The Whitesmiths Arms

The Whitesmiths Arms is a historic public house on Standishgate in central Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Its building is believed to date from the late seventeenth century and is regarded as the oldest surviving burgage-plot building in Wigan, as well as one of the oldest surviving properties in the town centre. Although the present pub identity is not documented as far back as the building itself, the premises have a long association with licensed hospitality and were shown as a public house on early twentieth-century Ordnance Survey maps. The property is architecturally significant as a surviving example of an early town-centre building that has been repeatedly altered and extended. It is constructed principally from handmade brick, with scored render to the front and left elevations, a slate roof, chimney stacks and rear additions. The two-and-a-half-storey frontage includes first-floor windows and attic gables, while the ground-floor arrangement reflects later commercial adaptation. The interior retains important historic features, including a dog-leg staircase thought to date from around 1700, an early wattle-and-daub partition, and an Art Nouveau bar with mosaic decoration that was originally installed in Glasgow. An upper-cruck roof truss and historic roof timbers also survive in the attic. The building entered formal heritage protection during a period of growing recognition of Wigan's historic townscape. It was included in the Dicconson conservation area when that area was designated in 1982. On 11 July 1983, it was added to the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II listed building. The listing protects the building's special architectural and historic interest, while subsequent commercial changes have required planning and listed-building approvals. For several years, the premises operated as Casa Carlos, a Spanish tapas restaurant, rather than under the Whitesmiths Arms name. Casa Carlos later moved to new premises on Hallgate in 2019. In 2022 and 2023, proposals were considered to convert the upper-floor flats into five self-contained studio units while retaining a restaurant use on the ground floor. Those proposals were approved by Wigan Council in January 2023. A further listed-building application in February 2024 proposed internal refurbishment, improvements to the dining and bar areas, and changes to the outdoor spaces and lighting. Approval was granted in June 2024. Following the works, the building returned to pub use and reopened as the Whitesmiths Arms later that month. Its current positioning is therefore that of a locally oriented historic pub and hospitality venue, combining drinks, food and social use with a building whose heritage value is central to its identity. There is no reliable public information in the supplied sources identifying a corporate parent, owner, founder, financial results or a wider chain operation.

The Whitesmiths Arms occupies a building on Standishgate in Wigan whose origins probably lie in the late seventeenth century. The official heritage description identifies the structure as having been built initially as a house, with later enlargement, alteration and eventual conversion to public-house use. It is considered the oldest surviving building on one of Wigan's historic burgage plots and one of the oldest properties remaining in the town centre. The premises' hospitality history extends at least into the early twentieth century. Ordnance Survey maps from 1908 and 1942 identify the building as a public house, although neither map assigns it the Whitesmiths Arms name. This indicates a longstanding licensed use but does not establish a precise opening date for the present business. The building's historic fabric includes handmade brickwork, a slate roof, chimney stacks, rear extensions and a two-and-a-half-storey street frontage. Surviving interior features include a dog-leg staircase dating from approximately 1700, an early wattle-and-daub partition, an upper-cruck roof truss and an Art Nouveau bar with mosaic detailing that was originally made for installation in Glasgow. The building became part of the Dicconson conservation area when that protected area was designated in 1982. On 11 July 1983, it was separately listed at Grade II on the National Heritage List for England. Its significance consequently rests not only on its continued relationship with hospitality but also on its contribution to Wigan's historic townscape and the survival of early domestic and commercial fabric within the centre. In the late 2010s, the premises operated under a different concept as Casa Carlos, a Spanish tapas restaurant. That business moved to new premises on Hallgate in 2019. The former restaurant building then became the subject of planning and listed-building proposals. Applications submitted in September and October 2022 sought to convert the first- and second-floor flats into five independent studio units while retaining restaurant activity at ground level. Wigan Council approved the proposals in January 2023. A separate listed-building application submitted in February 2024 addressed refurbishment and adaptation of the interior, including changes to the dining and bar areas, as well as improvements to external spaces and lighting. Approval was granted in June 2024. After the approved work, the premises returned to pub use and reopened later that month under the Whitesmiths Arms name. The current venue therefore represents a recent revival of the pub identity in a highly protected historic building. The available reference material does not establish a precise original founding year, identify the current owner or operator, or indicate that the venue belongs to a national pub group.

• 2024

  Refurbishment completed and pub use restored

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  Following approved listed-building works, the premises returned to pub use and reopened as the Whitesmiths Arms later in June.

• 2023

  Upper-floor conversion approved

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  Planning approval was granted for five self-contained studio units on the first and second floors, with restaurant use retained at ground level.

• 2019

  Casa Carlos moved premises

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The Spanish tapas restaurant that had occupied the building moved to new premises on Hallgate.

• 1983

  Grade II listing

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The property was added to the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II listed building on 11 July.

• 1982

  Included in the Dicconson conservation area

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The building became part of the newly designated Dicconson conservation area and was its oldest surviving building.

• 1942

  Continued identification as a public house

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  A later Ordnance Survey map again marks the building as a public house without attributing a specific name.

• 1908

  Shown as a public house on an Ordnance Survey map

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  An Ordnance Survey map records the premises as a public house, although it does not provide a named pub identity.

• 1700

  Historic staircase constructed

  [1]Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org

  The building retains a dog-leg staircase believed to date from around 1700, indicating the survival of significant early interior fabric.

A locally oriented historic pub and hospitality venue that combines traditional drinking and dining with the architectural character of one of Wigan's oldest surviving town-centre buildings.

• Beverages

  Pub drinks

  The venue's core commercial offer is expected to centre on drinks served in a pub setting, including beer and other alcoholic beverages, alongside wine, spirits and non-alcoholic refreshments. The supplied reference material identifies the premises as a pub but does not provide a current drinks list, named brands, or details of draught and packaged products.

• Foodservice

  Pub food

  Food and casual dining form part of the venue's hospitality proposition. The building previously operated as the Casa Carlos tapas restaurant and later underwent work to its dining areas. The available sources do not specify the current menu, cuisine, signature dishes or pricing, so the present food offer is described generically as pub dining.

• Hospitality venue · 2024

  Historic pub venue

  The principal offering is the venue itself: a restored pub and social setting inside a Grade II listed building. Its appeal is tied to the combination of bar and dining facilities with surviving historic architecture, including the early staircase, roof structure and Art Nouveau bar. Outdoor spaces and lighting were also included in the 2024 improvement programme.

• 2024

  Refurbishment and return to pub useGeneration change

  Background

  After the building's period as the Casa Carlos tapas restaurant and subsequent redevelopment planning, the premises required approved works compatible with its listed status.

  Action taken

  A February 2024 listed-building application proposed internal refurbishment, updates to dining and bar areas, and improvements to outdoor spaces and lighting. Approval followed in June.

  Aftermath

  The building reopened later in June 2024 as the Whitesmiths Arms, restoring its pub identity.

  Source

• 2023

  Redevelopment of upper floors while retaining hospitality useStrategy

  Background

  Planning and listed-building applications proposed converting the first- and second-floor flats into five self-contained studio units while keeping a restaurant operation on the ground floor.

  Action taken

  Wigan Council approved the conversion proposals in January 2023.

  Aftermath

  The approval provided a mixed-use framework for the listed premises before the later refurbishment and return to pub use.

  Source

1. 1Whitesmiths Armsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Whitesmiths Arms official websitethewhitesmiths.co.uk