FROM CHIP SALOONS TO HALF AND HALF

IT’S the most famous street in Wales for late-night grub.

But did you know that fish and chips were first sold on Cardiff’s Caroline Street as far back as the 19th century?

Chip alley or chippy lane, as it is known today, is generally the last port of call for late-night revellers.

On a Sunday morning it is often covered in polystyrene burger boxes, wrappers and drink cans.

And it seems the popular takeaway hotspot has attracted a late-night crowd for almost 150 years.

While choosing between Dorothy’s or Tony’s “famous” chicken curry off the bone wasn’t an option then, you could buy skate and chips for just 2p.

Before the war there was only one chip shop on Caroline Street and it shared the lane with a bird dealer, a scale maker, watchmaker, wireless store, and even two boot repairers.

There was also a butcher, a wine and spirits merchant, an upmarket goods shop, ladies’ clothes shop, jeweller, hairdresser, fishmonger and two newsagents.

In 1876, number 18 was listed as a funeral furnishings establishment run by Mr Marshall, and next to it was TH Greader Scale and Weighing Machine Makers.

There was also Mr J Harding’s tailor and outfitters, which was located on the first floor above Edward Kaltenbach’s watchmaking workshop at number 23. Across the street was a Fishmongers and Green Grocers, run by John Jones, and next door Mrs Bear had a clothes shop.

The Legge family owned the Grocer and Provision Merchant at number 35, next to David Evans’ drapers shop.

And the street had a number of pubs, including the Cambrian Hotel on the corner of Caroline Street and St Mary Street, and the Neptune Inn.

In 1872 the King’s Cross was built. It was thought to have been the oldest gay pub in Wales until its owners turned it into a gastro pub in 2011.

It is thought that around the same time in the 19th century the first chip- py on Caroline Street appeared appeared, owned by Mr Rees and Mr Hopkins. In those days it was known as a “fishand-chips saloon”.

The owners were proud of the fact they sold the cheapest chips in town and people started referring to a bargain as “cheap as Caroline Street chips”. Fish and chips cost just 2p and they offered skate not cod.

A sign in the window read “Cheap Skate and Chips, 2d” (meaning two pence). Caroline Street soon became known as Cheap Gate, with some saying they were “going down Cheap