Pub closures in Newport & Cardiff

Earlier this year, the Office of National Statistics published "Economies of Ale", changes in the UK pubs and bars sector 2001-2019. What was noticeable about this report was the claim that small pubs and bars have bounced back after 15 years of decline, albeit by 0.4%. This is no doubt to the micropub revolution, however the trend is still downward

Smoking ban introduced in England 2007 so the steady drop happened after that.
Also on this report you can type in your postcode for a look at your local area, Cardiff and Newport areas are below as examples:

Brains on the move in Cardiff

Press release from Brains Brewery:

S.A. Brain confirms new brewery location

S.A. Brain is delighted to announce the location of its new brewery and support centre as Courtney House, in the Pacific Business Park, Cardiff.

Contracts have now been exchanged on the property, 1.5 miles from Cardiff’s city centre, with production at the new site expected to begin in early 2019.

Brains’ head office and support centre functions are expected to move to Courtney House in May/June 2018, by which time Brains hopes to have completed most of the building works for its new brewery.

John Rhys, Chairman of Brains, commented: “We are delighted to have secured our new home, which represents an exciting new chapter in our 135-year history of brewing and hospitality retailing from our Cardiff base.”

Brains Chief Executive, Scott Waddington, added: “Courtney House offers us the ideal facility to construct a modern, fit-for-purpose new brewery, in addition to developing the first floor into a high-quality office space. With a contract now in place, our effort will turn to the interior design of the building, which we will enhance for our own purposes and use to establish the Brains culture in our new home.

“We are finalising our plans for the brewery, which presents a real opportunity for full modernisation and readying the business for the future.”

Plans for the development of the current Brains Brewery site on Crawshay Street in Central Cardiff are being led by property developer Rightacres and are well advanced. The site is likely to include a multi-storey car park, a 12-storey office block, a hotel and potentially a university campus.

John Rhys commented further: “To complement our proposed new brewery and head office in Pacific Business Park, we also envisage developing a new venue within the existing brewhouse building alongside the famous Brains chimney at Crawshay Street, which would encompass a pub, microbrewery and visitor attraction, to showcase our iconic Welsh brand in a prime city centre location.”

Rhys James, Head of Cushman & Wakefield’s office in Cardiff, advised Brains on their relocation.

 He commented: “Relocating Wales’ most recognised brewing and hospitality business from their historic HQ in Cardiff city centre presented quite a challenge, but also a great opportunity. After an extensive exercise scrutinising various existing properties and new-build schemes, we were able to secure Courtney House, which with some modest adaptations will be able to accommodate a new state-of-the-art brewery, whilst also providing modern offices for Brains’ HQ.”

Brewdog Jet Black Heart review

Last week I popped into Brewdog Cardiff with Simon Martin to review some beers and their Jet Black Heart Oatmeal Stout was one of the ones we tried

Now and Then: Bute Street Bridge

 A bit of a change this time, with the Bute Street Railway Bridge in Cardiff and Brains advertising on it, looking North towards the Golden Cross pub.  Not sure of the age of the bottom photo but it's probably 1950s. The cables for the Cardiff trolleybuses can be seen in the photo.

Goat stocks crafty Brains

The award-winning Cardiff City-centre pub, the Goat Major, has extended its beer range as it now stocks a range of bottled beers from Brains Craft Brewery. The bottles compliment the cask and craft keg beers already on the bar and are a perfect to go with one of the pies this pub specialises  in.
Pictured above is Chris Rowlands, manager, pie-master general and beard wrangler of the Goat Major with a couple of bottles of some of the craft beers from the range.

Former Cardiff Staff Club to reopen as bar

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The former Glamorgan Council Staff Club on Westgate Street, Cardiff, is set to reopen as a bar. The Grade II listed building closed as a club in 2007 after 50 years as operating as a club. The building was built as the house for the treasurer of the council, on the site of the former town slaughterhouse!

Anyway I always enjoyed going into the club when I worked in Cardiff it sold the best real ale in the City at the time and was a regular entry in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide as well as a being a Club of the Year winner. The atmosphere can best be described as 'lively' in the Glammy, as these photos taken by Maciej show.

Beatboxbars Limited, who run the Buffalo Bar in Windsor Place and 10 Feet Tall in Church Street Cardiff, will shortly be reopening the former club as Fire Island, "an upmarket bar and eatery". Oh well the former imates of the staff club will be remaining in Chaverspoons next door then! Buffalo Bar already holds an annual cider festival and stocks a range of imported beers so hopefully we will see such a range at Fire Island.

Despite having planning permission approval for the last three years, disputes over opening times have delayed the project due to objections from local residents. The main entrance will now be via Womanby Street rather than Westgate Street.
Fire Island, plans to host accoustic music sessions.

Bottle Shop in Cardiff is one year old!

In time for their celebration of being open open for year, I finally made it to the Bottle Shop on Pen-y-Lan Road, Roath in Cardiff. Opened by Dan Williams, the shop sells a range of beers, ciders and wines. Of course it was the beers I was interested in and managed to stock up on Purple Moose and Duchess de Bourgogne, a Flemish Red that I had not tried in years.

Since my visit last month, Tiny Rebel bottled beers have made an appearance in the shop, together with some of the beers from Brains Craft Brewery.

Beer List

AUSTRALIA
Coopers Original Pale Ale
Coopers Sparkling Ale
James Boag’s Pure
Little Creatures Pale Ale
Victoria Bitter

CORSICA
Colomba

BELGIUM
Cantillon Gueuze (Classic/Organic/Bio)
De Dolle Oerbier
De La Senne Taras Boulba
Delirium Tremens
Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze
Grimbergen Blonde
Kasteelbier Blond 7
Lindemans Kriek
Lindemans Pecheresse
La Chouffe
Mc Chouffe
Orval
Silly Saison
Struise/Mikkeller Elliot Brew
GERMANY
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen
Augustiner Lagerbier Hell
Augustiner Edelstoff
Berliner Kindl Weisse
Flensburger Pilsener
Flensburger Gold
Früh Kölsch
Jever Pilsener
Maisels Weisse Original
Schneider Weisse Original
Schneider Weisse Meine Hopfenweisse
Schlösser Alt
St. Georgen Bräu Keller Bier
Veltins Pilsener

INDIA
King Cobra (Brewed in Belgium)

ITALY
Birra Moretti
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Peroni Gran Riserva
Menabrea Amber

JAMAICA
Dragon Stout

MEXICO
Modelo Especial

NORWAY
Nøgne Ø India Pale Ale
Nøgne Ø Saison

SCOTLAND
Brewdog Libertine Black Ale
Heather Ales Fraoch
Williams Brothers Grozet Gooseberry Ale

THAILAND
Chang Beer

USA
Anchor Steam Beer
Anchor Liberty Ale
Anchor Porter
Anchor Old Foghorn Ale
Anchor Summer Beer
Anchor Brekle’s Brown
Anchor Small Beer
Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn Brown Ale
Brooklyn East India Pale Ale
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Local 2
Brooklyn Summer Ale
Brooklyn BamBoozle
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale
Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA
Flying Dog Raging Bitch
Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter
Flying Dog Kujo Coffee Stout
Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout
Goose Island Honkers Ale
Goose Island India Pale Ale
Goose Island Summertime
Goose Island Matilda
Goose Island Pepe Nero
Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale
Goose Island Bourbon County Vanilla Stout
Left Hand Blackjack Porter
Left Hand Good JuJu

WALES
Brains Craft Brewery Barry Island IPA
Brains Craft Brewery Colonel Williams East India Pale Ale (Out of stock, back soon)
Penlon Tup’s Tipple Cold Filtered Pale Ale
Penlon Ewe’s Folly Cold Filtered Lager
Purple Moose Madogs Ale / Cwrw Madog
Purple Moose Glaslyn Ale / Cwrw Glaslyn
Purple Moose Dark Side Of The Moose / Ochr Tywyll Y Mws
Purple Moose Ysgawen
Purple Moose Snowdonia Ale / Cwrw Eryri
Untapped Sundown
Untapped Eclipse
Untapped U.P.A
Untapped Triple ’S’
Untapped Ember
Untapped Crystal
Vale of Glamorgan Rorke's Drift
Vale of Glamorgan Cwrw Dewi
Vale of Glamorgan Summer Daze
Vale of Glamorgan Marathon Man

A good list and Dan is eager to add to that as well. Its good to see another beer emporium open in Cardiff as well as the one on Whitchurch Road.

Interview with Dan Williams here on RoathCardiff.Net

Follow the shop on Twitter @CF24BottleShop
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The Bottle Shop
4 Pen-Y-Lan Road
Cardiff
CF24 3PF

29 2049 0096

The shop is easy to find as its opposite the Claude, don't bother going in there as the beer is indifferent and the owners (Greene King) could not care less about the pub.
Google Map:

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Pretentious Arts Centre to hold Cider Festival

Chapter Arts Centre, the pretentious and over-priced Arts Centre with the uncomfortable chairs is holding a Cider Festival this weekend, only its described as a 'Palooza' by the bunch of Guardian-reading tofu-munchers who actually run this place.
Full details on their site here

Fri 13 July: 5pm-12.30am
Sat 14 July: 1pm-12am

A selection of the following will be available from the Festival Bar throughout the weekend.

Gwynt Y Ddraig
Black Dragon
Fiery Fox
Two Trees Perry
Pyder
Farmhouse Scrumpy

Blind Granny  
Heartbreaker
Blindfold
National Treasure
Hallets Draught
Limited Edition
Perry

Gethin’s Cider 
Sych
Hapus
Melys

Williams Bros  
Ruck
Black Island

Palmer’s Upland Cyder 
Rubber Chicken
Cheeky Jackdaw
Bingo-Bongo

Troggi 
Sweet Perry
Medium Perry
Dry Perry

Pie and Chips

Whenever anyone asks me for a food recommendation for Cardiff, I always suggest the Goat Major by the castle. Its innovative menu of pies is always worth trying, as well as a set menu there is also the chalkboard specials and today I managed to have the last Lamb & Mint pie, don't expect these pies to be pulled straight from a freezer, the 'specials' are just that, individual creations from the chef that may or may not return to the menu. Steak and Blue Cheese was the other option, or for Veggies there was a Roast Vegetable Pie on the board.
The verdict on the Lamb & Mint pie? Excellent, once the the flaky pastry top had been broken, the pie was found to be packed with tender pieces of lamb in a rich, thick very minty gravy. Excellent, as were the chips with it. Oh and the beer I chose with it was Dark Horse Maypole, a golden ale which matched perfectly with the lamb.
Pie and chips, the perfect pub food.
The Goat Major is a previous winner of 'Pie of the Year'.

Bar Naked in Cardiff this Saturday

Artisan Brewery of Cardiff will be holding one of their regular beer festivals this weekend, more details from Simon below:
Hot food. Cold Pints of BARE NAKED BEER. Smoking BBQ. And a brand new brewery backdrop (hopefully up and running!). Bring your mates down to our brewery quarter. Doors Open 12 till 9.

Beer styles on the day:
Octoberfest 5.3%
Bavarian Wheat 5.3%
Chocolate Wheat 5%

 We'll have some tasty organic cider, fine wine and a range of soft drinks for those non-beer drinking folk.

 The sun is forecast to shine 23 degrees, so grab a perch in our courtyard and camp-down for an afternoon.

Entry is still free.

Google Map:

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Artisan Brewery Beer Festival

Hidden away in The back streets of Pontcanna in Cardiff is the Artisan Brewery, run by Simon Doherty, pictured above. Two beers on today for the micro-beer festival, a 5.1% Kolsch and a Chocolate Wheat at 4.9%. It's no surprise that the chocolate Wheat is going down well with assorted RATs here. Good food here as well with home-made burgers and pumpkin soup. Bands about to start and the festival is open Sunday as well.

3rd Artisan Beer Festival

MicroBEER Festival 3 – 2009

19^th & 20^th September

183A Kings Rd Canton, CF119DF

MicroBEER Festival 3 - 2009

Artisan Brewing Co. in conjunction with the Kings Road Art Studios is pleased to announce the third in a line-up of several MicroBEER Festivals to be staged at the Brewery in Canton, Cardiff.

Starting 10am Saturday 19^th September (12noon Sun)

Mishmash Market Stalls, Open Arts Studios, Live Music, BBQ and Cardiff brewed Specialty Beers on tap.

It's a day event and done by 9pm so bring a chair or a blanket, and get in early. We will prove shelter for the rain so come and be locally entertained

Sunday is a little more relaxed with beer flowing, background tunes and hot homemade chili beef burgers from the BBQ (vegetarian options also). Sunday will finish early – say 7pm.

If you make a little something and fancy your luck at selling at our market please contact to arrange.

Join us... entry is free

Kings Rd Arts Studios & Markets from 11am (Saturday Only)

Bands start 2pm... beers start 12noon... BBQ when your ready

183A KINGS RD, CANTON, CARDIFF. CF119DF

Facebook Site

Artisan Brewing Company

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Artisan Brewery Beer Festival

After drinking my first bottles of Artisan Beer at Gwdihw the other week, Brew Wales is looking forward to this little beer festival in Cardiff.

MicroBEER Festival 2009

27th & 28th June

Artisan Brewing Co.in conjunction with the Kings Road Art Studios is pleased to announce the very first MicroBEER Festival

Starting 10am Saturday (12noon Sun)

Market Stalls, Open Studios, Live Music, BBQ and specialty beers on tap.

Sunday is a little more relaxed with beer flowing music all day and the hot food from the BBQ.

Join us... entry is free

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Vulcan update. National Assembly Petitions Committee

Brew Wales attended the National Assembly Petitions Committee this morning where evidence was heard regarding the Campaign to Save the Vulcan pub. The heritage organisation CADW have consistantly refused to protect the Vulcan by listing it and the council have local listing powers but there do not protect a building against demolition. There is a Heritage Protection Bill floating in the ether of the Westminster Government which will give local authorities more power to protect old buildings, however it may be becoming law next year. However locallisting does not provide any inhanced powers to protect a building. Adding a building to a local list has not stopped a building from being demolished in at least the last 10 years. CADW see no national significance of the Vulcan and hence it falls to Cardiff Council to act to save the pub. Meanwhile reports on the front page of the South Wales Echo today suggest that the Vulcan may be saved amid rumours of meetings between brewers Brains and developers Rapport. The Vulcan was closed Monday due to flooding, preventing Brew Wales from his usual lunchtime Brains Bitter, but hopes to reopen today.

Great British Cheese Festival

Britains biggest cheese festival will be moving to Cardiff Castle and CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale will be supplying the real ales, ciders and perries to wash down the best of British cheeses.
Great British Cheese Festival
Saturday 27th September 1000-1800 • Sunday 28th September 1000-1630
Cardiff Castle

Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival 2008

If you enjoyed the festival last year then make a sure you visit us in June at the Cardiff International Arena where there will be more real ales and more ciders than Wales has ever seen in one place.

Our new venue, Cardiff International Arena, handy for the Vulcan before it gets demolished.

Dr Gareth John, author of a famous book about beer as well as the "Glimpses of Gwent" series enjoys a half with Les Chittleburgh both from ISCA Morris Men.

The first day of the festival draws to a close and the customers filled the city hall. It just goes to show that Central Cardiff is short of a freehouse to support our National breweries.

Tomorrow we have the Champion Beer of Wales Competition so lots more tasty beers to try.

Great Welsh Opens!

And the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival finally opens its doors to the public today. This is the first time the festval has opened on a Thursday daytime and thirsty Cardiff customers were already queing at 1145 this morning.

Some of the thousands of thirsty customers who will be descending on Cardiff City Hall this weekend.



And the one of the missing Customs and Inland Revenue disc has turned up - being used as a beermat at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival.

Owen Cider at the Festival

Award-winning cidermaker Ralph and Owen and his son James enjoy a quick chat at the cider bar at the Great Welsh Beer & Cider Festival, Cardiff City Hall. Ralph Owen has been cidermaking for well-over 60 years and is respected as one of the Greats of the UK Cider industry. Ralph always makes sure his ciders arive at the Great Welsh by delivering them personally, driving down from Mid-Wales on his tractor.