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The Fairview Inn was situated on Fairview Road. Reputed to be the oldest pub in Cheltenham, it has now been demolished and replaced by housing.

Source: Dennis Stones

As an Art Student, at the then Gloucestershire College of Art and Design, Cheltenham, I frequented the Fairview Inn with a group of fellow students.This was around 1970-71. It was a cider pub, which meant that it was possible to get drunk very cheaply. We were only ever allowed into the Public Bar - we tried to go into the Lounge once, but the Landlord wouldn't have it. On Saturday nights the public bar was presided over by the very large presence of Gypsy George, who was very fat. He had a ritual of producing from his pocket a white bread roll, a piece of cheese and an onion, which he peeled with his penknife, to accompany the bread and cheese. We bought our cheese and onion rolls from the bar. Although not allowed into the lounge, where there was a piano, which could be heard tinkling, the Landlord didn't object to us occasionally bringing instruments to play: in my case harmonica and jew's harp. There was a dartboard, and I remember a sign in the entrance that said: "The pistol club - drink all night, pistol dawn" A few years ago I tried to find the Fairview, but it had gone

Dan Morgan (June 2015)

I too frequented the Fairview in the early 1970's - there was a "beer garden" next to the pub which was just a scruffy patch of grass surrounded by iron railings. The cider was local scrumpy - there was a row of barrels on chocks behind the bar - where the cider had dripped onto the flagstones it had eaten away the stone. You could bring a jug and buy a jug of cider to take away. The cheapest scrumpy was thick and greenish, it was a cheap intoxicant - but the effects last a lifetime and to this day I cannot face drinking cider of any kind! It was a favourite haunt of gypsies, hippies and impoverished alcoholics - I was one of the hippies and have very fond memories of summer afternoons and evenings sitting in the "garden" drinking scrumpy with friends.

K. Lane (August 2017)

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