An empty Grade II listed pub that has been closed for five years has been earmarked for £1.3million of investment. The Unicorn Inn closed in 2017 after Star Pubs and Bars took over the site in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff and the pub has stood empty ever since.
One local resident said that the pub had become and "eye-sore" and claimed that brides and grooms-to-be visiting the neighbouring St Edeyrn's Church as a potential wedding venue were being 'put off' by the state of the pub. You can read more about that here. After acquiring the building from Punch Taverns in 2017, Star Pubs and Bars published an investment plan to "transform The Unicorn into a standout country-style pub with a modern finish, becoming Star Pubs & Bar’s flagship venue in Wales."
The planned refurbishment amounted to £800,000, however, work has yet to be carried out at the site, which has been boarded up with metal fencing placed around the area. In 2019, residents set up their own Facebook community group to discuss the re-opening of The Unicorn, with MP for Cardiff North, Anna McMorrin, becoming involved in the project to re-open the pub.
