if
it's about Cardiff..
Sport, Entertainment, Transportation, Business,
Development Projects, Leisure, Eating, Drinking,
Nightlife, Shopping, Train Spotting! etc.. then we want it here!
Poundland! Application for signage today. Not sure if this is a relocation or a second store. Its better than nothing I suppose.
I suspect that's the only sort of retailer you're going to get at the eastern end of Queen Street in this economic climate. As you say it's better than nothing. To be fair, although it's a discounter Poundland's signage, window displays etc aren't bad.
Groan. I love that building, one of the few art deco buildings in the city. I was hoping for an upmarket restaurant. I suppose it's better than nothing as you say.
That block of Queen St is very pleasant architecturally speaking. The Barclays bank building is lovely but the building housing KFC, Strabucks etc is also a very nice example of 1920/30's architecture. The only downside is that it highlights just how bloody awful the Capitol centre opposite is.
The only downside is that it highlights just how bloody awful the Capitol centre opposite is.
Don't get me started. To think that we lost the Capitol cinema, the New Continental, the Dutch Cafe, the Cory Hall, the Caricature Theatre and the YMCA for that steaming pile of...
Groan. I love that building, one of the few art deco buildings in the city. I was hoping for an upmarket restaurant. I suppose it's better than nothing as you say.
That block of Queen St is very pleasant architecturally speaking. The Barclays bank building is lovely but the building housing KFC, Strabucks etc is also a very nice example of 1920/30's architecture. The only downside is that it highlights just how bloody awful the Capitol centre opposite is.
Wasn't most of that building demolished and only the facade kept when they redeveloped that block with the new Sainsburys etc?
The front facade of River Island is St Davids is down! It's a massive store! Very impressed with the look they have gone for, totally different to their normal shops!
I HOPE this doesn't mean they will close their other store...
I know one of the managers at the existing store - they have no plans at the moment to close the Queen Street store. I believe that they are going to dedicate a significant amount of floor space to a children's wear department in the new store.
I am also told that the inspiration for the store fit out comes from Urban Outfitters and Cult/Superdry.
Any idea what this could be? I know Harvey Nicks have something new opening in Liverpool One, I think based around beauty, accessories etc. Could it be something similar? And if so where would it go?
The advert asks for a background in homewares, fashion or entertainment, this doesn't suggest Harvey Nicks to me. Their Liverpool store is going to be beauty based I think.
Who else is there though? Selfridges aren't known to be opening any small format stores and I can't think of anyone else.
Locations could be Habitat or any of the 3 remaining MSU's In the Grand Arcade.
This is interesting. With any luck it is Harvey Nichols planning to open in the former Habitat unit as per their Liverpool One venture. However, the references to entertainment/homewares suggest this is unlikely. I'm wracking my brain to think of other possibilities. There was talk some months back about Wilkinsons opening in the city centre in a reconfigured Queens Arcade. Wilkinsons are opening concept stores (believe it or not!) at the moment. That would fit with the first reference to homewares and to an extent, entertainment (children's toys etc) but Wilkinsons don't to my knowledge sell fashion. The other possibility is that the advert relates to the new Next store which is opening this week in the Capital Retail Park. That would explain the homewares and fashion aspects but not entertainment. The reference to a high footfall and volume environment doesn't suggest to me that this new store is going to be particularly high-end, but I may be wrong. All a bit perplexing.
And where is the information on Anthropologie coming from? Its a pretty hefty unit for that one retailer? I would have thought they'd split the unit into 2 or 3.
Beauty Bazaar is looking at locations in Cardiff. The store in Liverpool is in a former Habitat store.. we also have one of these going empty. So perhaps it could be a good match here too?
I guess vintage and arty oddball stuff, also with a cafe and gigs. I think this is in the same building as Nisa, in the back half of the building in what was an outdoor gear store previously opposite Dempseys. I wonder if it will be successful? I hope so, it will add character to a street that is already a little different to most of cardiff city centre. And who knows, maybe it could expand or inspire someone to take on the building opposite that has been closed for a long time... Maybe a tattoo place would fit the in well there?
There are two buildings on Womanby Street which I wish somebody would do something with! Towards the top (at the back end of Dempsey's) there's, what looks like an old brick farm house, doors and windows have long since been kicked in, boarded up and are now plastered in posters for Clwb Ifor Bach. This place is crying to out to be opened as a bar called 'The Slaughter House' (if only I had the cash!). Meanwhile a couple of doors down there's a 2/3 storey office block next to the Revolution smoking area which is in desperate need of flattening - it's in a dire state, literally looks like it's been blown up! I can't imagine anybody is ever going to take it on without completely demolishing it - can't we get the Cuddy guys based in Callaghan Square to sort this monstrosity out while they await the OK to demolish the old factory?
There are two buildings on Womanby Street which I wish somebody would do something with! Towards the top (at the back end of Dempsey's) there's, what looks like an old brick farm house, doors and windows have long since been kicked in, boarded up and are now plastered in posters for Clwb Ifor Bach. This place is crying to out to be opened as a bar called 'The Slaughter House' (if only I had the cash!). Meanwhile a couple of doors down there's a 2/3 storey office block next to the Revolution smoking area which is in desperate need of flattening - it's in a dire state, literally looks like it's been blown up! I can't imagine anybody is ever going to take it on without completely demolishing it - can't we get the Cuddy guys based in Callaghan Square to sort this monstrosity out while they await the OK to demolish the old factory?
I know Clwb Ifor Bach have made numerous offers to buy the second building you mention but have been quoted ridiculous prices. The site has / had outline planning permission as a backpacker hostel which may well have lapsed by now.
Hotel Chocolat going on the Hayes in the old Carphone Warehouse unit (next to the newsagents opposite the snack bar). Good to see development moving away from the main St Davids frontage.
I bet the newsagent's will be out as soon as their lease is up.
Good news though! I know Helical Bar want to attract more niche chain stores into the arcades to drive up rents and footfall. Will the lack of small units on the Hayes and in St Davids mean thats now possible?
I bet the newsagent's will be out as soon as their lease is up.
Good news though! I know Helical Bar want to attract more niche chain stores into the arcades to drive up rents and footfall. Will the lack of small units on the Hayes and in St Davids mean thats now possible?
I hope it doesn't go.
As much as I like development and up market shops and things, I like that Cardiff is fundementally an unpretentious kinda place. I like the Hayes newsagents, and personally I use it far more than a chocolate shop
I know what you mean James but there is a newsagent in Royal Arcade, Castle Arcade, Castle St, Quay St, the station, Caroline St, Newport Rd etc
It seems to me that the Hayes is becoming Cardiff's Regent Street whilst Queens St is Cardiff's Oxford Street. It also has a nice mix of uses (concert hall, library, church, museum, restaurants, pubs, etc) whereas Queen st is doggedly retail/fast food. I don't want retailers cleansed away either but its quite nice to have a 'high end' street in the city.
My mitts will be going nowhere near any of Colin's books. I've read the warnings about hairy palms, blindness etc and I don't intend to ignore them.
In other news something called 'It's All Greek To Me' appears to be opening in High St arcade (in the former harp shop). It seems to be a deli/cafe on a Greek (unsurprisingly) theme. It will be next to the latest Barkers coffee house which is supposed to be opening this month. With the creperie just opened, Atlantic coffee and the New York Deli it looks like that arcade will be almost as much about food and drink as it is about retail. Is this the future for the arcades?
Also shop fitters already in the unit where Hotel Chocolat are going. Cosy Club looks like opening imminently and work has started on Crepe Affair (both in Hills St - tecnically part of SD2 but can't be arsed posting on two different threads).
Art Gallery/dealer opening in Morgan Arcade which is approaching fully let status.
Finally there is a Coffee Heaven sign up on a unit in St Mary St - next to McDonalds.
How much coffee do people need to drink? Is there no limit on the number of muffins or pastries people want to scoff?
Its good news, I think. Catering outlets and coffee shops have become a much bigger feature of shopping centres and high streets in recent years. In high streets its often because they are the ones willing to pay the highest rents. In shopping centres, its part of a concious strategy by the owners to give people a reason to visit in addition to the shops, and to keep them there longer when they do visit.
It's probably part of the efforts of the arcade owners too, although they need to be careful they don't become overly dominated by cafes and coffee shops.
It looks as though some weeding has been going on in the empty lot on the right Colin's Books also there is renovation taking place in Pipi's restaurant on the left of the shop. A quick look on google earth shows that Pipi's could have access to the empty lot, possibly are they going to have a garden area?
Aren't Colin's Books and the newsagent opposite the last outpost of the famous Fry's Porn and Darts empire? They used to have four or five shops at one time dotted around Caroline Street, Bridge Street and the Wyndham Arcade.
I always suspected they only sold darts to give blokes an excuse to go inside. "See you in a minute, love - I'm just popping in 'ere for some flights..."
The Cosy Cafe have taken that godawful decal off their upstairs windows (the ones which look over the Hayes) and Jeez doesn't it look ten times better. For all the cash that the retailers spend in tarting out their stores, I never understood why they didn't seem interested in creating proper displays on their external first floor windows.
On another front, I popped into the Fleamarket on Womanby St last weekend and generally liked what I saw. It wasn't particularly busy, what with as many customers as traders.
I admit however, to being flabbergasted that one of the bric-a-brac units upstairs was selling wait for it ......Jim'll Fix It badges (soap versions) with pictures of Saville on the cover!!!!! It also wasn't just a rogue item lost amongst the displays - there were half a dozen of them peppered across the display shelves. I'm surprised that the Echo haven't been reporting on that one!
My cab driver tonight said it's been open a week and is £25 for all you can eat with roast meats and salads. Looks a lot flasher than the average all-you-can-eaterie.
Hamleys was special because there was only ever one branch. The Board says why can't we have a branch in every town centre? Grow the business, more turnover more profits...
Ends up like the special edition Renault Clio (only 3.2 million made!)
The Cosy Cafe have taken that godawful decal off their upstairs windows (the ones which look over the Hayes) and Jeez doesn't it look ten times better. For all the cash that the retailers spend in tarting out their stores, I never understood why they didn't seem interested in creating proper displays on their external first floor windows.
I think they actually replaced all of the windows in the unit when they began the fit-out. Perhaps the decals on the windows aren't removable, which is why none of the other shops have utilised their first floor windows properly?
Looks like Blacks on Working Street have gone. Also Field and Trek who have a unit in the Queens Arcade facing the street have had a closing down sale sign up for the last few weeks. Is this a symptom of us falling out of love with the outdoor life or could it mean that the re-modelling works to the Queens Arcade Working St entrance are imminent?
Also Officers Club have relocated to the Venetian type building on Queen St (used to be Gap not so long ago). An ignominious use of what is one of Queen St's architectural delights although this is certainly better than it remaining empty I guess.
The building which contained GAP was subsequently occupied by Brand Centre, an offshoot of MadHouse which was owned and run by "legitimate businessmen". Talking of "legitmate businessmen", Philip Green's British Home Stores on Queen street will be shutting on 20th January and all of the staff are being made redundant. Word is that the lease was too expensive and the building needs substantial investment to bring it up to spec. There you go: A scoop!
The building which contained GAP was subsequently occupied by Brand Centre, an offshoot of MadHouse which was owned and run by "legitimate businessmen". Talking of "legitmate businessmen", Philip Green's British Home Stores on Queen street will be shutting on 20th January and all of the staff are being made redundant. Word is that the lease was too expensive and the building needs substantial investment to bring it up to spec. There you go: A scoop!
No great loss. BHS is horrible and has treated Cardiff with contempt for years.
