A campaign has been launched to save the former Roath Park pub, the last Victorian pub on City Road in Cardiff, from demolition. Developers Ventura Developments have submitted a new planning application to Cardiff Council, reigniting fears that the 19th-century building could be knocked down.
Welsh Labour councillor Dan De'Ath, a former Lord Mayor of Cardiff, is leading the opposition. He argues that the building, which has served as a cultural hub for live music and community events, should be redeveloped rather than demolished. “There’s no reason why the building can’t be redeveloped rather than knocked down,” he said.
A petition to save the pub has garnered over 800 signatures since its launch on Monday. Councillor De'Ath hopes the building’s history and emotional significance will encourage more people to support the campaign. “Over the past 30 years, we've had live bands play there, all sorts of avant-garde performances and various clubs have met upstairs too,” he added.
In addition to the petition, local councillors have applied to Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, for listed status for the pub and the nearby Gaiety Cinema site. If granted, this would provide legal protection against demolition.
Ventura Developments previously withdrew plans for a seven-storey block of 37 apartments on the site in December. The company stated that the pub was sold by its previous owner Brains due to unprofitability and that they have no interest in reopening it. They are now seeking pre-application consultation with the council to determine an acceptable form of redevelopment, which could include commercial units on the ground floor with residential above.
