The well-known Tafarn Treganna in Canton is set to close due to the building's lease running out. Co-landlords John and Laura will be taking over a pub in Ceredigion as they bid farewell to Cardiff after years in the city's pub trade.
The pub is set to close on Saturday, October 1 with a final night of karaoke and dancing. The landlords have thanked their regulars ahead of their move west to take over the Vale of Rheidol pub in Aberystwyth.
John said: "We’ve got one more week to go, we’re going to go out with a bang on Saturday, a nice bit of karaoke and a party, and we’re going to miss every single one of the regulars. Every single one of them, they’ve supported us since we took over in January and it’s a shame to say goodbye to them but we’re always up in Aberystwyth if they want to come and say hello.
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"I’ve never lived anywhere as long as Cardiff. I was born in London, raised in Lancashire and Birmingham, my mum’s a Scot, my dad’s a Geordie or a Mackem depending on how you look at it, and I’ve lived in Holland. This is home for me and I consider myself as more Welsh than English."
The pub is operated by SA Brain & Co and sublet to Marston's PLC, with John and Laura serving as landlords since January 2022. Because Brains doesn't own the building itself, the brewery chose to give John and Laura their 30 days' notice to close up ahead of the building's lease ending - but the couple opted to leave earlier than that, as their next pub is already lined up.
John isn't sure whether the Tafarn Treganna building will stay as a pub following the closure. He said: "Marston’s could possibly have taken it over, the option was there, they never gave me a definite yes or no but it’s no guarantee they would’ve done.
"It’s not Marston’s getting rid of us, it’s Brains not renewing the lease because they aren’t making money and need to save costs. In the current climate I’m not surprised."
The landlords couldn't say for sure whether the spate of horrendous behaviour from people drinking on the streets in Canton has anything to do with the decision not to renew the lease, but John admitted: "We’re looking forward to the move. It gets us out of this place - the pub was fine, the people are great, but there’s a lot of trouble in Canton.
"I’m 40 years old now, I’ve had enough of it. I’ll go to the seaside and have a bit of peace and quiet."
But even though this behaviour, as well as the pandemic and cost of living crisis have harmed Canton's pub trade, John doesn't fear too much for the area's pubs in general. He said: "All the big names will survive - my area manager’s got a great team with a lot of very very good pubs in Cardiff and Barry. Even in this area you’ve got the Canton, the Victoria Park and the Butchers Arms.
"We’ve just come out of the pandemic, we’ve got Brexit and people don’t have as much money. When the energy thing gets sorted out, people’s disposable income will increase a little bit and maybe they start coming out a bit more.
"The community pubs need to focus on the community, that’s the whole idea. We’re there for the people, not just to make a few bucks but to provide a place for them.
"We’ll put the telly on in here - don’t worry about sitting at home watching Sky, watch it in the pub. You don’t have to be in here having a drink the whole time; be with people, socialise.
"That’s the whole point of a community pub, really. We’re there for the community, not for us."
The end of John and Laura's stint in Cardiff will be the end of an era for them, with John alone having worked in the Queens Vaults and been the landlord of the Cottage in his time in the capital. He said: "I started when I was 18, it’s what I do, it’s what I’m good at, and it’s what I’ll do until I retire."
John also had a message for any potential new owners of the Tafarn Treganna: "If this stays as a pub, the new landlords will have a brilliant and very loyal customer base. Whoever takes it on, I wish them all the best. It is a very very good bunch of people round here. Treat them well, they’ll look out for you."
Brains and Marston's have been contacted for comment.
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