Yates is no 8. I thought the Staff Club was no 16.

Damn I wanted to see that BK hit the dust! Or actually the building it's in to be exact. Still I think the Toucan Club at the Staff Club will fit the vibe around that area and will drive footfall for other venues in Womamby St pre-11pm.

I agree Westgate St has really woken up recently and offers something different for the drinker with Zero Degrees, Pica Pica, Queens Vaults, Boudoir (or whatever it's called now).

Its called Tabu...

The St Marys St consultants report says there is a westgate street deveopment plan currently being put together, which I think is mostly road enabling works for bus stops and taxis, but might include some paving/street furniture etc? Id like to see it tidied up.

It's got the makings of a great street. Some great buildings, the Milstad, bars, restaurants, offices, hotels. The city centre is effectively made up of four streets - Queen st, St Mary St, the Hayes and Westgate St - plus everything that runs between them. It should have it's own actions plan.

My own personal action plan is as follows -

Tidy up the buildings at the southern end (where city centre ticket line is). It must be walking home after a few but in a certain light, with some paint and a bit of tlc those buildings could form the basis of a great looking square opposite the Court buildings.

Bring the old Post Office back into use. Great building left to rack and ruin.

Sort out the approach to the Milstad. 10 years on and it still resembles a building site - concrete ramps, portacabins etc. Bloody hell WRU have a bit of pride in your gaff.

Develop Hodge House car park. An absolute blight at the moment.

Bring empty buildings back into use - Staff Club (looks like this could happen), Yates (or Jacksons to those of a certain vintage) and Plymouth Chambers (old FAW offices) are all fantastic period buildings that need utilising.

And the biggy - the bete noir for all those interested in Cardiff - the NCP car park. CPO it, have an 'accident' a la Central Hotel et al, just get rid of the bloody thing and build something that doesn't make Cardiff look so bloody shabby whenever something is on at the Milstad and there is the inevitable shot of the crowds in Westgate street urinating against the car park wall.

That's Chairman Karl's blueprint for a better Westgate Street. Are you with me comrades? Because if you're not with me you're against me, and those against me will be rounded up and held in the NCP car park as a warning to others......

Let's all club together, make an audacious offer for the Burger King outlet, and open up a funky, bohemian, non sports wearing club called Chairman Karl's from whence we can mastermind the destruction of the NCP car park up the road and the subsequent phoenix like ascendency of New Westgate Street.

I'll be Treasurer so all cash contributions can be posted to me. Any benefactors in waiting?

I'm with you comrades.

Here's a virtual tenner to get you started.

The Old Post Office is one of the most neglected buildings in Cardiff. Quite shocking really.

As for BK...knock the fucking thing down the same time as the car park. Excuse the French but the building is uglier than a Caerphilly girl on steroids.

Thank you for your support Kyle and Wizard. You can rest easy. Chairman Karl has noted your comments and treats you as a friend. As for the rest of you....come the revolution.....!

I also agree with the thoughts of Chairman Karl. WRU and NCP first, please.

Have you seen the pictures of the old fire bulding that the NCP replaced-it makes one weep and howl as to how that was ever allowed to happen.

As for the WRU- well I've commented before that only an organisation of GALACTIC incompetence/ complacency could have kept a rubble strewn wasteland next to an international iconic structure routinely attracting 100s of thousands of people in the centre of Cardiff during 8 years of the most sustained building frenzy seen in the UK for decades. Absolutely gobsmacking, and typical of worst things Welsh. They just don't seem to CARE - about thir lack of pride in thenmselves, their stadium , their city, or their country, about the money they could have made,about the money the've had from the lottery, the fact that this centre of international attention is surrounded by portakabins and rubble,that their window on the world looks like some newsagent's shack in a burnt out area of Detroit... What's the matter with these people?!

They are a bunch of dimwits, that's what's wrong with them.

Just witness the current debacle surrounding player release for the training in readiness for the autumn internationals.

Firstly they have organised four matches for the autumn internationals. Fantastic idea. It means our players get to play against the three best southern hemisphere teams thus hopefully one day enabling our players to be able to compete far better with them in the long run. Well, that's the plan anyway.

However, instead of allowing the players from our four regions to rest and train in preparation for these very big four matches what do they do ? They allow the EDF cup third round to have matches the week before AND expect the regions to release all their best Welsh players at the same time. The Ospreys players who make up a large part of the team are actually playing a game on the Sunday and then have to train with Wales for a game on the Saturday against South Africa.

Absolutely nuts. You can neither blame the Welsh coach for wanting access to the players or blame the regional teams for wanting to keep them to train for the scheduled matches this weekend.

That, my fellow members of the party is a prime example of how the Welsh Remedial Union run things so is it any wonder they haven't bothered to tart up or sell on the land outside the stadium ?

Thankfully I will calm down in enough time to enjoy this autumn's egg chasing activities.

Rant over.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/31/pub-fire-closes-off-cardiff-s-st-mary-street-91466-22157602/

The "new" O'Neils nearly suffered the same fate as the old one !

How spooky!

I wonder if it's the same staff that caused it...wasn't it staff from the St.Mary's street pub that caused the damage to the older one ?

Just a minor incident apparently.

The Globe live msuic venue on Albany Road is meant to open this Saturday. However the place still doesnt have anything like a finished doorway, loads of workmen on site, and the gig has been moved to the point. Running a bit late then I imagine.

The new 800 capacity live music venue in the Millenium Plaza called Sub 29 opens this Sunday:

http://www.sub29.com/

There are some small internal pics on the site.

The Globe on Albany Road Opens this weekend (with free entry available all week apparently):



November 12th 2008

In this current climate of financial insecurity, worry and uncertainty we at The Globe think its about time that everyone gets a reason to be happy again.

We would like to take you back to the spirit of the 60's and the golden summer of '67 with all its free parties and free loving and give everyone the chance to get a free ticket to any of our opening week shows.
100 tickets are available for each night between 22nd - 28th Nov.

FREE admissions will be granted in one of two ways.

Please join our Facebook group if your not already a member @

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38957902847

and email Gwyn on the admin team with the show name, your name and the number of places you would like (5 max person).
Your confirmation will follow shortly.

Or email us your requests through our website. Its first come first serve basis of course.

www.theglobecardiff.com

We sincerely hope you will join us at these free parties and that you forget your money worries for one night at least.

The artists taking to our stage on the opening week are as follows.

22nd Dreadzone
23rd Big Macs Wholly Soul Band
24th Skinny Molly plus The Navigators
25th The Globe Sessions (open mike showcase)hosted by Chris Kelly
26th The Amigos
27th The Blims, Cakehole Presley,Habana Flex
28th The Popes

The westgate st social club - taken over by ex-toucan club owners - will be called the T-bar. I think they've got a bit of a fight on their hands to stay open as late as they want.

Last weeks planning apps include proposals to convert 9 Womanby Street into a restaurant on basement and ground floor, with "backpacker" accomodation on 1st and 2nd floor. Anyone know what building this is and whats there now?

I think that is the semi-derelict building next to Revolution. Don't quote me on that though.

There is also an application to turn One Park Place (part of the Park Hotel) into a restaurant. Previously this was home to two spectaularly unsuccessful bars called Scrum and then latterly One Park Place. Both places were very clinical and it always felt that you were drinking in a hotel residents bar with just a few lonely, middle aged salesmen drinking away their expense account.

On a connected note anyone know if the Park Vaults is to re-open?

News on T-bar/Toucan in the press:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/11/25/venue-hopping-nightclub-flies-again-91466-22330329/

but not much that we dont already know.

Park Hotel has been granted permission for two shop fronts - one on Park Place (which is likely to be the restaurant planned for One Park Place as referred to above) and one fronting Park Lane which must be the Park Vaults surely? Here's hoping.

Also the Chapel in Churchill Way that was once an architects office is subject of a planning application to turn into a restaurant. Interesting place to have a restaurant although having said that Guildford Crescent across the road has two very good ones (Madeira and Thai House) and La Boheme is very close as well.

Interesting both locations should be mentioned in the same post. I sometimes think it would be good if there more established areas with small clusters of places to go where people can be safely away from all the crazyness of St Mary St; something more relaxed but still in town. The small cluster of 1 Park Place, the Parc restaurant, Henry's with New Theatre seems to be one; and that bottom part of Churchill Way could be another. I'd always thought it would be good to bring the old Masons venue into more public use, with a bit of care it could look very nice.

Another option is Windsor Place.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/12/01/planning-victory-for-cardiff-s-toucan-club-91466-22374728/

An update on the Toucan re-opening. It seems they have overcome objections and are planning for it to be opening in the spring. Great news for Westgate Street, Womanby Street and music lovers in general.

Me - I agree. The Churchill Way area is quite cvilised - Glo bar, Mimma's restaurant, La Boheme, plus the restuarants in Guildford Crescent and the proposed one in the chapel. Is it likely that we will see some sort of unit on th ground floor of Helmont House (I'm sure that was part of the planning application).

If the redevelopment of the Rapport buildings ever gets off the ground then that could be quite a classy little area for the more 'mature' crowd.

Windsor Place/Park Lane is also quite a good one as well - 3 restaurants, 3 bars (4 if the Park Vaults re-opens) in one street is quite a cluster.

Dismal, dismal news from this weeks planning applications. The site of the Park Vaults is to be re-opened as a licensed premises of sorts - a Ladbrokes.

Gutted about this. The Vaults was one of the best pubs around town.

forgot to mention, I was at the glboe last week, to see the wholigans (a tribute band to, well, take an educated guess) supported by Martin Edwards, a local artist who, lets say, could go on to greater things...

a good, but small, venue, really good acoustics, could see it becoming a Cardiff version of the original Cavern, then again, maybe it won't.

A betting shop !!!! How very sad- the pub had some character, and to replae anold pub with, of lll thing, a betting shop is bad. I never read that book " Is it me or is everything shite" but I might just dash out and get a copy

Hey Urbano - its the economy in action. Free market and all that. The private return to the owners of letting it to a betting shop obviously outways the benefits from letting to a bar or a running a pub itself.

Bollocks! I met my wife in the Park Vaults!

lol

I love this board, its great

went to Wagamamas in the new library and was very good, light and comfortable on the inside, but you had to open the doors with a button - like the ones you get on a train.

Is it me or is everything about this building is a little weird?

Any other tell tale clues- eg do the toilets jolt around so you piss all over the floor ?

There's a novel idea for a restaurant. Combining the glamour of rail travel with the best of British railway cuisine.

You book a table only to find that it's already taken and you have to eat standing up next to a fellow diner listening to an overly loud Ipod. Your food is delayed due to some unforseen circumstance such as the wrong olive oil being used. When it finally comes it arrives on a trolley being pulled by a waitress in a lime green uniform and a face like a slapped arse. Coffee is nuclear hot, food is cold and the lager is warm.

The toilets are blocked and strewn with piss and unidentified human effluent. You leave the restaurant by opening the windows and undoing the door from the outside. As soon as you get out you are threatened by an aggressive beggar.

Anyone want to purchase a franchise from me...?

Yes.....you hang around for ages on a windswept waiting area before being shown to your table,,and afterwards someone comes along and punches a hole in your menu

I like it.

More on Churchill Way, the latest planning apps include this:

APPLICANT: The Squares Group
LOCATION: 10 CHURCHILL WAY, CITY CENTRE, CARDIFF, CF10 2DX
PROPOSAL: CHANGE OF USE FROM OFFICES TO A3 WITH EXTERNAL SMOKING AREA


Looks like a restaurant/bar open til 12 week days and 1 Fri/Sat. Is closer to Queen St than Helmont House though.

Looks like there is a new cafe bar open on Guildford Crescent next to the Thai House. Not sure what it's called and not sure if it's just a sandwich shop at the moment but it did look open. Anyone know the score?

Somebody on Queen Street gave me a flier for it, the name is something Welsh, can't remember of the top of my head. Had a little look in there and it looks nice, plus they were giving away free Welsh cakes with every hot drink

The proposed bar at 10 Churchill Way has been recommended for approval. I saw a van driver taking crates of Blue WKD in there yesterday. Not sure that's a good sign.

It also looks like the A3 for Helmont House will be a restaurant given the planning officers comments about strict opening times, assurances about noise etc. I think this is fine. Looks like that end of town could become a bit of a foodies haven.

Everyone's got a WKD side Karl,

Those adverts make me laugh; young lads watching the footy on the TV and what have you, and going to the fridge for a four pack of WKD. what a bunch of pricks.

haha. It is a drink that is indeed frowned upon. Quite a few of my friends don't like drinking too much lager as it makes you feel bloated, and a bit ill after a while. But they'd switch to spirits and mixers or wine rather than that pap. But it must sell.

Have they made any progress on the new Youth Hostel at the end of the Road on the junction with Bridge Street?

Lol at James. Many moons ago when I knew no better I used to drink the Moscow Mules you could get in a bottle. God I must have looked like a twat.

No progress on the Youth Hostel but the chapel next door is in the process of conversion to a restaurant I believe.

WKD is very popular (I dont drink it myself though). I once had a conversation with a mate where we tried to outdo eachover with the sickest concept for a "Do you have a WKD side" advert, I wont share with you some of the ideas here for fear of getting arrested.

I noticed the other day that half of churchill way was fenced off with a digger parked ready for action. This must be for the new bus facilities on the way. I occasionly use the street for free parking at night to go to Cineworld cinema, anyone know of any other convient streets in nearby area with good nightime free parking?

Not so much nearby, but I often park near the museum and city hall if I'm going anywhere in town in the evening and not drinking. Free after 6:30pm and a nice stroll back from any part of town.

I've never understood why the drink advert for WKD is aimed at blokes actually, although it is very funny. Most blokes drink pints of one thing or another or if they are not they might drink a spirit or wine...surely ? Perhaps I'm just getting old.

Isn't it a key ingredient in a Cheeky Vimto ? Kind of says it all doesn't it ?

There is an application for the demolition of the Locomotive on Broadway. Flats to replace it.

It's not a great building and the pub has been shut for a couple of years but I still get a twinge thinking about one of my former watering holes biting the dust. Not that I drunk there often....christ it was rough.

I always shed a tear when a pub closes (well, not literally), and I am a firm believer that pubs are the UK's finest community institutions. However, there are still so many pubs in Splott/Adamsdown. On Broadway alone, you need only walk a few moments before you reach The Clifton, The Royal Oak, The New Dock Tavern, Roath Labour Club, The Bertram, or The Canadian.

Peculiarly for a working class predominantly white densely populated area Splott/Adamsdon has lost a few pubs over the last few years. The Moorland is no longer, the Tredegar, the Grosvenor has shut down, the Ruperra (burnt down!), the Great Eastern, the Moira, the Locomotive. All gone forever.

Splott does quite well with clubs though - Fleurs, Splott Cons, Roath Cons, Roath Labour, Old Illts, Old Howardians, St Albans plus that place in Tremorfa that used to be called the New Ocean Club but is now something else.

Warming to my theme..... it's notable that Roath/Cathays and Canton have actually bucked the trend and seen new pubs open. I can think of the Ivor Davies, Goscombe in Canton plus the Cayo and the Mochyn Du in nearby Pontcanna.

In Roath there is the new Varsity, the Social/Koko Moloko or whatever it's called in Salisbury Rd, Loungers in Wellfield Rd, Cornerstone, Milgi Lounge. I can understand that's down to students.

I suppose the reason that Canton can support so many drinking establishments must be down to it being popular with the post student crowd - 20 something, no kids etc - and the fact that west Cardiff is so bereft of boozers that you can go in without fear of losing part of your ear that it gets plenty of business from punters from Ely/Fairwater etc.

That why I think a student presence would do Splott/Adamsdown a world of good. Perhaps somewhere on Broadway/Clifton Street. Breath some new life into the area and make these type of businesses more viable.

(Ps James you also forgot the Yellow Kangaroo as being a hop skip and jump from Broadway. And Journeys if in fact it's still open).

Journeys is now a chemist.

Up until about a month ago I always looked forward to seeing this thread reappearing at the top of the list, thinking 'ah great, somewhere new is opening!'. Now I think, 'ah, where has closed this time...?'.


Which Is good cos lots of places are opening even in the last couple of months:

Globe, Funky Buddha Lounge 2, that one by the Thai restaurant, toucan soon, the spanish bar opposite clwb ifor bach, Sub 29...

I must be getting old - I don't know about half of those places...!

Most of them have been discussed on this forum.

The Globe live music on Albany Road.
You yourself mentioned "a new cafe bar open on Guildford Crescent next to the Thai House"
Sub 29 is the live music place in Millennium plaza
The spanish place had quite a discussion about it on here, part of the development that now includes Kazbar
Touncan is the old glamorgan social club (March opening apparently)
Funky Buddha Lounge 2 is similar to the one on Woodville Road, but is on Charles Street above the exit to Minskys.


And the new place on Churchill Way is also being worked on, poss to be called Churchill Bar.

The new cafe bar open on Guildford Crescent next to the Thai House is named after the south welsh word for owl, which I have no idea how to say or spell, but is something like gowglygoo or goolygow or gouggyoo or probably something completely different. It is a really rather nice place, a little bit like 'shot in the dark' but more pubby. Try it!