Welsh Bloggers in the pub

Photo Courtesy of Dom At Welsh Icons

Well it was a successful evening in the Vulcan with bloggers from across the diverse Welsh Blogosphere attending. Although as the photo above shows we did not spend all night in the pub, the Welsh Bloggers did pop outside for a quick photoshoot and a cigarette for those who smoked. Bloggers in attendance were Arfur, Brew Wales and
David Raybould, Cynical Dragon

Marcus Warner- Sweet and Tender Hooligan

Uncle Wilco, Shed Blog

Clive Betts, Cambria Politico

Chris Jones

Denis Campbell, UK Progressive

David Taylor, Aneurin Glyndwr

Dom Stocqueler - Welsh Icons

Duncan Higgitt, Wales Home

Michael Corbett, Welsh Wired Web

Save The Vulcan team including Rachel Thomas.
The Lone Voice did send his apologies. Sorry If I did not get everyones blog in, mail me if I missed out on anyone.

Welsh Bloggers in the pub

Wednesday night will see the great and the good of the Welsh blogosphere descend upon the Vulcan Hotel in Cardiff for the inaugral get together of "Welsh bloggers in the pub". The Vulcan was recently saved from demolition so it is yet another excuse, if Brew Wales ever needs one, to visit this pub. A few pints of Brains may well be sunk tomorrow night.

Heritage Minister to "ignore public concerns"

The Heritage Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, Alun Ffred Jones AM, has told the Save the Vulcan campaign that his office "will not respond further to individual postcards" sent by campaigners trying to save the Vulcan pub in Cardiff.

The North Wales Plaid Cymru AM is clearly not interested in trying to save part of the history and culture of the Capitol, after all his constituency is Caernafon in North Wales and ignoring the public support for the Vulcan is not going to effect his majority one bit.

The Welsh Assembly Government’s own website proudly claims that the objectives for the Heritage department include:
• Widening access to arts and culture for all
• Conserving, protecting, sustaining and promoting wider access to the historic environment of Wales
• Promoting and developing tourism in Wales.

Unfortunately it appears the Heritage Minister chooses not to read or take notice of his own department's website. Perhaps if Alun Ffred Jones AM offered a bit more clarity on his own dealings with property companies then his office might respond to the criticism levelled at it by campaigners trying to save the Vulcan.

The Save the Vulcan campaign has generated unprecedented support, including:
• 5000 signatures on the petition
• Celebrity support from Rhys Ifans, Huw Stephens, John Inverdale
• Political support from Glenys Kinnock MEP, Jenny Willott MP, Jenny Randerson AM, Chris Franks AM, Leanne Wood AM, David Melding AM, Nick Bourne AM, Cllr Nigel Howells and Cllr John Dixon, among many others.

Vulcan - Welsh Assembly response

The historic Vulcan pub in Cardiff is threatened with demolition and even the Welsh Assembly is trying to save the pub with a Statement of Opinion (roughly equivalent to a Parliamentary EDM) which I reproduce below. Well done to those AMs who have signed this

OPIN-2008- 0088 - Save the Vulcan!

Raised By:

Jenny Randerson

Subscribers:

Leanne Wood 12/11/2008

Peter Black 12/11/2008

Nick Ramsay 12/11/2008

Dai Lloyd 13/11/2008

Bethan Jenkins 13/11/2008

Nerys Evans 13/11/2008

Gareth Jones 13/11/2008

Rhodri Glyn Thomas 13/11/2008

Chris Franks 13/11/2008

Mohammad Asghar 13/11/2008

Leanne Wood 13/11/2008

Helen Mary Jones 13/11/2008

Mick Bates 18/11/2008

Michael German 18/11/2008

David Melding 18/11/2008

Christine Chapman 20/11/2008

Kirsty Williams 24/11/2008

Andrew RT Davies 26/01/2008

Eleanor Burnham 30/01/2009

Save the Vulcan!

This Assembly:

Opposes the proposed demolition of The Vulcan Hotel in Adamsdown, Cardiff and calls on the developers to re-consider their proposals with a view to saving this historic pub.

Believes that it will be a great loss to Cardiff and Wales if, in 2009, this pub pulls its last pint.

It's not surprising so many AMs have registered their disgust at the demolition of part of Cardiff's past, nor that very few Labour AMs have signed this motion. After all we have a teetotal Prime Minister ruining this country and the Labour Assembly Members hardly want to be seen supporting a pub that their bible-bashing-beer-hating-one-eyed-leader wants to demolish to satisfy his associates in the temperance movement.

Save the Vulcan

The Vulcan pub in Adam Street, Cardiff has been serving customers since 1853 and yet is set to be demolished so that a multi-story car park can be built on the site.

A public meeting will be held on 29th January at 7pm in the 'ATRiuM' building - (directly opposite The Vulcan on Adam Street). A map of the area can be found - HERE

Other ways to lend your support are ...

Write to the Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones, urging him to list the building - (he has powers independent of CADW to list things) that'd be really helpful.

His contact details are:

e-mail: alunffred.jones@wales.gov.uk.

Snail-Mail: Alun Ffred Jones AM, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1NA.

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Write into - (and urge others to do so as well) - the South Wales press ...

The Western Mail (readers@mediawales.co.uk)

The South Wales Echo (ecletters@mediawales.co.uk)

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Please sign the online petition at - http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethevulcanhotel/

CADW have continually refused to list the pub, despite the tiled frontage, old Brains windows and the 1950s Guinness is good for you sign that has been recently uncovered on the side.