H. Evenden Salisbury Arms (but actually marked P.H. for public house) – that is at least 20 years H. Evenden was landlord
1934 – 1941 Kelly’s Chas. Napier Pearce Salisbury Arms
1942, 1943 & 1945 Kelly’s Mrs. Ada Browell Salisbury Arms
1948 Kelly’s J.J. Morton Salisbury Arms
1950 & 1952 Kelly’s L.J. Morton Salisbury Arms
Hi Geoff,
If you look at the Know Your Place website at maps.bristol.gov.uk and look up the 1855-7 Old Town Survey map, you will see that directly behind the Salisbury Arms, which is clearly marked, there is another building of about the same size leading back to the service road (Royal Parade Mews) which you can access through the arch now beside the Indian Haveli restaurant. This building is marked “Brewery”, so the Salisbury Arms must have brewed its own beer.
Cheers,
Alan Jones