Historic hotel hosts wine festival

The historic Willet’s Hotel in Simon’s Town hosted a wine festival last Friday.

The hotel, named after George Willet, who owned it from 1878 to 1897, was abuzz as guests sampled various wines and canapés while saxophonist Matthew Reid performed. There were also a variety of prizes up for grabs in a raffle.

The hotel was originally known as the Crown & Anchor Inn before it was bought by Mr Willet in 1878. He owned it until he died in 1897, according to historian Alan Lindner.

According to the Simon’s Town Museum, the land on which the hotel stands was first mentioned in 1798 when it was transferred from Johan Michel Endres to Gideon Rossouw.

In 1811, the land was subdivided and a portion was sold to Gerrit Munik.

In 1822, the inventory of the Crown & Anchor Inn listed a bar, three downstairs rooms, a kitchen, and five bedrooms.

Following the death of Mr Willet, the property was sold to Ohlssons Cape Breweries, which transformed it into The Masonic Hotel, a name it would carry until 1931.

According to Mr Lindner, architect John Parker remodelled the hotel in 1898, and in 1931, John Wessels, the new owner, made significant changes to the building, converting part of it into a butcher shop at street level, while still offering accommodation upstairs, and according to museum records, the billiard room at the back was turned into a sausage-making room.

In 1942, Clarence Eaton took over the building and turned it into a drapery store and called it Eaton’s Building.

Hendrik Louw, of Noordhoek, bought it in 1962 and turned it back into a butcher shop. In 1973, Nigel Farquharson bought it and turned it back into a drapery store and called it Matelot.

In 1978, Barclays Bank moved into the building.