History - The 20th Century
At some stage the Blue Bell was acquired by Dix and Co., a local brewery based in Shelton, which owned 29 pubs. The moulded lettering of the Dix’s sign was revealed at the front of the pub when the modern cast-metal sign was removed a few years ago. Then in 1921 Dix’s were taken over by the well-known local Burslem brewery, Parker’s. The Colclough family continued to run the pub for many years, until the mid-1950’s.
During the 19th and early 20th century another pub existed in Hardingswood, the Junction Inn (so called because of its proximity to the canal junction), together with an adjoining boaters’ general store. The pub, which for some reason was known as “The Swinging Plank”, closed in about 1939, although the store continued to trade for some years after. A cottage also stood where the entrance to the car park is now situated, and in 1960 Ind Coope & Allsopp, who by this time had taken over Parker’s, bought it from the executors of the late Samuel Hancock. (The Junction Inn and shop had been run by members of the Hancock family). It may be at this time that the cottage was demolished to give easier access to the rear of the pub. Before the car park existed there were two bowling greens here, and it is believed that they were the first ones in North Staffordshire to have floodlighting, in 1959. Surprisingly, up until the 1960’s the Blue Bell had only a beer licence, but this was remedied when a full licence was granted on 2 September 1963.
The pub was put up for sale by its current owners, Allied Breweries, in 1979. It was bought by Graham and Eileen Smith who carried out a number of refurbishments and alterations, which resulted in the present layout of the building. There are still some older drinkers around who can remember how it used to be, with an open fireplace and small corner bar.
The pub was eventually sold to new owners and then was bought by the pub-owning arm of the Whitbread brewery, and it was they who put it up for sale again in early 1997. Having failed to find a buyer for the Blue Bell as a going concern, Whitbread closed it down, probably in about May of that year. Six months later, after prolonged negotiations with Whitbread and a last-minute rush to avoid the pub going to auction, the Blue Bell was bought by Dave & Kay Washbrook, who set about turning it into the true free-house that it is today.
