Bar News

Only a few but we're starting to see quite a few 'cool' places to go in town... a little progress towards having an offering like Manchester About a year ago there was no decent burger joint in town - that is specialising

It is interesting that the city centre seems to be moving from vertical drinking to a more varied offer. I wonder if that will have a knock-on effect on Mermaid Quay which has carved a niche out for itself as a more sedate destination for an older demographic? It will be interesting to see how Smoke Haus does. No one's had much luck in that patch. The Chinese buffet has shut and Hooters and the Sports Cafe didn't last long.

As far as gay clubs go I'm trying to figure out where the very first ones were. There was certainly a club called 'Sirs' in St. Mary Street in the late seventies and I think there may have been one called the Showbiz Club operating at around the same time.

As far as gay clubs go I'm trying to figure out where the very first ones were. There was certainly a club called 'Sirs' in St. Mary Street in the late seventies and I think there may have been one called the Showbiz Club operating at around the same time.

I've heard stories about 80s places such as The Tunnel Club where Metro's is now, and The Red Dragon where M&S Food is at the train station. Someone said there was a bar called the Panorama near the Traders Tavern.

As far as gay clubs go I'm trying to figure out where the very first ones were. There was certainly a club called 'Sirs' in St. Mary Street in the late seventies and I think there may have been one called the Showbiz Club operating at around the same time.

I've heard stories about 80s places such as The Tunnel Club where Metro's is now, and The Red Dragon where M&S Food is at the train station. Someone said there was a bar called the Panorama near the Traders Tavern.

I remember both the Tunnel and The Red Dragon. The Panorama was the old name of the Trader's Tavern. It used to have a 360 degree photograph of Cardiff on that weird eliptical ceiling that's still there. I can't remember it being a gay venue though. There was gay club in the old Oxford Arcade at one point - it's name excapes me. I think it may have been called Hunters but I could be wrong.

Was The Terminus/Sam's Bar/Zync/Peppermint gay at one point?

Was The Terminus/Sam's Bar/Zync/Peppermint gay at one point?

Yes it was - although under what name I'm not sure! I think it was Sam's Bar at that stage. Good God, I'm showing my age here! I've just remembered where the very first gay bar in Cardiff was. It was the back bar of the Duke of York on East Canal Wharf. I remember going there in the mid 1970s when I was 16 or so. I was terrified before going in!

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-a ... 572530.pdf

Clwb Ifor Bach has applied for permission to "extend" into the neighbouring derelict 9 Womanby Street. Looking at the plans, though, it seems that this isn't really an extension but the development of a separate and adjoining bar venue that could operate on a stand alone basis. That's because the plans show no link between the two buildings on the ground and first floors. There is a link between the second floors, though. This suggests that the two venues could be operated separately for smaller events but as one when theres a big gig on. I quite like the idea and its certainly preferable to an empty unsighly building. But might they need to apply for a separate license given they can probably operate the venues separately given the layout?

That's interesting. The Clwb did operate the "Fuwch Goch" opposite as a bar aimed at Welsh-speakers at one time. It could be that they're looking at doing something similar.

I suspect that the Clwb's dual aims of promoting the Welsh language and promoting local musicians come into conflict at times. I know there was talk at one time of using the Womanby Street building as a pure live-music venue and opening a Welsh language bar / social centre in the Grangetown / Riverside / Canton area where a lot of Welsh-speakers seem to live.

London based cocktail bar Be at One are opening in Cardiff, there are job ads for the management team on t'internet.

They're opening outside London and do 2 for 1 cocktails every day early doors and have great staff.

http://www.beatone.co.uk/

They're essentially a slightly more upmarket Lloyd's...or varsity. Nothing special. But where are they opening?

They're essentially a slightly more upmarket Lloyd's...or varsity. Nothing special. But where are they opening?

Puts me in mind of Buffalo.