Perseverance Tavern

This article is about the Cape Town pub. For other uses, see Perseverance (disambiguation). For the public house in London, England, see The Perseverance.

The Perseverance Tavern, also known as The Percy or Persies, is a public house established in 1808^[1] by Johannes Blesser in Cape Town.^[2][3] At the time of its temporary closure due to the Covid-19 crisis, it was notable for being the oldest pub in South Africa.^[2][3][4] It was established during a period when Cape Town was a major port supporting sea going trade between Europe and Asia during which the city was known as "The Tavern of the Seas".^[5] The tavern was owned by Ohlsson’s Breweries for the first half of the 20th century until being sold in 1956.

The Perseverance Tavern
The Perseverance Tavern in early March 2020, a few months before its closure.
Alternative names	The Percy Persies
General information
Type	Public house
Address	83 Buitenkant Street Cape Town City Bowl Cape Town 8001
Coordinates	33.930524°S 18.420900°E / -33.930524; 18.420900,
Opened	1808 (216–217 years old)
Technical details
Floor count	1
Website
perseverancetavern.co.za

It closed on 22 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown and alcohol sales ban.^[2][3][6] The tavern was re-opened under new ownership on 26 February 2021 following the easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures.^[7]