Council happy to engage with historic pub campaigners

CARDIFF Council says it is willing to engage with campaigners who have called for better protection for historic pubs and that it would be happy to talk to Cardiff Civic Society about any campaigns it has to get pubs across the city listed.

The civic society launched a campaign at the start of the year to protect working-class heritage in Cardiff and get a number of pubs in the city listed, including The Four Elms, Halfway Hotel and The Crwys.

A Cardiff Council spokesperson said:

“The council’s heritage officers engage regularly with Cadw, and would be happy to discuss any campaign by Cardiff Civic Society to get additional pubs across the city statutorily listed, or to consider ‘local listing’ where Cadw determines that such buildings do not merit statutory protection.”

Cardiff Council has come under fire in the past when it comes to getting buildings listed. Earlier in the year, MS for South Wales Central, Rhys ab Owen, claimed the council hadn’t listed a building since 1997.

When this was put to the council, a spokesperson re-affirmed the authority’s commitment to protecting the city’s heritage.

The spokesperson added:

“The council’s commitments are set out in ‘Stronger, Fairer, Greener’ strategy, which includes a pledge to protect and celebrate local buildings such as pubs, community spaces and music venues – particularly those rich in the city’s working-class history – by strengthening our planning regulations and continuing to lobby the Welsh Government for stronger powers.

“There are around 1,000 listed buildings in Cardiff, which are listed by Cadw to ensure that their special architectural or historic interest is protected through the planning system.

“Outside of the statutory listed building regime, the council also has approximately 300 ‘locally-listed’ buildings, which do not meet the criteria for national listing or have the same level of protection, but nevertheless are identified to ensure that buildings with locally-significant architectural or historic interest are also recognised within the planning system.

“The local list was produced in 1997.”

Chair of Cardiff Civic Society, Nerys Lloyd Pierce, said:

“Cardiff has lost so many of its traditional drinking houses. Many have closed their doors for good, others have been demolished.

“The Vulcan is ensconced in the National Museum of History in St Fagan’s.  However, Cardiff Civic Society believes our pubs should be a living, breathing part of the character of the city.

“A few traditional pubs still remain, and it’s vital to save them before they disappear, or are refurbished beyond recognition.

“To this end, the society is seeking to have a number of establishments listed, so that their individual and remarkable characteristics can be saved.

“The society strongly believes that working-class heritage in our city has been neglected, and this has to stop.

“Most importantly, however, we’d entreat the public to go and enjoy a beer in these pubs.  Above all, pubs need people, for their life and spirit to flourish.”

More recently, Cardiff Civic Society succeeded in getting East Moors Youth Centre listed. The youth centre on Sanquhar Street, Splott is now a Grade II-listed building.