White's Tavern is located within Belfast City Centre, comprising an irregularly shaped plot measuring approximately 0.09 hectares. The site spans multiple addresses, specifically Nos. 14–18 High Street and 2–4 Winecellar Entry, forming a corner block enclosed by the pedestrian alleyway of Winecellar Entry and fronting the vehicular corridor of High Street. The property is positioned between Lombard Street to the west and Bridge Street to the east.

The building consists of a 2–4 storey structure known historically as Washington House. It includes:

• A 4-storey frontage on High Street

• A 3-storey frontage on Winecellar Entry

• A 2-storey infill building connecting the above

The ground floor is occupied by the long-established White’s Tavern complex, which includes White’s Tavern, White’s Beerhall, White’s Store, and White’s Garden. The upper floors, previously used as office space (Use Class B1a), are currently vacant.

Current Use of the Site

The ground floor of the premises is actively used as a licensed public house complex comprising:

• White’s Tavern

• White’s Beerhall

• White’s Store

• White’s Garden (external courtyard bar)

These uses are supported by planning consents (refs: LA04/2022/0736/F and LA04/2020/1245/F) that permitted the extension and reconfiguration of the licensed premises. The upper floors are currently vacant and were last used as office accommodation.

Historical Background

White’s Tavern is among the most historically significant public houses in Belfast. According to local tradition, a tavern was first licensed on the site in 1630, although the present structure is largely attributed to Valentine Jones, a wine merchant who rebuilt the site around 1790. By the mid-19th century, the premises were operated by Neil & White as a wine and spirit warehouse, with parts of the building used as “The Oyster Rooms” by fishmonger John Walker.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the premises transitioned from wholesale operations to a public house. In 1962, the building was formally renamed White’s Tavern. Subsequent decades saw restorations in the 1980s and ownership by Beannchor and the Merchant Hotel Group. In 2019, Clover Group acquired the site and carried out a major refurbishment, which included restoring the original bar counter height and introducing new venues:

• The Oyster Room (first floor restaurant)

• White’s Garden (outdoor venue opened in 2020)

• White’s Beer Hall (opened in 2022)

• White’s Store, the first Guinness-only bar in Ireland (opened in 2023)

The site is also linked to local folklore and revolutionary history. It is reputed that Henry Joy McCracken, leader of the United Irishmen, paused at White’s before his execution in 1798. The tavern has since been dubbed Belfast’s “Last Chance Saloon”. Despite damage during the Belfast Blitz and The Troubles, the building has survived and maintained much of its historic character.

Future Development Proposals

In May 2025, Clover Pubs NI No.3 Ltd submitted a planning application (LA04/2025/0770/F) proposing to convert the vacant upper floors into a 36-bedroom boutique hotel. Key elements of the proposal include:

• Change of use from office (Class B1a) to hotel accommodation

• Internal reconfiguration of ground floor spaces to accommodate a new hotel reception and lift access

• New external shopfronts to High Street and Winecellar Entry

• Mansard roof extension with dormers to replace an unsympathetic upper-storey addition

• Discrete rooftop plant equipment, screened from public view

The gross internal floor area will increase from approximately 1,980 sqm to 2,347 sqm, with hotel use becoming the dominant function above the retained bar and restaurant venues.