Perseverance Tavern
{{short description|Public house in Cape Town}}
{{about|the Cape Town pub|other uses|Perseverance (disambiguation)|the public house in London, England|The Perseverance}}
{{Infobox building
| name = The Perseverance Tavern
| former_names =
| alternate_names = {{Plainlist|
- The Percy
- Persies
}}
| status =
| image = Perseverance Tavern, 83 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town.jpg
| image_alt = The Perseverance Tavern in March 2020.
| image_size =
| caption = The Perseverance Tavern in early March 2020, a few months before its closure.
| building_type = Public house
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| location =
| address = 83 Buitenkant Street
Cape Town City Bowl
Cape Town
8001
| coordinates = {{coord|-33.930524|18.420900|display=inline,title|region:Cape_Town:landmark}},
| start_date =
| completion_date =
| opened_date =1808 ({{Age in years|1808}} years old)
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| floor_count = 1
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| website = {{URL|http://perseverancetavern.co.za/}}
}}
The Perseverance Tavern, also known as The Percy or Persies, is a public house established in 1808{{Cite web |title=Perseverance Tavern – The Cape Town Museum |url=https://capetownmuseum.org.za/invisible-traces/perseverance-tavern/ |access-date=2020-07-29 |language=en-ZA}} by Johannes Blesser in Cape Town.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Murray |title=Oldest pub in SA 'The Percy' shuts up shop as lockdown takes its toll |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/oldest-pub-in-sa-the-percy-shuts-up-shop-as-lockdown-takes-its-toll-20200722 |access-date=2020-07-29 |website=News24 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Cape Town's 212-year-old pub Perseverance is 'calling last rounds' says owner |url=https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/390747/cape-town-s-200-year-old-pub-perseverance-is-calling-last-rounds-says-owner |access-date=2020-07-29 |website=CapeTalk |language=en-ZA}} At the time of its temporary closure due to the Covid-19 crisis, it was notable for being the oldest pub in South Africa.{{Cite web |title=The Explorer's Guide to Gardens in Cape Town |url=http://www.capetownmagazine.com/exploring-gardens |access-date=2020-07-29 |website=www.capetownmagazine.com |language=en}} 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".{{Cite web|title="Tavern of the Seas"? The Cape of Good Hope as an oceanic crossroads during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries|url=http://webdoc.sub.gwdg.de/ebook/p/2005/history_cooperative/www.historycooperative.org/proceedings/seascapes/ward.html|access-date=2021-03-03|website=webdoc.sub.gwdg.de}} The tavern was owned by Ohlsson’s Breweries for the first half of the 20th century until being sold in 1956.
It closed on 22 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown and alcohol sales ban.{{Cite web |last=Planting |first=Sasha |date=2020-07-22 |title=BUSINESS MAVERICK: Restaurants and taverns collapse: Hospitality industry desperate to stave off disaster |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-07-22-restaurants-and-taverns-collapse-hospitality-industry-desperate-to-stave-off-disaster/ |access-date=2020-07-29 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}} The tavern was re-opened under new ownership on 26 February 2021 following the easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures.{{Cite web|last=Kohlstock|first=Aljoscha|title=The Percy, SA's oldest pub, reopens its doors with new owners after lockdown closure|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/video/southafrica/news/watch-the-percy-sas-oldest-pub-reopens-its-doors-with-new-owners-after-lockdown-closure-20210301|access-date=2021-03-03|website=News24|language=en-US}}