The Victoria was unquestionably the most prestigious hotel that was owned by Smith & Sons, Brimscombe Brewery. Henry Eddels, the proprietor in 1906, ran a public transport business from the hotel
On 22nd August 1985 the Victoria Hotel was renamed the King and Castle to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway. The new sign was unveiled by Mr Arthur Barnes, aged 74, who was a station master at Brimscombe at the time of the Great Western Railway. The specially commissioned King & Castle sign showed King Class No. 6000 King George V on one side side, and Castle Class Treganna Castle on the other. The Stroud – Swindon railway line runs in front of the pub. Kings and Castles were GWR locomotives and Castle class engines used to thunder past the Victoria Hotel pulling the famous Cheltenham Spa Express – the ‘Cheltenham Flyer.’ The larger King class engines were actually prohibited on the Stroud line, so the pub name was perhaps a little misleading.
The old Victoria Hotel is now a licensed Indian Restaurant called the Pavillion. It opened in July 2007.
Licensing Details:
Map Reference: SO 876022
Rateable Value 1891: £40.5s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1891: William Gwinnell – Free of brewery tie
Rateable Value 1903: £43.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Smith & Sons, Brimscombe Brewery
Closing time in 1903: 10 pm
Landlords at the Victoria Hotel / King & Castle include:
1885 William Gwinnell
1891 William Gwinnell
1902 Arthur Eddels
1903.1906 Henry Eddels
1919,1927 Mrs Julia Mutton
1939 Mrs G. Chambers
1997 Vivian and Jean Luker
1999 Ken and Lisa ?
2002 Stewart McInnes
2005,2006 Alan and Nola McKay
2007 Stephen Bridgman and Azadur Rahman (The Pavillion)
