Cannock's White House to be restored as wedding venue in £1.5m revamp
One of Cannock’s most historic buildings is to be transformed into restaurants and restored as a wedding venue under £1.5m plans, the Express & Star can reveal.
Businessman Fred Pritchard has purchased the White House for an undisclosed fee and announced his vision to bring it back into use.
The proposals for the striking Grade II* listed property on High Green also include converting rooms on the upper floors into homes while other spaces will accommodate small businesses such as a photography studio or health and beauty salon.
Historically the grand Georgian building, which is more than two centuries old, has played host to hundreds of weddings in the past.
This scheme is Mr Pritchard and his wife Sarah's latest venture following on from the Newhall development nearby which saw the former Riley's snooker hall transformed into shops, a micro-pub and apartments last year.
Mr Pritchard said: "The White House is dear to most Cannockians partly as it is one of the few Georgian buildings that have survived in the town centre and partly as many have memories of it being the council offices or a ladies boarding school or even got married there.
"We wish to utilise this magnificent building for quality restaurants and grill coupled with a wedding venue.
"The beautiful building will again form the backdrop for wedding ceremonies harking back to its past.
"Now couples can not only get married there but have their reception set in front of the magnificent gates and Grade II* Listed building, perhaps the finest backdrop on Cannock Chase - the White House."
The White House was built in 1783 as a family home for Sir Robert Fisher and was the first in the town to have its own water pump.
Among its many residents through the decades was Captain William Cary, who attended Rugeley Grammar School and became Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire.
It was also home to Frederick Gilpin, owner of several factories and one of the town's biggest employers.
The White House became a ladies' boarding school in the 1800s and then was purchased by Cannock Urban District Council in the 1920s serving as the town's registry office for decades.
Staffordshire County Council acquired it in June 1981 for it to be used by Cannock Chase Technical College which merged into South Staffordshire College in 2009.
It was declared surplus to requirements in 2015 and went on the market with a price tag of £500,000.
