The Torchwood exhibition was being negotiated just as the series was moving away from Cardiff (and indeed falling apart). Unsurprisingly people didn't see it as a good long term investment, but it's a pity it's not more included in the Who exhibition. Probably not seen as kiddie friendly enough.

Back to restaurants - friends of mine have recently tried Cha Cha Cha (was Truffles) and reports say the host ignores you when you arrive (to the point that one couple got up and left again), but that the food is large portions and good value. Though as it's owned by the same people as DeMiro's, the only restaurant I know that thinks you can make crab cakes with crabsticks, I would be nervous about the quality of the cooking.

Half way through the job:

They're converting it in to a huge open air swimming pool ;-)

ahhh Sure!

Cardiff Council/Bay have got so much spare money they resurface it every year, seeing which surface lasts the least long.

We had decking, that broke up, then a plastic epoxy pebble mix, that broke up.

Now we appear to be getting Tarmac!

Next on the list are wet straw or tissue paper. If these prove too robust they will try some exotic particles from Cern with a guaranteed very short life.

Cardiff bay....p*ssing money up the wall.

Shouldn't they have made sure that this was finished bore Britain's Got Talent arrived in the city? Hardly a singing endorsement of the place

Two bits of trivia about Mermaid Quay:

Cosmo's in the Bay appears to be no more. It is now punchily titled 'JRC Global Buffet'.

The bridge upstairs has been opened (only noticed it today) - it is about twice as wide as the old one and leads from Salt to Zizzi on the other side.

The new surface in the Oval Basin looks to be mustard coloured. I hope the recent bout of frost hasn't penetrated the mix.

It would be better if the Council paved the oval basin in quality stone flags or sets ( though I liked the decking in fact)). It would be cheaper in the long run. But they seem to have a fixation on coloured tarmac... pouring vast vats of it over every road junction, every bus lane ,the Bay, Fitzhamon Embankment etc etc . It never looks good even on Day 1 but by Day x its coming up, is all stained , splodgy and looks total shit .

If there is one thing Cardiff needs it's quality. The Council don't understand that....hence, eg, the bus station "improvement" which is just embarassing......as someone said here , how many times can you polish a turd?

It's quite interesting actually. WHY does the Council not seeit when (almost) everyone on this forum can? WHY is that? I mean it as a serious and hopefully not uninteresting question.

A Council with the sophistication of say Bristiol, or Oxford, could do great things for and with Cardiff. As it is , everything Cardiff Council does looks like something off a skip in Merthyr on a rainy day.

What examples of recent public realm improvements in Bristol and Oxford do you feel Cardiff should be emulating?

Urbano, I agree with almost all of that apart from "a council with the sophistication of say Bristol"! Have you been there recently?

This isn't a pop at Bristol which is a great city but its council's record is abysmal. It's been locked into a state of inertia for decades by the inability of parties to work together or of any one party to establish overall control.

That's why Bristol was the only English city to opt for an elected mayor in last year's referenda. It's too early to say if the new system will improve things although the new Mayor seems a thoroughly good bloke.

Did I say recent?

Just a few quick thoughts.Compare Bristol's business quarter with Cardiff. The first thing they put in was LOADS of plane trees. Cf the pathetic offering along eg. the new road layout by Atrium ,the formal roads in the bay. etc ...... occasional, small,stunted , half hearted offerings....the occasional circle on a traffic planners' plan, not an enthusiastic , inteligent, sympathetic understanding of how trees can affect a city and the impressions of people who visit it.

Oxford's Oxford, and perhaps unfair to compare, but you simply don't, and won't, get the turd polishing there one has come to expect as a matter of course in Cardiff.

Nowhere's perfect, but its about nuance, attitude,vision, aspiration, ....and the relative paucity of that is where Cardiff has , I regret to say, more in common with Merthyr than with the likes of Bristol or Oxford. It's not withouut relevance that Land Securities paid for the Hayes repaving ....and insisted they have ongoing control over its maintenance

So it is they we need to contact regarding the black spoldges of tarmac apearing everywhere the council have done work to underground pipes etc.

Cardiff bay is built on swamp land. From what i have been told the ground moves alot and pavements in butetown are replaced every few years.

so URBANO is an Oxford graduate who has worked in Bristol



I agree that the older parts of Bristol - Queen Square for example, really are enjoyable to walk through - certainly on a spring morning when it is warm. very enjoyable

The more that I think about it, maybe we are missing the obvious, in that the mustard coloured surface which keeps getting relaid in the Oval Basin and elsewhere IS actually mustard.

It does indeed have the look and texture and longevity of coarse-grain mustard....

Some workmen on site at the old Harry Ramsdens - Wetherspoons is coming!

Also the old Spice Merchant is being given a lick of paint and has a Juboraj banner above the door. Will they succeed where another Indian restaurant failed?

Yes because the food at Juborajes is good whereas that spice merchant was atrocious.

The JD Weatherspoons pub is opening on the 9th of July.
It will be called....The Mount Stuart! (up all night thinking that one)
There was an artist impression of the look of it, in the Prince of Wales, nothing on their web site as yet.
Looks like they will make the most of the outside areas, and the the roof terraces.
It will give the "Tera £3.80 a pint Nova" a run for its money. Also some of the food venues like Gourmet Burger a kick up the A***

That's funny to read when you live in London, £3.80 a pint looks cheap.

We live in Cardiff though...not Wales.

Mimosa restaurant/bar has been refurbished in the most ghastly twee style - complete with fake grass and plastic daisies (hopefully it won't look quite as weird when the weather cheers up). Not sure why they think going downmarket is a bright idea when Wetherspoons is about to open twenty feet away.

I went to Mimosa yesterday.

I think the refurb is excellent inside, and the food really was very good indeed. I was a bit miffed when I heard that it was being renovated, but I think they've done a great job tbh.

I agree, the seats outside are a bit naff, but inside-great job.

I have to admit I've not eaten there yet as I didn't like the look of it much. But I rather feel for them after I read the illiterate PR blurb in the Mermaid Quay newsletter, which states "You can't but fail to be impressed". Er...

There's a new tourist attraction from Easter in the Bay, some little speedboats (not that powerful, I think they've been capped at 6mph) for people to pootle round the Inner Bay. They are moored down by the graving docks and St Davids Hotel. Charges are £30 for a half hour or £55 for 75 minutes. Not noticed any takers as yet, but the weather's hardly been conducive.

This link gives more details - sounds a nice idea.

http://www.zegomarine.co.uk/the-boathouse/your-boating-adventure.aspx

I've been down Mermaid key just now and saw that a restoront called 'Yakitori' (sushi etc) is wots gone in the former NatWest bank outlet in case anywon wants to no.I dunno if its open yet.

Some sad news. According to a friend that spoke to the staff there, Lightship 2000 is due to close permanently on 31st October.

It would make a nice club

That is a real shame, and goes against the way things should be around there with more activity etc. Also, it was cheap and it was unique.

I read though that they were closing temporarily to decide their future.

Perhaps they needed to diversify a bit more, have intimate gigs etc on board maybe?

It closes at 4/5pm and is mostly a church with ancillary cafe attached, i dont know who was funding it but i never thought it was a profit making organisation?