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westfield hotel

Stiby Road

 

The Westfield Hotel opened in January 1938 and was a purpose-built establishment catering for the large housing estates built in the inter-war period in the area of Coronation Avenue, Stiby Road and Westfield Road.

In its edition of 14 January 1938 the Western Gazette reported "An example of the modern hotel, completely up-to-date in its equipment, is provided by the Westfield Hotel, situated in one of Yeovil's most rapidly developing suburbs, which is being opened this week. A half-timbered, panelled front gives a picturesque touch to the hotel, and is in keeping with the West Country tradition. The opening of the hotel is a further indication of the enterprise of Messrs Eldridge, Pope & Co Ltd, the Dorchester Brewery, Dorchester. Their aim has been to erect a hotel worthy of the neighbourhood.

The exterior of the building is constructed to the first floor with London Phorpres rustic bricks, and above this level to the eaves it is constructed in solid oak half timber and stucco panels. The timbers are left in the natural shade of the oak. The roofs are steeply pitched, and covered with farmhouse brown tiles. The main entrance doors are in oak, and the windows are glazed with leaded lights. A good, concrete-paved car park is arranged to the main fronts.

Messes Petter, Warren & Roydon Cooper, FARIBA, "Old Sarum" Yeovil, were the architects, and Messrs Hillard Brothers, West Hendford, Yeovil, the contractors."

The first licensee, Herbert Hawkins, ran it for ten years followed by at least another ten year stint by licensee EA Phillips.

The following is from an article in the Yeovil Express & Star of 24 March 1994 -

 

Licensee just dumped keys with police

Licensee Paul Heath dumped his keys at a police station and walked out saying he wanted nothing more to do with the pub. And he has not been seen since, despite many attempts to contact him. "All efforts to contact him have been unsuccessful and what happened is now being investigated by the police", solicitor Robert Morgan-Jones told Yeovil magistrates on Tuesday. Mr Morgan-Jones represented Gary Cockerill, joint licensee of the Duke of York, Bristol, and his bar manageress Gillian McCrae in their successful application to take over the Westfield Hotel at Yeovil.

Explaining the background to the application, Mr Morgan-Jones said Mr Heath moved into the Westfield last December and was granted the license earlier this month. In the interim, representatives of the brewers, Eldridge Pope and Co, visited the public house on many occasions and were happy with the way it was being run. Mr Morgan-Jones went on "It was a shock when they learnt that Mr Heath had deposited the keys with the police. "When they went to the Westfield, they found that all the stock had been removed, gaming machines and windows had been smashed and the upstairs living accommodation was in an horrendous state."

Lynette Broughton, the brewery's Tenanted Trade Administrator, said Mr Heath's long term plans to improve the premises included landscaping the gardens. He was a desirable tenant and seemed to have every intention of making a go of the business. Mrs McCrae said she was familiar with the Westfield where she planned to ban cider in the hope of making it a community pub. Licensing Officer, PC Mike Shurmer, said there was a suggestion that Mr Heath's marriage had broken up. He added that CID officers were trying to trace Mr Heath to interview him about the missing stock and the damage.

 

 

The Westfield Hotel was demolished in September 1996 and flats, Raglan Terrace, was built on the site in 1998.

 

Yeovilians remember....

Thanks to Will Rich for the following - "Some memories of the Westfield Hotel. I lived in Westfield Avenue and in the fifties if I was ever sent on an errand in the dark to the Westfield Hotel off-license I was terrified of the big boys who used to sit on the low wall shown in the foreground of your 1996 photo. The off-license used to sell Miller's steak and kidney pies (very popular, even though full of gristly bits) and it stocked the Green 'Un on a Saturday night. We used to scrounge empties off people and take them up there for the 3d on the bottle. Aubrey Philips would eye them suspiciously and ask if the full bottles had been bought at the Westfield, which they often had not. We usually got our thruppences, however. The most embarrassing thing was having to ask for five Weight's cigarettes for my mother. She couldn't afford any more but they were always reluctant to split a ten pack for her."


 

 

gallery

 


From my collection

An advertisement placed by Eldridge Pope & Co Ltd noting their new hotel, the Westfield, in the Western Gazette edition of 21 January 1938.

 


Courtesy of Rodney Charles

A skittles team of the Westfield Hotel photographed around the 1950s (?)

 

The Westfield Hotel photographed about 1965. The photographer is standing in Stiby Road with Coronation Avenue running to the right of the photograph.

 

Many thanks to Alan Tower who sent me the above two photos from his mum's photo album - the album caption says it all. Although the photos are dated September 1971 Alan's mum noted that the event took place on 2nd April.

 


Courtesy of Chris Rendell

The Westfield Hotel photographed in 1989.

 


Courtesy of Vivien and John Cornelius

The Westfield Hotel - closed, bricked up and for sale. Photographed in 1991.

 


Courtesy of Vivien and John Cornelius

.... and seen from the side. Photographed in 1995.

 

The Westfield Hotel - closed, boarded up and awaiting demolition in 1996.

 

The demolition crew move in. Photographed in 1996.

 


Courtesy of Colin Haine

.... and immediately prior to demolition.

 


Courtesy of Colin Haine

Photographed during demolition in 1996.

 


Courtesy of Colin Haine

.... and seen from across the road.

 

Seen from the front, halfway through demolition. Photographed in 1996.

 

... and seen from the rear. Photographed in 1996.

 

... and seen from the side. Photographed in 1996.

 

The Westfield Hotel site photographed in 2009. Stiby Road runs to the left, Coronation Avenue to the right.

 

licensees

 

1935 – HH Hawkins (Kelly's 1935 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel, Westfield
1939 – Herbert Hawkins (Kelly’s 1939 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1947 – HH Hawkins (1947 Yeovil Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1949 – HH Hawkins (Kelly’s 1949 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1951 – EA Phillips (1951 Yeovil Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1954 – Edgar A Phillips (1954 Yeovil Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1957 – EA Phillips (1957 Yeovil Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel, 74 Stiby Road
1960 – EA Phillips (1960 Yeovil Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1964 – Edgar A Phillips (Foord's 1964 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel, 74 Stiby Road
1965 – Licensee not named (1965 Yeovil Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1968 – Licensee not named (Kelly’s 1968 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1969 – Licensee not named (Kelly’s 1969 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1970 – Licensee not named (Kelly’s 1970 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1971 – Licensee not named (Kelly’s 1971 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1972 – Licensee not named (Kelly’s 1972 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1973 – Licensee not named (Kelly’s 1973 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1974 – Norman Winzar (Kelly's 1974 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel, 74 Stiby Road
1987 – Licensee not named (Denton’s 1987 Directory) listed as Westfield Hotel
1994 – Paul Heath (Yeovil Express & Star article above)