Beer bars of Newport

It's ben a few years since I last did a video with You Tube Beer Reviewer Simon Martin so we recently met up in Newport for brief history lesson on the pubs and former breweries of Newport

 

Four Elms, Roath

Four Elms, 1 Elm Street, Roath, CF24 3QR

Open all day
The Four Elms has recently been refurbished and reopened under its original name after years of being know as ‘Bar YK’ and before that as the ‘Yellow Kangaroo’. It once proudly boasted that it was ‘The only Yellow Kangaroo in the world’ although why that is something to boast about is not at all clear.

Above: Bar YK pictured in 2011The building dates back to 1859 when it had three bars, two public rooms and stabling for one horse, over the years all of these areas have been knocked through into the one open-plan pub we see today. The pub gets its name from four distinctive elms that were once local landmarks but were felled in 1901 in order to widen the road. The Four Elms was previously a Welsh Brewers pub and later owned by Scottish & Newcastle but is now owned by local pub company JW Bassett who have refurbished this old building to bring it into the twenty-first century.

Above: Plan of the Four Elms from 1899

Glamorgan Record Office

The two-storey street-corner pub is painted in black and white and features a colourful display of flowering plants in hanging baskets outside. The corner door leads to an open-plan bar area with the wood and red leather panelled bar counter on the left-hand side of the building. Four gleaming chrome handpumps serve Felinfoel Double Dragon, Sharps Doombar. A cider from Westons and a house beer, Four Elms IPA, also brewed by Felinfoel of Llanelli. This is a rare Cardiff outlet for Felinfoel Brewery and their beers are served in branded glasses. A premium lager, Peroni is also available, together with a selection of wines. To the side of the bar is a dartboard, with the awards the teams have won on display.

There is plenty of seating in the Four Elms with high tables and stools towards the front and bench-seating and tables towards the rear. A pool table is also present in the pub. Towards the rear of the pub, a raised seating area in the former stables features embossed wallpaper and a large-flat screen television, used for major sporting events. Elsewhere in the pub it is decorated with old photographs of Cardiff, including one dating from 1897 which shows the four elm trees that gave the pub its name. Large mirrors with ornate golden frames help make the interior light and give the appearance of it being more spacious.

The smoking area is at the rear of the pub and this leads onto the huge pub garden which must be one of the biggest in the City with bench seats and parasols to allow the customers to make the most of this sun trap.

Food is served 12-2.30 and 4.30-9 from a menu that features a range of food from pasta and pizza and grills, including a 32oz mixed grill. Portions for children are also available. Sunday lunch from the carvery is available 12-5 with booking advisable for groups. Other meal deals include a pizza night on Thursdays, steak night Wednesdays and a curry night on Thursdays.

Free WiFi is available and the Four Elms also features a function room and skittle alley.

The Pub is still marked as Bar YK on Streetview

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Bassett Pub Company expands whilst others decline

The South Wales-based JW Bassett Pub Company have announced a ninth pub to their estate which already covers pubs from Penarth to Kilburn. The freehold of the former bar YK in Elm Street, Roath, Cardiff has been aquired and the company is planning to revert the late-Victorian pub back to its original name, the Four Elms and to refurbish the pub in the same style as other JWB pubs such as Queen's Vaults and the Pantmawr.
Good to see a pub saved from the developers and not being turned into flats, if any company can make this pub a success its Jon Bassett and his team.

Elsewhere in Cardiff, the Bertram has closed and is now boarded up, the likelihood it will become flats and the Echo reports it. Interview with me in there where I blame the smoking ban and the duty rises as to reasons it closed.  Plus it had been run by Punch who seem to be getting out of the South Wales pub business.

Above: the Bertram, pictured last year

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:

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?

Golden Lion, Penarth

Golden Lion, 69 Glebe Street, Penarth, CF64 1EF
Open all day


The Golden Lion is a two-story Victorian building on the corner of
Glebe and King Streets and was one of the original ten pubs built when
this area of Penarth was constructed in the nineteenth century. The
pub was originally owned by Hancock's Brewery, then was taken over by
Welsh Brewers but was recently bought by the locally-based JW Bassett
Pub Company who have leased the pub for a number of years previously.
The frontage consists of large windows and black painted wooden beams
with a decorative pub sign of a golden lion with the words 'Serving
the finest ales and lagers' written underneath. The entrance doorway
is on the corner and this leads to the small and compact bar area.
Polished wooden floorboards give way to black and red Victorian floor
tiles approaching the tall wooden bar counter.
Three gleaming brass handpumps serve real ales and a cider, the Golden
Lion is a rare local outlet for beers from Wales oldest brewery,
Felinfoel of Llanelli and also a rare local outlet for one of Wales'
newest breweries, Kite of Gorslas. The ciders and occasionally a perry
are from Westons of Much Marcle, a traditional Herefordshire maker.
All the drinks are served in branded glassware with the beers from the
Kite Brewery being served in their own oversized vessels.

A large real fire is a feature of the bar area and to the left hand
side of this is a passage into what once was the next door house, now
encompassed into the Golden Lion as part of the pub. This part of the
pub features a dart board as well as more seating. To the rear of this
room is a doorway that leads to a courtyard which features as the beer
garden and smoking area. An outside drinking area is unusual to find
in Penarth and this one is even equipped with its own weatherproof
flatscreen television. Live sports events are a feature of this pub
and there are 6 plasma screens in total, including one for 3D
broadcasts.

Food is served all day with grills a speciality and a carvery on
Sundays. One of the menu items is a 32oz mixed grill for under a
tenner. A chalkboard in the bar gives details of a Pick 'n' Mix combo
or 'Welsh Tapas' which prove very popular during major sporting
events. Real Crisps and pickled eggs are also available.
The Golden Lion is a thriving, friendly community pub with regular
charity events and drinks promotions on Monday nights and a poker
night on Tuesdays. Free WiFi.

Google Map:

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Queen's Vaults, Cardiff

Queen's Vaults, 29 Westgate Street, Cardiff, CF10 1DA

Situated on the corner of Westgate Street and Golate, this City-centre pub is unmistakable with its yellow and green glazed terracotta tiles bearing the legend “Ind Coope Entire” after a long forgotten beer brewed by a long-gone Burton-upon-Trent based brewery. The tiles are unusual for a Cardiff pub and this building deserves its Grade II listed status. The rest of the building is built out of nineteenth-century red brick and the pub sign is of a rather stern-looking Queen Victoria. The name 'Vaults' is unusual for South Wales, the term is more familiar in the North of England and meant a working mens bar, as opposed to a more upmarket 'Smoke Room' or 'Lounge'. The Queens Vaults was built in the nineteenth century when this area of land was drained, previously the river came up to Golate. This pub was the working class bar and formed the rear of the now defunct Queens Hotel on St Mary Street. The Queens Vaults was much smaller in those days, the glazed tiles on the exterior show the extent of the original pub on Westgate Street, the pub later expanded sideways into the former coach-house of the hotel and today a large, arched window, with some stained glass at the top marks the entrance to the former coach-house. The art-deco building next door is the former 'Queens and Royal Garage' and is now home to Zero Degrees.

The Queen's Vaults did go through an odd period in the late 1990s when the owners Carlsberg-Tetley decided to rename the pub the Flyhalf and Firkin, thankfully the pub reverted to its original name in the early years of the twenty-first century. Today, although the pub is owned by Mitchells & Butlers it is run by a local pub company, JW Bassett, who have pubs from in places as diverse as Penarth and Kilburn.

The interior of the Queen's Vaults is open plan, but still manages to retain separate and distinct areas, the Golate side features red-leather seats against the wall, this leads to the well-stocked bar which stretches around the corner with bar stools provided to sit on. At the front of the pub, is a raised dining area and at the rear, in the old coach-house, blackened wooden ceiling beams are exposed and there is enough room for three pool tables here. Unusually for Cardiff, the beer range is from Wales' oldest brewery, Felinfoel of Llanelli, and their Double Dragon takes pride of place alongside their Bitter and the stronger Celtic Pride, all served from the gleaming brass handpumps at very competitive prices. Brains SA Gold is served straight from a cooled cask at the rear of the bar.

The bar back features intricate wood panelling and the dark green walls and ceilings contrast nicely with golden plaster mouldings and golden-framed mirrors.

The Queen's Vaults is open all day and serves food, from a traditional pub menu with value-for-money grills on offer alongside curries and Sunday Lunch.

Google Map:

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Bassett Goes for Gravity

The Carpenter's Arms in Newport has had a refurbishment. A bit surprising that any pub company would want to spend money on a Newport pub, but this pub is run by the local JW Bassett Pub Company. Being a South Wales-based company they know their market and run pubs from Penarth to Kilburn with the historic Queens Vaults in Cardiff being their most well-known outlet.
Well how has the refurbishment gone? New carpet, wallpaper etc, brass foot rail along the length of the bar and 4 beers on gravity in the centre of the bar. Yes, chilled casks from SA Brain with SA, SA Gold, Rev James and Buckleys Best served straight from gravity with Felinfoel Double Dragon and Celtic Pride on handpump as well. Onlly tried the SA Gold so far and its far superior to when it is served by a swan neck handpump, the tight, creamy head suits beers like Dark but not SA Gold. The bottled version of SA Gold is even better and retains more hop character than the cask version does, any that's a digression for another post! Back to the Carps!
Some good bits of art on the walls with local rugby and football legends featured, even the legendary Arthur Gould from the nineteenth century gets a portrait on the wall!
Pubs before in Newport have tried beer straight from the cask, though not in recent years. The Ale House (ex-Sovereign Bar) in John Frost Square had a cooled stillage but that place has been demolished, JD Chaverspoons occasionally had some stillage up in their pubs during their festivals but have stopped doing that since our falling out.

Hopefully this will get the real ale drinkers of Newport back into pubs, the Carpenters refurbishment is an example of what can be done if someone has an ambition or idea to try something different in a City Centre pub.

The pub also does WiFi and this post was live blogged with the help of SA Gold!

Carpenter's Arms
9 High Street
Newport
NP20 1FQ

Bassett Pub Company expands with Ninian Park acquisition

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The JW Bassett Pub Company, who already run pubs from Penarth to Kilburn has announced another pub to add to their estate as they have bought the lease of the Ninian Park pub from brewers SA Brain. The JW Bassett company already runs the Queens Vaults in Cardiff and the Carpenter's Arms in Newport and according to pub company owner John Bassett, a keen Cardiff City supporter, "We are going to be capitalising on stadium events days. There will be a lot of memorabilia going in there and we’ve commissioned paintings of players for the walls, it will be transformed.”
The pub will have high-definition televisions installed for punters to watch pre-match football, while there will be a new menu as JW Bassett looks to attract custom outside of match days.
“We want to get the locals back in there. A lot of people are walking into town, or to Cowbridge Road instead. But we also want to continue to attract the Cardiff City element of the business. What I can say is that it will not be turned into flats, in three days it will be transformed.”
Although built around 1975, the Ninain Park pub replaced the Atlas Hotel which had been built in 1878.

H/T to Wales Online

Carpenter's Arms, Newport

Always good to see a pub reopen after an extended period of closure and the Carpenter's Arms in Newport is a welcome change to the usual shit holes that masquerade as City Centre pubs in Newport. Run by the JW Bassett Pub Company, who also run the Queens Vaults in Cardiff and the Golden Egg in Kilburn, yes a Welsh pub in Kilburn, the Carpenters offers 3 real ales, all from the Felinfoel Brewery. The first outlet for Felinfoel Brewery in Newport for, well, apart from the odd appearance as a guest beer, ever? Three real ales are on tap, Double Dragon 4.2% and two house beers, also brewed by Felinfoel: Liquid Metal 4.3% and Carpenters 1403 at 3.9%. All at £1.89 with the 1403 £1.49/pint until 1700hrs! Good value menu available until 2100hrs. For those keg tickers out there Thatchers Gold is available alongside Old Hand 4.1% lager and Black Arts 4% Stout. Quite a good pint as well, good jukebox, with an emphasis on rock music. Can see myself using this pub more often! A Felinfoel outlet in Newport!

Cheapest pint in Wales - pt2

The Queens Vaults, Westgate st, Cardiff, is currently selling Felinfoel Best Bitter @ £1.49 a pint. The pub is run by the JW Bassett pub co so hats off to them for offering 3 real ales below £2 a pint. Best sign in the pub was a job offer for "a pub sing song pianist required" can a pub get any better? Support pubs not superpubs - this place is still a real pub in the centre of Cardiff. It may be a bit too far for hacks to walk to now Thomson house has been demolished - too many distractions with all the coffee bars on the way but for a real Cardiff pub you can't do better.

Welsh Pub in London

It was a nice surprise to come across the Golden Egg, Kilburn High Road. Run by the JW Bassett Pub co, this large, open-plan pub offers Felinfoel Double Dragon at an unbelievable price for London - £1.99 a pint. Added to that another very rare beer for the area, Brains Bitter is available at £1.89 a pint. The pub is popular with all types a paeople and a welcome change from the normal Oirish pubs of Kilburn, the Golden Egg also offers a selection of good value meals. The JW Bassett pub co run 7 pubs in an empire stretching from Penarth to London. Their Cardiff pub is the Queens vaults, one of the favoured haunts of staff from the Western Mail and Echo.