Before Lyttelton was a town, it was a landing site. In 1849, this specific plot of land was designated by the Canterbury Association for the Immigration Barracks.
When the "Canterbury Pilgrims" arrived in December 1850 on the First Four Ships, this ground provided their very first shelter in Aotearoa. It was a place of hope, hardship, and new beginnings.
After a stint as David Davis's warehouse (1866), the building was converted by William Savage. In May 1874, the license was granted, and The British Hotel officially opened its doors in 1875.
It became a legendary watering hole for the rough-and-ready port community—stevedores, sailors, and railway workers finding solace in a pint after a hard shift.
February 22, 2011, changed Christchurch forever. While much of historic Lyttelton was lost to the earthquakes, the British Hotel stood firm—one of only two historic hotels to survive.
The 1944 Art Deco/Moderne facade held strong, protecting the stories within. Today, owners Roland Logan and the team are custodians of this resilience.
We honor our past by being a place for the people—the "Commoners." No pretension, just honest hospitality.
Whether you're here for the live poetry nights, the jazz, or the famous Sherpa Kai Goat Curry, you are part of a story that has been unfolding here for 175 years.
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