·
Business & Culture
·

Pubs re-opening in Wales: Where will you be able to drink in Cardiff?

Although pubs can open from April 26th, their service is limited to outside hospitality – here is a few pubs with nice beer gardens for you to visit.

Cardiff is full of good pubs, but these six will give you the social experiences you’ve been craving.

We’ve been waiting months for this day. Finally, as the sun has started to reliably appear and grant us bright afternoons and warm evenings, so too has the government allowed pubs to reopen. However, the Covid rule relaxation is limited to outdoors hospitality, which means service will only be available to pubs with beer gardens.

Newcomers to Cardiff might not have ever visited one of the city’s many pubs – maybe you don’t know which ones have the best atmosphere, the best beer on tap, or simply which one will get you drunk the cheapest. You might also not know which of Cardiff’s pubs have beer gardens, so luckily for you this list has it all.

The Woodville, 1-5 Woodville Road:

The Woodville is one of the most well known and well loved student pubs in Cathays.

Found in the heart of Cathays, the Woodville is the perfect spot for any student drinkers. Affectionately dubbed the ‘Woody’, this pub stands out from the crowd with its striking blue paint job and unusual shape. Its name, the Woodville, comes from the road it lies on the end of.

The University ASSL (Arts and social sciences) library is barely a minutes’ walk away, which means if you remember you have an assignment due after you’ve sank your fourth pint you can still go and get it done (just remember to edit it sober).

The Mackintosh, Mundy Place:

The Mackintosh’s substantial beer garden can be found around the side of the building.

Another bar, nearby to the Woodville, is the Mackintosh. An imposing building, this pub is built with exposed bricks, and has a classic, authentic feel to it. The beer garden has a fair amount of space, plenty for a group of friends.

Although the view from the beer garden is a bit grim – student streets littered with bins, after a couple of pints you won’t mind too much. Rory Thomas, a Cardiff citizen, said: “I rate the vibes of the Mac.” Also, the drinks here are pretty cheap, so if you’re on a budget this is definitely a pub worth checking out.  

Wetherspoons, Cardiff Central:

One of six Wetherspoons in Cardiff opening on April 26th, The Great Western was built in 1879.
Photo courtesy of Rahul Thyamagundlam.

We all know Spoons, we’ve all been to a Spoons, and we all know it’s not going to be the best place on this list. Wetherspoons always has a weird, corporate vibe, and every pint or cocktail you drink there has the faint taste of a local independent pub dying. However, after the year we’ve had we can’t all afford to splurge on expensive drinks, and Wetherspoons is good for nothing if not a cheap night.

With two-for-one cocktail pitchers and economical beer, at least you won’t be checking your bank account the next morning in regret. Six Wetherspoons pubs in Cardiff are expecting to reopen on April 26th, and three of these six, The Great Western, The Gatekeeper, and The Central Bar are all in Cardiff City Centre.

The Pen and Wig, 1 Park Grove:

The Pen and Wig has plenty of space for all of your friends, but you can only bring five for now.
Photo courtesy of Victoria Maria.

The Pen and Wig is another great pub to bring your friends to. Located in Park Grove, this pub is sure to have a busy and exciting atmosphere when the restrictions lift. The beer garden is massive and spacious, which means this bar might be easier to get served at than some of the others on this list. One former Cardiff student, Victoria Maria, said: “I’d go to spoons for cocktails if I wanted to get wrecked, but to drink socially? Pen and Wig is the place.”