Cardiff restaurants and cafes

The whole business has had money problems. Their branch in Pentwyn had to change name for this reason. I think they expanded too quickly and had a cash flow problem.

Top Gun appears to have a complex corporate structure, but much of the group seems to be in liquidation. They opened a unit in Newport which appears to have closed and their unit on the Hayes is in new hands.

Parc Lane Fish Bar on Queen Street appears to be doing well, and at some point along the line they must have had their late licence granted as they now open into the early hours at weekends.

Having different companies for different outlets is a growing issue in the property industry. There can be legitimate reasons for it, but it also can be used to make it easier to exit obligations on a particular property (and associated business) while keeping the rest open as a going concern.

Although, they may have missed a trick. Surely all their profits are from their special batter mix, and the IP from that can be held in a holding company in the Netherlands, or the Cayman islands. Top Gun UK ltd can then pay for the rights to use that IP at inflated prices and then they can avoid any corporation tax! Why hasn't someone thought of this?!

And the little stall on the Hayes declined in quality after it changed. They may be having trouble with their business but their fish and chips, and chicken curry half n half, still is the best in North Cardiff.

Although maybe I am being too kind on Top Gun Whitchurch...

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restauran ... Wales.html

I've not been for quite a while (usually go to Victoria fish bar around the corner as my dad likes their chicken), and it seems its gone downhill... shame if so! Maybe they did suffer from hubris, expand too quickly, and cut corners on quality and staffing.

Parc Lane Fish Bar is probably another place with a slightly convoluted corporate structure! At least if its anything like Pulse which is run by the same people as Pulse. Different companies for staff wages, rent, and supplier costs. Its so they can put one bit into liquidation while keeping other bits going.

With Topgun its probably so that they can put one store into liquidation and get out of rent contracts, while keeping others going. I think this has been a growing issue for landlords - covenants aren't as good as they used to be, because of this splitting up of businesses.

I think we need to be very careful when discussing businesses in this way - such complex structures are usually perfectly legal, but the implication that one deliberately creates companies with the intention of liquidating them at a later date puts us on very shaky legal ground.

So putting all that to one side, I think Top Gun is the perfect example of one decent chip shop which has struggled to be replicated as part of a chain. You can have identical batter mix and ingredients but it all hinges on the people that cook and serve the food. It's not as easy to have a pre-defined system of uniformity as you can with processed fast food outlets.

Top Gun were due to open a branch in the old Fablas in Victoria Park using the name 'Fintans'. They got planning permission in December but no work has taken place. I'm guessing that's a goner too.

Their shop in Pentwyn is now called Fintans, i think that is now it's 3rd name. I believe they called it Cardiff fish shop at one point, must have taken them ages to think of that one.

Had a great meal last night in Vivo Latino, a new cocktail bar and South American restaurant that's opened recently on Cowbridge Road. The Canton food scene is hotting up nicely now - out of the really decent restaurants you've got that place, Kimchi (Korean), Bangkok Cafe (Thai), Calabrisella (Italian - awesome), Chez Francis (French), Chai St (Indian street food), Purple Poppadom (Indian top end dining) all within a couple of minutes walk of each other, plus about three other Italians, Happy Gathering, and a few other curry places. Good stuff. I reckon a decent veggie / vegan place would do well there now, please!

Application for Urban Standard on Whitchurch Road granted.

Good news, that area's crying out for a new watering hole.