The Weighbridge Inn is in an isolated position on the Nailsworth to Avening Road. It is less than a mile to the east of Nailsworth. However, it is listed in the parish of Minchinhampton. (The village of Minchinhampton is one mile to the north of the Weighbridge Inn)
The owner of the Weighbridge Inn in 1891 & 1903 was landowner Arthur Twisden Playne. He also owned Longfords Mill and the Old Lodge on Minchinhampton Common in 1891. George Playne had a brewery at Forwood in Minchinhampton, which was sold to the Stroud Brewery in 1897. The families must have been related to each other.
The Weighbridge stands next to the original packhorse trail to Bristol. There was a weighbridge next to the pub and, in the 1880’s, the landlord ran both the public weighbridge and the inn. The nearby Longfords Mill was a woollen mill.
Citizen, Friday December 30th 1988 – Pub pair to keep recipe: Hoteliers Richard and Janine Kulesza have taken over the two-in-one pie pub on the road between Nailsworth and Avening. They have bought the Weighbridge Inn in Longford – popular for its steak and mushroom pie with cauliflower cheese in one dish.
“The recipe was created by a previous owner years ago and we plan to carry on the tradition,” said Mr. Kulesza.” For five years the couple, both 39, were joint managers of the Bear Hotel, Rodborough Common, until taking over a hotel in Sussex. “We moved back to Gloucestershire because it is a lovely part of the country, and we also wanted to work for ourselves,” said Mr. Kulesza. He has been in the hotel trade for 20 years and at one time was regional catering manager for a big chain.
‘Two-in-one’ pies are topped with pastry and are half filled with cauliflower cheese and half with a choice of various meat, fish or vegetarian options. It was claimed in 2007 that the Weighbridge was selling nearly 1,000 pies a week!
https://www.weighbridgeinn.co.uk
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: Arthur Twisden Playne (free from brewery tie)
Rateable value in 1891: £12.15s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Arthur Twisden Playne (leased Stroud Brewery)
Rateable value in 1903: £12.15s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Weighbridge Inn include:
1850 George Browne
1861,1870 Sarah Brown (widowed in 1861 census entry, aged 66)
1891 Edward Gage
1901,1902 Charles Nash
1903 Joshua Shelton
1906 Henry Norton
1919,1927 Frederick Godfrey
1939 Alfred William Hayes
1984 Gerry and Dawn Reece
1988 Richard and Janine Kulesza
1999-2004 Simon and Jane Hudson
2005,2007 Howard Parker (owner)
