Pantmawr Inn, Cardiff

Pantmawr Inn, Tyla Teg, Pantmawr, Cardiff, CF14 7TL

The Pantmawr is a bit difficult to find but luckily there are a few signposts pointing the way:

and another one:

arrived at last:

The Pantmawr is set in its' own extensive grounds and parts of this stone-built building date back to 1828, although it was rebuilt in 1898 and refurbished only recently.

The old buildings, built out of rough-hewn stone, were originally a farmhouse and associated farm buildings, it became a pub in 1960 when the local estate was built. The pub is a bit difficult to find, being at the centre of the estate and not on any main road but it is definetly worth seeking out. Originally a Hancocks/Welsh Brewers pub, ownership passed to Mitchells & Butlers who lease it to local pub company JW Bassett. A few years ago Mitchells & Butlers attempted to redevelop the site for housing but after an extensive campaign by the local community the Pantmawr Inn was saved and today the pub is a busy local serving the community.

The black and white exterior leads to to a large bare stone-walled interior, decorated with old breweriana and chalkboards advertising forthcoming events such as the annual mouse race.

The wooden bar features 5 gleaming brass handpumps serving Felinfoel Best Bitter, Double Dragon , Brains Bitter and two guests with beers such as Doombar from Sharp's in Cornwall or Red Castle Cream from nearby Newman's Brewery in Caerphilly. Another local beer that features regularly on the bar is Otley O1 from Pontypridd. The beers are served in branded glassware wherever possible.

The large bar area with its wooden beams on the ceiling also features a real fire and a huge old mirror advertising a long-gone Highland Whisky from Glasgow dominates one wall. Flat-screen televisions are mounted on the walls for major sporting matches.

To the side of the bar a passageway has been cut through the thick stone wall into what is called the 'Snug', with the pub dartboard and a retro games machine that features the old arcade classics such as PacMan and Millipede.

Outside, the Pantmawr features extensive parking as well as a patio area with seats that leads on to a grassed area with a slide for children. The Pantmawr Inn also features a function room with bar that is available for hire. Free WiFi is also available.

Food is served all day from a traditional pub menu and separate children's menu, with a carvery on Sundays, grills feature on the menu along with a healthy option section listing options with the calories displayed. Daily specials feature throughout the week with cheaper beer prices on Mondays, pizza deals on Tuesdays, curries on Thursday nights and an offer on children's meals on Fridays after 4.

Google Map:

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Traveline Cymru Info:

Brains wins Welsh supplier of the year award

Above: Paul Harvey, Head of Take Home at Brains,  with the award, along with Mark Grant and Enfys Fox from Tesco

Wales' largest cask ale brewery, award-winning SA Brain has been named Wales’ best food and drink supplier by Tesco customers.

The nationwide competition to find the best local food and drink in the British Isles was launched by the Tesco local sourcing team last year. Customers were asked to nominate their favourite local product in store for a chance to win £500 worth of Tesco vouchers.

With the highest number of votes within its region, Brains secured the Welsh supplier award. Paul Harvey, Head of Take Home at Brains, said: “More than 70 Welsh companies supply Tesco, so to be named the best is a huge honour. We’ve been working with them for several years, but this award offers a great base from which to extend our ever growing national distribution.”

Brains supplies Tesco stores throughout Wales, and more recently has secured a listing for Brains Original Stout in 650 stores nationally.

Enfys Fox, Tesco Local Marketing Manager for Wales added: "Brains has been part of Wales’ history for 130 years, so it's no wonder local Tesco customers regard their beers as a favourite regional product.

“Our dedicated local sourcing office in Wales gives us the perfect opportunity to work closely with local Welsh suppliers such as Brains Brewery to retain their brand positioning and regional speciality so that we can offer our local customers the best quality locally produced beer, and they in turn can support their favourite local brewery.”

Cardiff pub to feature mouse racing

A pub in Cardiff will be once again holding their annual mouse race this Friday (27th). The Pantmawr Inn 
in Rhiwbina will be featuring races from specially breed mice who have been given with steroids over the past few months and after the races the runners are 'retired' to the comfort of the pub boa constrictor!
Fun for all the family!
Shall we tell PETA?

The pubs of Pill, Part 1

Part 1, the Closed Pubs

Pill or Pillgwenlly is the docks area of Newport and the area was built in the nineteenth century. Named after the Welsh for 'inlet' and the name of a local saint, the area has been declining for a number of years and has seen a lot of pub closures. Many of the former pubs still stand and have been converted to alternative uses, these photographs show the buildings as they are now. Additional information is from Alan Roderick's book 'The Pubs of Newport' (1997), copies of which are now going for £26 on Amazon!

White Hart Inn, 5 Tredegar Street

First mentioned in 1859, the pub closed around 2000. Now used as offices.

Being opposite the Cattle Market, now the site of Asda supermarket, the pub had extended hours on Wednesdays as these were the market days.

Owners: 1905 Rogers & Co of Bristol, 1938 HG Simonds, Courage, Ushers

Castle Hotel, 28 Commercial Road, on corner with Tredegar Street

First mentioned in 1862 as the Castle Inn and Brewery, the pub shut around 1977. Now used as residential/take away, although it has been used as an amusement arcade in the past.

Owners: 1933 Phillips, 1954 Simonds, Courage.

Welcome Home, 46 Commercial Road, on corner with Dolphin Street

First mentioned 1848, this pub closed in around 1997. Now used as residential. In its last few years the pub was a well-known trouble-spot with stabbings and a shooting.

Owners: 1905 Lloyds & Yorath, Ansells

Commercial Inn, 47 Commercial Road, on corner with Dolphin Street

First mentioned in 1872, this pub shut around 1993, now converted to residential.

Owners: 1905 Phillips, Courage

Windsor Castle, 56 Commercial Road, on corner with Bolt Street

First mentioned in 1872 this pub closed around 1979 and has been converted to residential use.

Owners: Phillips, Courage

Royal Exchange, 161 Commercial Road, was renamed 'Harvey's of Pill'

First mentioned in 1872 the pub closed in 2005 shortly after the death of local gangster Lemmy Bullock who was killed with a samurai sword in the pub by a rival drug gang.

Owners: Lloyds & Yorath, Ansells, Harveys

Black Horse, 66 Commercial Road

First mentioned 1872 as the Falcon, renamed Celtic Bar in around 1982 and named the Black Horse in the late 1990s. Closed around 2006.

Owners: 1905 J T Usher of Bristol

Kings Arms, 133 Commercial Road, corner of Temple Street

First mentioned 1845 this landmark pub closed around 1993. Building is currently derelict and there have been a number of fires at the premises, the most recent one was in the last week.

Owners: Thatchers, Mitchells & Butlers, Bass

Cambrian, 112 Commercial Road,

Rear of building on Courtybella Terrace

First mentioned 1845, this pub closed around 2005 and is currently empty and derelict.

Owners: Thatchers, 1957 Mitchells & Butlers, Welsh Brewers, Marr Taverns, Ushers

Cumberland House, 21 Courtybella Terrace

First mentioned 1872, rebuilt 1891 and closed around 2005.

Owners: Hancocks, Welsh Brewers, private

Part 2 of this piece will feature more of the closed pubs with part 3 focusing on the open pubs (yes there are some!)

Closed pubs and Streetview

Photo of the Orange Tree pub,  Pill, Newport, taken around 1998. This was once a real ale haven and appeared in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide in the late 1980s. Compare it with a photo taken from Google Street View below:


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I do find Streetview useful when looking for pubs to visit, or even researching old pubs.
The pub was demolished shortly after the original photograph was taken.
For more closed pubs, take a look at Curmudgeon's other blog, Closed Pubs.

16 pubs a week closing

CAMRA- ‘Community life in Britain’s suburbs under threat’
New pub closure figures out today show 16 pubs close across Britain every week

* 8 suburban pubs close every week, compared to 6 rural, and 2 high street
* Over 1000 pubs lost in Britain’s suburbs in just 2 years
* 10 tied pubs* are closing every week compared to 7 free of tie, with the number of managed pubs actually increasing by 1 opening per week.

CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has today called for urgent Government action to save Britain’s historic pub culture in light of new research showing how 16 pubs now close across the country on a weekly basis. The consumer group has expressed particular concern that Government policy is failing communities on the peripheries of Britain’s towns and cities, with half of these closures (8 a week) taking place in the nation’s suburbs.

In just 2 years, 1,078 pubs have been lost in suburban areas, with many community locals battered by whirlwind beer tax hikes and deep alcohol discounting from nearby supermarket chains, bringing about a general decline in pub going by consumers. Meanwhile, high street pubs are closing at a quarter of the rate – 2 per week – of suburban locals.

Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said, ‘While high street city centre venues are showing a degree of resistance in the current climate, both suburban and rural areas are under threat as wholesale pub closures deprive more local people of a community centre. Pubs are vital for social cohesion and cultural integration, and therefore the Government must act swiftly to repair the damage inflicted upon local communities by offering genuine support for enterprising and hard working licensees.

‘This research also further underlines the major problems caused by many hard-working pub lessees being unable to buy their beer on the open market, restricted by punitive measures imposed by greedy pub companies. The number of tied pubs has fallen by over 3,500 in just 3 years, with free of tie pubs remaining better placed to weather these difficult economic times by having the ability to offer greater beer choice and lower prices to the consumer.’

Today’s figures coincide with a groundbreaking new report by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) into the social value of community pubs. The report reinforces CAMRA’s figures by highlighting the need for a radical change in Government policy that recognises the important community function many pubs perform.

Recommended measures to provide vital support include business rate relief for pubs acting as ‘centres of a community’, reform of planning laws which prevent pubs from being demolished without the need for planning permission, and improving relations between large pub companies and their lessees to offer a guest beer option and an option to become ‘free of tie’ accompanied by an open market rent review.

IPPR Associate Director, Rick Muir, said, "Government must stop using a one size fits all approach to licensed premises which is killing off our community pubs. Instead responsible well-run community pubs should be encouraged and supported.

"Our research shows community pubs aren’t just places to drink but also places where people meet their neighbours; where local clubs hold meetings and events; and which support many important local services such as village post offices and general stores.’

 Allowing smoking back into pubs would encourage people to start using them again.

****ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ALERT****

Best beers from Wales via Ratebeer

Now I'm not a regular user of Ratebeer but I do find their lists interesting, if just for the amount of anomalies it throws up - for instance Murphy's Irish Stout is regarded as Welsh beer as its brewed by Inbev at their Magor Factory and at number 2 is Thames Welsh ESB, a beer that most people in Wales will have not seen or heard of as it is made by Felinfoel Brewery for export only. A lot of ciders on this list as well, here is the link for the full list.
Also on Ratebeer is a list of the 50 worst beers - made up mainly of Malt Liquors and Pale Lagers - although the spiced 'beer' made up of American Bud and Clamato (that's tomato juice and clam soup!) called Chelada does sound like the most disgusting combination possible, that is until you realise a Light version is also available.

Beer                                                                                        Score/Count/Style

1	Otley mOtley Brew		3.46	24	Imperial/Double IPA
2	Thames Welsh ESB		3.44	248	Premium Bitter/ESB
3	Gwynt y Ddraig Kingston Black SV		3.42	16	Cider
4	Otley O8		3.40	50	Barley Wine
5	Otley O6 Porter		3.33	28	Porter
6	Murphys Irish Stout		3.30	1374	Dry Stout
7	Rhymney Dark		3.29	36	Mild Ale
8	Otley O-Garden		3.28	54	Wheat Ale
9	Gwynt y Ddraig Gold Medal		3.28	25	Cider
10	Gwynt y Ddraig Fiery Fox (Draught)		3.27	18	Cider
11	Troggi Perry		3.26	14	Perry
12	Kingstone Classic Bitter		3.26	21	Bitter
13	Otley Oxymoron		3.25	11	Black IPA
14	Murphys Draught Irish Ale		3.24	46	Irish Ale
15	Kingstone 1503 Tudor Ale		3.24	26	Old Ale
16	Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon (Bottle)		3.23	22	Cider
17	Conwy Mulberry Dark		3.22	19	Mild Ale
18	Purple Moose Dark Side Of The Moose/Ochr Tywyll Y Mws		3.22	63	Porter
19	Pen-lon Cottage Stock-Ram Stout		3.20	22	Stout
20	Otley Dark-O		3.19	40	Mild Ale
21	Otley O5 Gold		3.18	13	Golden Ale/Blond Ale
22	Tomos Watkin Cwrw Gaeaf (Bottle)		3.18	35	Premium Bitter/ESB
23	Pen-lon Cottage Chocolate Stout		3.17	42	Stout
24	Gwynt y Ddraig Haymaker (Draught)		3.16	15	Cider
25	Waen Blackberry Stout		3.16	16	Stout
26	Pen-lon Cottage Twin Ram India Pale Ale		3.15	33	Premium Bitter/ESB
27	Gwynt y Ddraig Orchard Gold (Bottle)		3.14	18	Cider
28	Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon (Draught)		3.14	31	Cider
29	Brains Dark		3.14	134	Mild Ale
30	Great Orme Welsh Black		3.14	50	Mild Ale
31	Gwynt y Ddraig Happy Daze (Draught)		3.14	12	Cider
32	Breconshire Night Beacon		3.13	17	Stout
33	Otley O-Ho-Ho		3.13	16	Premium Bitter/ESB
34	Celt Experience Celt Golden		3.13	90	Golden Ale/Blond Ale
35	Brains Original Stout		3.13	17	Stout
36	Otley Columb-O		3.13	37	Golden Ale/Blond Ale
37	Untapped Triple ’S’		3.13	11	Stout
38	Celt Experience Bleddyn 1075		3.12	37	Golden Ale/Blond Ale
39	Otley Thai Bo		3.12	16	Spice/Herb/Vegetable
40	Otley O1		3.11	57	Golden Ale/Blond Ale
41	Tomos Watkin Taffy Apples Cider		3.11	17	Cider
42	Gwynt y Ddraig Vintage 06 (Bottle)		3.10	10	Cider
43	Newmans Mammoth		3.10	17	Bitter
44	Breconshire Ramblers Ruin		3.10	34	Premium Bitter/ESB
45	Swansea Deep Slade Dark		3.09	21	Mild Ale
46	Swansea Three Cliffs Gold		3.09	10	Golden Ale/Blond Ale
47	Facers North Star Porter		3.09	11	Porter
48	Evan Evans Brewery Bitter / Best Bitter		3.08	17	Bitter
49	Evan Evans Harvest Home		3.08	10	Bitter
50	Purple Moose Madogs Ale/Cwrw Madog		3.08	38	Bitter

The Blacksmiths Arms, Llanmaes

Blacksmiths Arms, Llanmaes, Vale of Glamorgan, CF61 2XR

Open all Day.

The Blacksmiths is situated in the village of Llanmaes, a short distance north of the historic town of Llantwit Major. The village has its own historic sites including a Roman camp, Norman castle and a Celtic Cross in the church. The pub was built in the mid-nineteenth century and named the Blacksmiths after the nearby smithy, the anvil of which is preserved opposite the pub car park.

The Blacksmiths is a two-story stone-built that has been extended over the years but still retains a distinct atmosphere of a traditional Vale of Glamorgan public house with its wooden beams, stone floor and real fire. Once owned by Welsh Brewers, the pub is now owned by Punch Taverns. An unusual cast-iron pub sign of two blacksmiths at work hangs outside of the pub and there is a large car park to the side. 

Inside the Blacksmiths features a welcoming log-burning fire, perfect after coming in from the rain and the cold this time of year. The light-grey bare stone walls of the interior contrast with the dark slate stone floor and the light-brown of the wooden bar. There are four handpumps on the bar, featuring Hancock’s HB and Brain’s Rev James as the permanent ales and two guest beers from breweries such as Wharfebank and Black Sheep from Yorkshire, Harviestoun from Scotland and Butcombe from Somerset. There are tasting notes on the wall for the real ales as well as a booklet listing their future beers. The Blacksmiths Arms holds Cask Marque accreditation as well as being in the 2012 CAMRA Good Beer Guide. A good range of single malts is also available.

The pub features plenty of seating with pews and tables in the front extension which leads out to a patio area. Smaller tables are in the bar area and there is another extension at the rear of the pub with another wood-burning fire.

The walls are decorated with old photographs of the area and daily newspapers are provided for customers to read. A charity quiz night is held on Wednesday nights and the pub hosts an annual beer festival every June.

Food is served 12-3, 6-9 weekdays, all day on Saturday and 12-4 Sunday. There is a printed menu and a chalkboard menu, the latter changes daily and features home-made and locally-sourced ingredients. Pasta. Fish dishes and a traditional Welsh cheeseboard all feature on the menu and there is a steak night on Tuesdays.

Public Transport: Infrequent  bus service to the village but Llantwit Major with its bus terminus, taxis and railway station is less than 20 minutes walk away.

Google Map:

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