A once popular pub has reopened ten years after it closed.
Whitefriars Olde Alehouse reopened to the public on Friday (28 August). It is welcome news amid a difficult time for the city’s drinking establishments – in recent weeks the announcement of the closure of multiple city centre pubs has rocked the pub scene.
The listed building on Gosford Street is one of the city’s medieval buildings dating back to the 1300s. From the 1990s up until 2016 it was a popular pub known for its real ale, low door frames and slanted floors – it was also popular for its regular live music offerings.
READ MORE: Coventry’s now beloved Peeping Tom clock once described as an ‘ugly monstrosity’
READ MORE : The Coventry restaurant named West Midlands’ best in Uber E
The building was purchased by a Coventry couple who ran a successful city Chinese restaurant called Jumbo. In 2019 they had plans to restore the building and reopen it as a restaurant – however, this never materialised. In 2024, fresh plans were submitted to transform the garden, keeping an element of the pub going when reopened.
This iteration of the applications finally appears to have taken shape, with signs on the building’s exterior indicating the building will double as a traditional pub that also sells Chinese food – a rare but surely winning combination I’m sure most would agree.
Whitefriars Olde Alehouse has opened after ten years of being closed(Image: Coventry Live)
We have approached the owners for more information.
A statement on the pub’s Facebook page on Saturday read: “A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported us for our opening – it was wonderful to see the Whitefriars Olde Alehouse come back to life!”
Though the building dates from the 14th century, it has had different uses over the years. For well over a century until 1987 it was known as a butchers – the first planning application to turn it into a pub didn’t land until 1988 and it opened as one in the following years.
Want to keep up with the latest What’s On news in Coventry and Warwickshire for all the news on upcoming events, restaurant openings, family attractions and more? Sign up to our free email newsletter here .
