Roof terrace plan for city nightspot

THE £750,000 transformation of one of Cardiff’s most iconic nightspots will now include an outdoor dining area.

Work on the Philharmonic pub on St Mary Street has already started ahead of its opening this spring.

The Grade II-listed building was bought by independent bar company Croeso Pubs Ltd after a five-year closure.

The company already runs Brewhouse and Retro and is investing £750,000 in bringing the premises back to life.

It plans to celebrate the site’s heritage and create a new eaterie and bar complete with all the Victorian fixtures and fittings.

Permission has now been given by Cardiff council planning officers for a rooftop smoking terrace to be created which would not be visible from the street.

Changes at the rear side, onto Great Western Lane, will see a new aluminium shopfront put in place and a covered dining terrace built. The historic front will be unchanged.

The application for the Philly reads: “This elevation has little historical merit as it a very plain and high back wall with small fire exits onto this rear lane. The historic front will remain unchanged.

“There is also a rooftop smoking terrace but this cannot be seen from street level as it is enclosed by higher roofs on all sides.

“The existing building is an historically notable listed building in a traditional Victorian city centre street. However, the existing notable shop front is not to be changed. The proposed alterations are to the rear of the building that houses a secondary public entrance and the primary wheelchair access. Therefore improvements to this elevations would improve the appearance of the building and the legibility of the entrance.”

The planning application also provides detail about what will be completed inside with photographs from the developers to show the work that needs to be done.

On the lower ground floor “very little of the original fabric remains”, it reads.

“The ill-considered 1980s design scheme is to be stripped out.”

The low removed.

On the first floor new doors and toilets will be installed and a section of floor removed to provide extra height space.

During renovation works, a number of historical items have been found including a hidden lane which used to run between the former Philharmonic Hotel and the Philharmonic Hall. ceilings will also be