Sad tale of closed city pubs reflects a change in tastes
THE decline of the traditional British boozer has been blamed on many things. The high cost of drinking out compared with staying at home is one reason.
A younger generation said to be consuming less alcohol is another, while beer duty and business rates are also said to be contributing factors.
Wind Street, Swansea’s city centre hotspot for a night out, is among the areas that has seen plenty of pubs come and go.
Here are some of the much-missed pubs which have disappeared from the streets of Swansea over the last 10 years. Bar Reef: Situated in Walter Road, Bar Reef was once popular with both locals and students alike.
Formerly known as the White Rose, Bar Reef was once a thriving venue and was named bar/restaurant of the year in the Evening Post Restaurant of the Year Awards 2011. The Tenby: Just a few metres away from Bar Reef once stood the Tenby. Perhaps a little more rough and ready than its neighbour, it was nevertheless very popular with a certain clientele. It’s difficult to believe it closed 10 years ago. The Cape Horner: Another former favourite, which bowed out 10 years ago. The Cape Horner in St Thomas was once a place where local football teams gathered, and had a function room upstairs, and initially an off-licence to the side of the main bar, which was accessed through Fabian Way.
But when trade began to fall, the writing was on the wall for the Horner, which closed in 2010. Plans to develop the property into student accommodation were rejected in 2017.
More recently, the derelict building has become a magnet for young vandals. The Linden Tree: Staff and regulars were so taken aback by the sudden news, in October 2018, that this West Cross pub was to close after more than 50 years they launched a campaign to save it. It was unsuccessful, however, and the premises was quickly developed into a busy Co-op store. The Poet’s Corner: Situated on Oystermouth Road and its junction with Beach Street, the former Brains pub had previously been known as the Abertawe Alehouse, and prior to that the Bath Hotel. It closed to make way for a residential development. Swansea Jack: The familiar landmark on Oystermouth Road, looking over to the Civic Centre, closed in 2015. It had formerly been a favourite with Swans fans on match days at the Vetch. But it too has made way for a residential accommodation. The Robin Hood: Situated in Fleet Street in the heart of the Sandfields, this is another property to turn from public house into private accommodation. Its redevelopment plans initially faced stubborn local opposition, with some describing initial plans as ‘like a hostel’. Another venue popular on match days at the Vetch.
The Rock and Fountain:
Thirsty Newton residents were once able to choose between two contrasting watering holes: the Newton Inn and the Rock and Fountain. Sadly, after around 150 years of trading, the latter finally called time in 2018. Mountain Dew: The pub
in Mount Pleasant, which once hit the headlines for allegations of amorous students being caught in flagrante in its garden, underwent a refurbishment in 2001 in a bid to breathe new life into the once busy premises.
But like many other establishments, the challenges of recent times proved too much, and it has since closed its doors for good. The Greyhound: A perennially popular stop for visitors to Gower, the Greyhound in Oldwalls, Llanrhidian, announced its closure in 2018 to great surprise. The premises had been serving locals since the 19th century and had its own microbrewery, plus a large beer garden and children’s play area. The Singleton Hotel: It was one of the last surviving pubs from the days the Sandfields would be buzzing on Swans match days at the Vetch. But despite being situated on the edge of the city centre, even the Singleton wasn’t immune to the challenges facing pubs across the UK.
It once had a close relationship with the nearby Grand Theatre, with performers taking the stage there staying at the hotel. Its emblem remained the comedy and tragic masks until its closure last year. Adam & Eve/the Last Resort: The Adam & Eve served punters in Swansea’s High Street for 150 years, and was at one time Brains Brewery’s most western pub.
It closed in 2013, but retained its reputation as a live music venue when it reopened as pop-up pub, the Last Resort. That incarnation continued the musical tradition, hosting live music events including DJ sets by Gruff Rhys and Huw Stephens.
Sadly, last orders for the Last Resort were called early last year, and the premises remains empty. Monksland/the Countryman: Locals were surprised last year when windows were boarded up at the Gower favourite, in Scurlage. The pub’s opening hours had been reduced over recent times, despite it being the focal point of the village for years. The future of the building remains uncertain. The Shack: Originally this was a Catholic Men’s Society set-up after the Second World War, at the back of St Illtyd’s Primary School in Port Tennant, where men would go to socialise after mass.
Ladies were originally barred, but after the school closed in the late seventies it became St Illtyd’s Club, open to both sexes, and used for functions including weddings and funerals. It closed in 2014.
The Cricketers: Probably fair to describe it as ‘historic’, the Cricketers was popular with rugby and cricket fans attending games at St Helen’s across the road. On match days it would be teeming, with customers having to squeeze their way to the bar.
It featured in black-andwhite television images when Sir Garfield Sobers became the first batsman to ever hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket when Nottinghamshire played Glamorgan in 1968. It closed in 2015 and is now being developed into student accommodation. Mile End Inn: Situated in Carmarthen Road, the Mile End Inn shut up shop for the final time in 2011 after Swansea’s oldest landlord at the time, Ronald Harris, retired at the age of 75. He took over the pub in 1976 and ran it until his retirement. It was never taken over. The Dillwyn Arms: Once a thriving hub on Brynhyfryd Square, it changed hands a number of times in its later years as the business struggled with changing tastes like many across the country.
In 2013 its name emblazoned on a Welsh flag was broadcast across the world when regulars flew out to Australia to watch the British and Irish Lions on tour. It shut in 2015 and is now private accommodation. The Mex: Formerly the Mexico Fountain, the pub in Hafod was a favourite with sports fans heading to the Liberty Stadium. It closed around four years ago and is another that has since been developed into living accommodation. The Rhyddings: It’s still difficult to believe the Rhyddings is no longer trading. Popular with locals and students alike, it had a pool table which was always busy, and would lower a huge screen to watch sporting events. Its future is uncertain. The Adelphi: A very busy pub in its day and featured regular live music and karaoke. These days the Bucket List occupies the site at 18-19 Wind Street. The Dolphin Inn: One of Gower’s oldest and most historic pubs closed its doors for the final time in the summer.
The Dolphin, in Llanrhidian, is 235 years old and for over 50 years was run by the same family.
The 18th century pub was a regular in Camra’s Good Beer Guide, with the Swansea branch stating that it would be “monitoring the situation closely” to prepare to save the pub if a change of use was planned. Yates: In July 2018, Yates shut down before reopening as the Slug & Lettuce.
Popular for its pole situated close to the dancefloor, the bar in Castle Square was a favourite for nights out in the city centre. The Three Lamps: The city centre pub closed just two years after it first opened, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Three Lamps, which opened in 2018 but was taken over by new owners in 2019, was a multi-floor venue overlooing Castle Square.
The pub’s name was a tribute to the city’s heritage, reviving the original title of the pub which used to trade on the site, and where another, world famous, city centre name — poet and playwright Dylan Thomas — first joined hard-drinking colleagues while working for the South Wales Evening Post, then called the Daily Post, and is immortalised in his short story Old Garbo. Mozarts: One of the city’s more unique offerings for a night out, Mozarts provided refreshments to thirsty revellers for many years.
Based in a semidetached house on Walter Road, with a bar in the front room, the venue closed its doors in October 2018.
It attracted those looking for something a bit different from Wind Street and hosted many themed nights, and had a piano in a separate bar named Dylan’s Cwtch. Walkabout: At the beginning of 2020 it was announced that the Australian bar on Wind Street was closing.
Despite being a feature on the notorious street for 20 years, the bar made a sudden announcement that it would not be reopening in January.
With big screens and a dancefloor, Walkabout was a popular venue for everyone from sports fans to students.