Not to be confused with the London Ale & Porter stores. The London Wine Vaults, numbered 342-343 High Street in the original address, was located where McDonalds restaurant now stands at 224-226 High Street. The premises was a wine and spirit merchants. Known also as Cook & Witherington a contemporary description of 1870 describes: ‘John Cook. Wholesale and retail wine and spirit merchants. Bass’s and Allsopps Pale Ales. Guinness Extra Stout and Alloa Scotch Ales. Established upwards of 50 years.”
J. Williams is listed as the owner of the London Wine Vaults in the 1891 licensing book. It was licensed as an ale house with a substantial annual rateable value of £127.10s.0d., indicative of its High Street location. The London Wine Vaults was a free house. The splendidly named Charles Witherington was the owner of the London Wine Vaults in 1903. The RV per annum remained at the same value.
Landlords at the London Wine Vaults include:
1891 T. Witherington & J.J. Cook
1891 Thomas Witherington and Joshua Jones Cook
1903,1906 Charles Witherington
1926 Charles R. Thomas (wine merchants)
? A.C. Green
