An empty Grade-II listed pub which has been closed for five years could be set for a major revamp worth over £1 million. The Unicorn Inn in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff has been boarded up and fenced off since closing in 2017, when Star Pubs and Bars took over the site from Punch Taverns.
Residents in the area set up a community group on Facebook in 2019 to discuss the pub's re-opening, saying that the building had been "left to rot" and had become an "eye sore." You can read more about that here. A constituent of Cardiff North raised concerns about the pub falling into disrepair last year and both Anna McMorrin MP and Julie Morgan MS wrote to Heineken/Star Pubs and Bars about the issue.
Ms McMorrin and Ms Morgan have been meeting with Star Pubs about the building with the most recent meeting having taken place on January 20. After acquiring the pub, Star Pubs and Bars published a £800,000 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." Get the latest Cardiff news sent straight to your inbox by signing up to our free newsletter.
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Now, a £1.4 million investment has been proposed for the building and is set to be approved in the coming weeks. It will be the biggest capital investment for Heineken/Star Pubs in 2023 and, once an investment figure is approved by the board, steps for recruitment will begin. An operator would be self-employed and would take a percentage of the takings.
The company has already spent £150,000 on repairs to the building including the roof, plumbing, and garden. It is hoped that further re-development work will start in May or June and that around 20 jobs will be created when the pub is fully refurbished.
"I’m thrilled that after my intervention, I’ve been able to secure the re-development of this well-loved pub in the heart of our community," Ms McMorrin said. "The Unicorn Inn’s dilapidated state has been a huge source of local concern for many years and I’m grateful to Star Pubs for committing its biggest 2023 investment of £1.4 million."
“It’s crucial now that we get the right person in to run the pub with the experience and passion to ensure it goes from strength to strength. I’ll continue to work with the local community to make sure that happens and if you, or anyone you know, may be interested then please get in touch."
The building is thought to date back to the 17th century and there is a listing for it in the 19th century as "a comfortable old thatched house, with an inn-kitchen of the picturesque sort, open chimney, oak settle and flitches of bacon under the beams; and a native Welsh-speaking landlady."
A spokesperson from Star Pubs & Bars said: "We hope to confirm a significant £1.4m investment in the Unicorn Inn, Cardiff in the next few weeks, subject to final approval. We have already invested in the region of £150,000 on site repairs to date. If the investment is approved, ideally we’d like to commence work on the refurbishment in June 2023, subject to the recruitment of a manager.
"We plan to run it as one of our Just Add Talented (JAT) managed pubs. JAT is a turnover and profit share agreement with an in-going cost of £4,000. It comes with an extensive support package, making it ideal for assistant managers and managers already in hospitality, as well as those outside the sector with business or retail experience.
"Under the agreement, operators are self-employed and run the business but only fund they and their staff’s costs. Star Pubs & Bars pays for most other expenses including utilities, rates, drink, food and repairs. Once complete, the newly refurbished pub is likely to create around 20 jobs, both full and part time."
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