New pub plan for near the Stadium

It looks like the Ninian Park pub will not be the closest pub to the Cardiff City Stadium, plans are afoot build a brand new pub near the ground. Proposals for the pub will go before the City planners tomorrow.

The pub will be part of the Marston’s pub group and will be a family orientated pub. If the plans are expected it will be situated alongside the Leckwith Road end of the Stadium. It is hoped it will bring in more family trade on match days severing meals etc.

According to local councillor and Cardiff City fan Richard Cook he believes Marston’s have a policy on match days to only sell if you buy meal.

Also being submitted to the planners is a KFC drive-through on the Capital Retail Park.

Capital Retail Park development and Cardiff City director Paul Guy, told the Echo:

“I think it’s very encouraging in this difficult time that the development is still moving forward.

“It’s a very high quality development and it’s all part of a master plan. It shows how the new stadium has had the effect of rejuvenating that area, and the next stage.”

It will mean more competition for Cardiff City own catering outlets within the Stadium which are already suffering due to the number of outlets outside the ground. There was up-roar over the prices when the Stadium first open, so much so some prices were reduced. This news will not be beneficial to Cardiff City in the way but hit the club in their pockets. The landlady of the Ninian Park, Joanne Robertson, said she had not heard of the plans to open a pub at the stadium site, but added:

“At the moment I’m fuming.”

It would be highly unlikely that the regular drinkers at the Ninian Pub would on mass, up sticks and move on even if the pub is closer to the stadium. Fans have matchday have their traditions and they are hard to break. Before a game if I wanted a pint it it would be off to The Lansdowne Hotel even though the Ninian Park was closer.

Mr Alm, of Cardiff City Supporters, said:

“They are good facilities for fans on the match days; the only downside is that the club isn’t benefiting from the development.

“For the football-going fan it’s a good step, and it’ll definitely attract a family crowd.”

The City fan added that he did not think the new businesses would affect the traditional pre-match venues, such as the Ninian Park pub. He said:

“The majority of football supporters have a routine before matches, and I can’t see that changing.”