The White House (sometimes written The Whitehouse) is a former roadhouse on Niddrie Mains Road (at its junction with Craigmillar Castle Loan) in Edinburgh, Scotland, now used as a community café and volunteering centre.
| The White House | |
|---|---|
 The White House in 2024 | |
 | |
| Alternative names | The Whitehouse[1] |
| General information | |
| Type | Roadhouse |
| Architectural style | International Style, Modern, Moderne, Art Deco[1][3] |
| Address | 70 Niddrie Mains Road |
| Town or city | Edinburgh |
| Country | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°55′57″N 3°08′19″W / 55.932554°N 3.138479°W |
| Grid reference | NT 28984 71640[6] |
| Current tenants | Community Alliance Trust |
| Opened | 1936[1] |
| Renovated | 2010[2] |
| Renovation cost | c.£1.85 million (equivalent to £2.95 million in 2021)[3] |
| Client | Jemima Hood Gair[4] |
| Owner | PARC Craigmillar |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Brick[1] |
| Floor count | 2[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | William Innes Thomson[1][5] |
| Architecture firm | W N Thomson and Co[1] |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect(s) | Smith Scott Mullan[2] |
| Structural engineer | Curtins Consulting Engineers[2] |
| Services engineer | TPS[2] |
| Quantity surveyor | Gleeds Cost Management[2] |
| Main contractor | Thomas Johnstone[2] |
Listed Building – Category B | |
| Official name | Niddrie Mains Road and Craigmillar Castle Loan, The Whitehouse |
| Designated | 7 December 1995 |
| Reference no. | LB30325 |
History edit
The White House was one of a number of roadhouses developed in Edinburgh in response to the growth of the motor car.[7] It was designed by architect William Innes Thomson of the firm W N Thomson and Co for Jemima Hood Gair.[1][4][5][8] Gair's fifteen year old daughter convinced her to request a Moderne design.[3] The White House opened on 18 October 1936.[1][4][5][8] It is a two-storey irregular-plan International Style and Modern building with Art Deco detailing;[1] its lounge bar bay window has been compared to that of the card room of the RMS Queen Mary.[9] The ground floor of the building featured a public bar, saloon bar, tea room, and skittle alley, while the first floor featured a billiard room and lounge bar.[1]
The White House was popular due to the shortage of public houses in the Craigmillar and Niddrie neighbourhoods of Edinburgh.[3] It later evolved from a roadhouse into a public house owned by Tennent Caledonian Breweries.[7] By the 1970s, it was known for its "happy-go-lucky" clientele.[9] In 1995, The White House was granted category 'B' listed status by Historic Scotland.[1]
The White House fell into decline in the late 20th century, eventually closing in 2000.[7][9] It was added to the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland in 2004.[10][11] In 2005, the building was the subject of a major fire[7][9] which destroyed its skittle alley.[3]
In 2007, The White House was acquired from receivers by PARC Craigmillar, an arm's length company of the City of Edinburgh Council.[8][11][12] After grants were awarded from Historic Scotland and the Scottish Government's Town Centre Regeneration Fund, a c.£1.85 million (equivalent to £2.73 million in 2021) restoration of The White House began in April 2010 and completed in March 2011.[8][10] The works saw the building envelope restored, improvements made to the roof and windows, and repairs to internal elements such as the cornices and staircase,[2] while art deco elements of the interior were restored.[13] The architect for the renovation was Smith Scott Mullan and the principal contractor was Thomas Johnstone.[2] On 18 September 2013, The White House was formally reopened as a community café, art space, and volunteering centre.[7][14] It is operated by the Community Alliance Trust - a local charity - under a lease from PARC Craigmillar.[10]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Niddrie Mains Road and Craigmillar Castle Loan, The Whitehouse". HistoricEnvironment.scot. Historic Environment Scotland. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The White House". Urban Realm. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Robb, Steven (6 July 2017). "Saving Craigmillar's Art Deco heritage". HistoricEnvironment.scot. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Arthur, Andy. "The thread about Edinburgh's roadhouses; when the glamour of art deco hostelries took on the Temperance Movement (and won!)". Threadinburgh.scot. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Grainger, Hilary (2020). Designs on Death: The Architecture of Scottish Crematoria. John Donald. p. 246. ISBN 978-1-7888-5265-4. Archived from the original on March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
- ^ "Edinburgh, Niddrie Mains Road, The White House". Canmore. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "The White House". Scottish-Places.info. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Revamp revives family ties". The Scotsman. 27 April 2011. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d "The White House". EdinPhoto.org.uk. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b c "The White House". Smith-Scott-Mullan.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Full record". Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland. Archived from the original on 12 October 2006. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ MacLeod, Michael (18 March 2011). "Craigmillar's iconic art deco White House reopens". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ Mackie, Andy (8 March 2011). "The White House (Edinburgh) re-opens following £2 Million restoration project". TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 March 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
- ^ "Art deco White House restored to become shining beacon for community". The Scotsman. 18 March 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
External links edit
- The White House Kitchen
- The White House on the Canmore database