The Pontcanna pub enjoyed a busy re-opening weekend
AFTER being closed for more than a year, The Conway pub announced it was reopening with a simple sign in one of the windows.
The redecorated pub enjoyed a busy first weekend after re-opening and its new landlord says the lo-fi announcement was a success.
“Word of mouth has been our best advertising tool,” said Matthew McCormack, the new licensee.
“We have done nothing other than talk to people. We are still not even on Google as being opened.
“It has been really cool; all you need nowadays in the modern world is somebody to tell people. Rather than just being us, it has been the community promoting us.
“I know all the little street apps have been keeping people updated. We tell someone about our plans and they go back and tell thier neighbours.”
The Conway announced its closure due to financial difficulties through a Facebook post on January 3, 2024.
It was known for its regularly changing food menu, with an emphasis on local ingredients, and featured in the Michelin Pub Guide in 2014.
“Our food offering will be very much a core menu, pub classics like fish and chips, and sausage and mash. We will elevate it again with a seasonals board,” said Mr McCormack.
“We also do a good Sunday roast. We say that we are not a gastro pub, but a pub with good food.
“We like our cask ales as well, which has been a locals-driven thing. They are very into their ales, so we are going to make sure we have a nice, rotational selection.”
The Conway was one of a number of Cardiff pubs put up for sale by previous owners The Knife and Fork Food Group in the summer of 2023, which included The Discovery in Lakeside, The Pilot in Penarth, The Old Swan Inn in Llantwit Major, The Sully Inn in Sully and Twenty Nine Park Place in Cardiff city centre.
The Conway was bought by Stonegate, which describes itself as “the largest pub company in the UK”, and Mr McCormack has a five-year tencancy.
“Stonegate invested a substantial amount of money to decorate,” he said.
“It is almost going back to the traditional colours of The Conway of old.
“Bizarrely, (we chose) green to move away from the old colours, but it turns out that it was the colour of the pub before.”
- The Conway is open now. To book a table you can call 02920 638152
