Positivity still around as five new venues open
Despite the pandemic hitting the hospitality industry hard, reporter Katie Bellis finds hope and positivity in one South Wales town, where five independent restaurants and bars have opened in the past three months alone...
WITH many businesses in the hospitality industry struggling because of the Covid-19 pandemic, opening a restaurant might seem like a risky move.
Especially in a small town centre where only last year traders said they were on their knees.
But in Bridgend town centre five new independent restaurants and bars have opened in the past three months, bringing hope and positivity to a place that’s been described by some as a “ghost town”.
Before the pandemic, if you walked through Bridgend in the day, very rarely would you find it packed with shoppers.
Today you will find a number of empty units – a scene that is matched across most town centres up and down the country.
Bridgend Council said it is preparing to launch a “public consultation over an ambitious new 10-year town centre masterplan which will use a ‘zoned’ approach to attract funding and deliver new growth and development”.
The new businesses have certainly brought a new lease of life to Bridgend – offering a variety of places for locals to eat and drink, and this was not the case a few years ago.
The pandemic has meant delayed opening dates and several changes to how food businesses operate.
But that hasn’t stopped Adrian Reynolds. The 40-year-old owns French restaurant, Morgans Bistro & Cocktail Bar, which opened in August.
He said that he wasn’t nervous opening in the middle of a pandemic.
“It didn’t really put any nerves on us, we were more nervous going into the lockdown again now than what we were opening originally.
“The bookings were already busy coming into opening, so we knew that people were still
coming out and would still use it.”
The business owner said that Bridgend has had a lot of knockbacks.
“If someone posts on Facebook it’s constant knocks, ‘it’s a hole of a town’, ‘there’s nothing there’.
“The way forward with Bridgend is the leisure and hospitality side of it, I think a lot of hospitality will come into Bridgend now.
“There’s people now who wouldn’t rush onto a train to Cardiff because there’s enough in Bridgend.
“You can start in Huna bar then come to us then go to La Cocina, there’s more of a variety in Bridgend.
“You’ve got the three Italians, you’ve got the two Mediterranean restaurants, us which is a French cuisine and the Three Horseshoes and Spoons that do the traditional pub grub. I think it will bring people back to Bridgend.
“Bridgend isn’t dying like a lot of people are saying.”
Adrian believes new places opening show people still have faith in the area.
“The biggest problem with us here is that in the day we have got The Pines [McArthur Glen on the outskirts of town], our shopping mall is there.
“Bridgend is leaning towards the leisure and tourism side of it, so people will come in more for eating, drinking and socialising and maybe the leisure as there’s a lot of gyms in town now.
“Outside seating is vital in the summer months to bring people in, where they can go to New Look then come over here and have a cocktail.
“We are told that we are not allowed outside seating because of public protection. That’s what’s drawing people to Cardiff.
“Why haven’t we got an outside market for Christmas? Cardiff and Swansea have – I know they are cities but we could have one.”
Near to Morgan’s Bistro and Cocktail Bar you will find The Shoes Showbar, which opened in September.
It is the first ever show bar venue in Bridgend, and manager Thomas Pound said the town centre needed “a new lease of life”.
“I have lived in Bridgend all my life, Bridgend needs something new and exciting. Bridgend needs this more than anything, it’s been a shambles for so long,” he said.
“I feel sad walking through town seeing all the old businesses close, it has so much potential.”
The 23-year-old said the pandemic has meant they have been faced with challenges, including the 10pm curfew and not being able to operate as an entertainment bar.
He added: “It’s been the hardest experience of our lives, it’s such testing times for us all. We are an entertainment bar, in Wales, we are still not allowed entertainment, as an entertainer myself that’s quite scary.
“The opening weekend, we were quite fortunate that we were busy and we have been quite busy as a new venue, however, we have to make sure that people are following the guidelines.
“Everything we set out as a venue it’s impossible, there doesn’t seem to be any clarity around when we can do what we set out to do. I am really concerned about the future of the music and arts industry in Wales.
“We take our biggest money from 10pm onwards, it’s completely shattering us to be honest with you.”
Thomas said it’s important the town has a venue where everyone feels comfortable and relaxed.
“Bridgend has never had anything like it, which is the biggest and best thing about it. There’s a massive LGBT community.
“That’s why I decided to push for an LGBT accepted venue. We are not calling it a gay bar or an LGBT venue, it’s a place for everyone but to have that kind of feminine, drag, kind of touch to it makes it a little bit more flamboyant.” he said.
Other new venues to open include Huna Cafe Bar and Colosseo Italian Restaurant.
You also have La Cocina, the tapas restaurant, which has been in the town since 2015, relocated to a new venue during the pandemic and is due to reopen on Nolton Street next weekend.
Owner Dan Apsee is also planning on opening Cane & Rye – a boutique gin and cocktail bar next door very soon.
“We had this planned for a little while, it’s a better location and better footfall. The plan was to open in summer so we are a little bit behind, the circumstances around Covid means that everything is longer.
“We have got a good following in town so we know that when we launch we will have that custom. I’ve grown up in Bridgend and I am passionate about good food and drink. I’ve been in this industry since I was 17.”
The 34-year-old believes if there’s more in Bridgend people will want to stay local.
“The more that’s in the town the better, the transport links in Bridgend are great but that works with and against Bridgend because a lot of people for a night out tend to go to Cardiff or Swansea.
“It’s just adding to the town and ultimately we want the town to do better, it gets a bit of negative press but if there’s enough operators in the town who want to make a difference, especially in the evening we can push on and be known for that.”
When asked if there’s a big difference in the day and night in the town centre, he responds: “Massively. Part of the reason why we moved was because of the daytime economy.
“At our previous location we were finding that people were coming up this way and not turning left, in the evening it was great.
“I think it is an industry wide problem and not just a local problem and everyone’s fighting for lunch trade.
“The town centre is definitely on the up, there’s a lot of people in Bridgend who want to spend money and there’s regeneration going on,” he said.
Bridgend council said it is continuing to support traders.
A spokesman for the council said: “This long-term plan outlines significant changes to the town centre which will create new retail and commercial office space opportunities, introduce new public realm works and provide better transport facilities.
“At the same time, we have supported and assisted many new businesses which have located to the town centre through funding programmes.
“We have ensured that traders are fully up to date with latest news on what additional support is available, and have supported stallholders at Bridgend Indoor Market by carrying out a full refurbishment, including the creation of a new market square facility, and setting up a new system for rents.
“During the pandemic, the council has also been instrumental in ensuring that businesses have been able to benefit from more than £28m in financial support.
“Some of the other support we have provided includes an ongoing range of concessionary rents for small and medium-sized enterprises, free car parking, free start-back training, free equipment such as sneeze-guards, window stickers, signage and more.
“We are looking forward to revealing the details of the town centre masterplan, and hope that as many people as possible will provide their feedback on its proposals for helping Bridgend town centre to prosper and grow.”