The Twelve Bells, a historic pub located on the outskirts of Gloucester, has narrowly avoided closure following a confirmed takeover by Queensway Hospitality Group. This move ends uncertainty after the parent company Whitbread announced the shutdown of all 106 Beefeater outlets earlier this month as part of widespread closures affecting several of its restaurant brands.
The Twelve Bells has a remarkable heritage, dating back to the early 16th century. Situated at the foot of Crickley and Birdlip hills, the pub-originally called the Three Bells-was renamed in the 1700s following a significant 12-bell peal from Cirencester Church. This connection is commemorated on the pub’s sign, which depicts the church itself.
Throughout its long history, the venue has been a continuous inn and a provider of food, including hosting a bakery in the 1890s run by George Hawkins. Extensive refurbishments in the mid-1960s modernised the premises significantly, including the addition of a smoker room and an expanded kitchen, adapting the establishment to changing customer needs.
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Despite its rich history, the Twelve Bells faced closure in 2026 when Whitbread announced its strategy to close off its restaurant chains to concentrate on Premier Inn’s in-house dining and hotel expansion.
However, hope for the pub’s future emerged in August, with Queensway Hospitality Group stepping in to acquire 53 of the affected Whitbread sites, including the Twelve Bells. Since then, the pub has rebranded online, updating its Google listing and launching a new website under the Queensway Inns banner.
A statement on the Twelve Bells’ new Facebook page said on 9 September: “We’re delighted to announce that The Twelve Bells is now under new ownership and is open and trading as a new hospitality business. We’re looking forward to bringing a fresh approach, a warm welcome and a great hospitality experience to the local community, while building on the character and history that makes The Twelve Bells such a special place. We’d love to welcome both familiar faces and new customers as we begin this exciting new chapter.”
Not all local establishments had a similar reprieve. The Longford Inn Beefeater at Gloucester’s Premier Inn and other sites such as the Whittle Inn in Brockworth and The Old Nelson in Stroud have been shut down, with the latter two marked as permanently closed. Nonetheless, there is potential for The Old Nelson to reopen under Queensway, according to local sources.
The Twelve Bells now looks set to continue its proud tradition of serving both food and drink to locals and visitors, ensuring its place as a cherished community venue well into the future.