Cardiff legend, Keith the Fish, has died at the age of 81. The fishmonger, who retired just two years ago, served the people of Cardiff for more than five decades and his fish van behind St David's shopping centre was a staple in the city.
Keith Twamley started out his career in the 1960s, working in Howells department store. At the time, the store still had a fishmongers and butchers, and Keith was head of the department.
He then moved to Cardiff Market before he launched his fish van, Keith the Fish around 10 years ago, and has been a staple in Cardiff since. Speaking about his father following his passing on January 29, Adrian Twamley said: "He didn't consider his customers his customers, he considered them friends.
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"When Covid hit he worked through it but the footfall in the city centre dropped so he shut up shop for a bit. He missed his customers. It was not a job it was a social life, that is exactly why he did it.
"He could have retired years ago, but he saw it as he was not going to work, he would be there he would talk to his customers, it was a social life. He had a great time, he had a good life."
WalesOnline has spoke to Keith on a number of occasions, previously Keith said that even celebrities have been customers over the decades - claiming that Lulu and even Cilla Black bought fish from him. You can read the story behind the Cardiff legend here.
Speaking on one of his last days trading, Keith said: "It feels great sitting here now, I've just done a bit of gardening this morning, but basically I'm just relaxing. My customers were not customers, they were friends. And I made sure they got what they wanted."
Watch: The story of Cardiff legend Keith the Fish
Keith sadly suffered a stroke last year, but Adrian described how up until that point he was still going down the pub "for a pint and bowl of chips," as Keith would say. "He was a regular in all the pubs in Cardiff and he would go to the Culverhouse Pub in Ely.
Keith had been in hospital for a number of days at the time of his death following a chest infection. Adrian said he had spent time with family before he passed away peacefully just before midnight on Sunday.
Keith is survived by his brother and sister, Sean and Kay, his three sons, Leyton, Adrian and Gareth, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Adrian said: "Family was always very important to him."
Not only was Keith known for his van, he was also well known around Ely where he had lived all his life. Up until September, when he moved into a care home, he was still living in the home he raised his family in, more than 50 years ago.
"He was on a few Facebook groups and he would share all the old photos of Ely and tell stories about the area. There is even a tribute page to him Keith the Fish which I think a few students must have set up."
A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 3 at 11am at Thornhill Crematorium in the Wenalt Chapel. Family flowers only and if people wish to make donations they will be to Velindre Cancer Centre in Whitchurch. If anyone has any queries about the funeral service please contact David Monk-Roberts at Pigeon funeral directors in Cardiff.
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