The Walcot Group has submitted plans to Bath & North East Somerset Council for a major refurbishment of The White Hart pub at Widcombe.
The White Hart in Widcombe | Image © Google Street View / Google 2025
In recent years the Grade II listed pub has fallen into disrepair and is said to be in “urgent” need of restoration.
It ceased trading in 2024 and the site was sold to The Walcot Group; the successful family-owned hospitality company with more than 30 years’ experience in the Bath area.
The company’s first pub was the award-winning Pear Tree at Whitley followed by the Methuen Arms in Corsham.
Currently it operates Green Street Butchers, Mother & Wild in Corsham, Little Walcot in Frome, Solina Pasta in Bath and flagship Walcot House, which is a restaurant, bar and events business.
The application says the plan is to re-establish The White Hart as the “centrepiece of the Widcombe community, re-imagining the collection of historic and modern buildings to provide a pub, attached restaurant, private dining, guest rooms and a landscaped courtyard garden”.
The existing hostel bedrooms will be upgraded into 10 en-suite rooms for overnight stays.
The Walcot Group plans to operate the business in the same way as the previous landlord did, under the same licensing regulations and operating hours – Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 11.30pm, on Friday and Saturday from 7.30am to and from 8am to 11.30pm on Sunday.
The courtyard will close at 10.30pm every night to mitigate noise for neighbours and overnight guests.
The application seeks full planning permission and listed building consent. The planning reference is 25/01226/LBA and the deadline for comments is 11th April.
An alcohol licence will be applied for separately.
