Wetherspoon confirms famous pub closure — dates back more than 100 years

Wetherspoon confirms famous pub closure — dates back more than 100 yearsIt is a very well-known pub but is closing for good.NewsSteffan Rhys Deputy Content Hub Director and Simon Duke10:46, 07 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesWetherspoon pub The William Jameson has a history dating back to the 19th century(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)A Wetherspoon pub that has been the staple of a city for years is just weeks away from shutting down, with its closure and final day of trading confirmed.‌Locals are said to be shocked and upset that The William Jameson is going, Chronicle Live reports. Dating back to the 19th century, the pub is named after William Jameson, the man responsible for laying out Sunderland's famous Fawcett Street for the Fawcett family. Fawcett Street was originally one of Sunderland's finest residential areas. Building work started in 1814, when the family instructed Jameson to lay out the estate. By 1844, Fawcett Street was virtually complete, with imposing three- and four-storey houses.‌The pub is on one of Sunderland's busiest streets, also once the home of legendary department store Binns, but was put up for sale in July 2025.‌There was a time when Sunderland city centre alone had three different Wetherspoon pubs, with The Lambton Worm not far from the Empire theatre and the massive Cooper Rose, which is still occupying the building that used to be Beach and was then Blu Bambu. But, after Sunday, April 19, there will be just the Cooper Rose left of the trio.View 2 ImagesInside the William Jameson pub in Sunderland(Image: Chronicle Live)Article continues belowSigns on The William Jameson windows are now advertising its 'Final Farewell' a week on Sunday. Given it had been on the market for a while the closure of the William Jameson isn't too much of a surprise for locals but there are many people who weren't expecting it to be closing so quickly.Reacting on Facebook, one customer declared it served "probably the best pints and...