Report - The Berkeley Vale Hotel - June 2012

[latentuk]

While driving home one day I only just noticed this building hiding behind some trees, so I turned back to have a look.It turns out it was the old
Berkeley Vale Hotel.Google does not bring up much information but I did find this from the RAIG website. It seems that it was last used as a pub rather
than as a hotel.

"The Berkeley Vale Hotel, on the east side of the A38 at Stone, is not mentioned in the 1891 and 1903 books of licensed houses in Gloucestershire.It was certainly trading as a hotel in the 1960’s but, according to the late Wilfred Merrett in his book ‘Pubs of the Old Stroud Brewery’, the Berkeley Vale Hotel was a Victorian coaching inn.

It became a gentleman’s rest home for a while but was later relicensed.The building was once heavily foliated with ivy or virginia creeper but the frontage is now devoid of vegetation.

The Berkeley Vale Inn closed in September 2002. A resident of Stone, Rosa Harper, told the ‘Citizen’ newspaper:

“I’ve lived in Stone for 25 years and know how important the pub is to everyone. It’s such a shame as it was the main meeting place forpeople in the village.â€

In 2006 a planning application was submitted to convert the building into two semi-detached houses, construct eight new homes and to ‘convert an existing outbuilding into a new but smaller pub and restaurant for the village.' Permission was granted."

In 2011 according to the Gloucestershire News -

"Plans have been put forward to turn a disused hotel site into a housing development.An application for planning permission has been submitted for 16 properties to be built on the former Berkeley Vale Hotel site in Stone.The application, put forward by Casa La Ro Ho Ltd, is for 11 houses of four or five bedrooms and five apartments of one or two bedrooms, to be for affordable social renting. There would also be a new access built and parking on site."

So far the only sign of development is a large open fronted wooden structure at the far end of the extensive garden.The inside is gradually rotting away aided by damp and the damage caused by several fires, one of which burnt up through to the next floor. Missing floorboards everywhere and holes right through.

Note to the Mods' - I understand if you wish to exclude this image.
This picture from its early years is on several websites and I borrowed it from one which stated that "it may be subject to copyright". So I'm guessing that coplright expired long ago and that the website in question were not claiming it as theirs.

Long before the A38 was widened - almost to the front door.

As it is now. The frontage and ground floor. Front and side entrances, function rooms and kitchens.

Up to the first floor. Tread very carefully.

Next, the attic.

Then down to the cellar.

At the back is an annex, outbuildings, and garage. The annex is almost lost among young trees, as is the whole of the main building.

Thanks for looking.

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