The first cabaret bar of its kind in the Rhondda is moving to a new premises to hold bigger and better drag acts.
The Flamingo Cabaret Show Bar fell victim to forced closures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and had to close its doors during the first lockdown in 2020.
The Flamingo's team had been looking for a new venue for some time before the ideal spot in the Rhondda came up. And now, the team are gearing up for their opening night at their new venue in Gelli.
Resident drag acts Dominique Wix and Amanda Kelly as well as owner Chris Jones performing songs and comedy will be the main attraction on their re-opening night this Saturday, January 29.
Read more: The best inclusive nights out you have to try in Cardiff
Every Saturday night the cabaret bar will also be hosting a guest drag artist and for opening night Gigi Spot will be their first at the new venue.
Owners Chris Jones, 32, and Rob James, 37, said: "We really struggled through lockdown, with owning several pubs in the Rhondda our landlord wouldn't budge on rent and with the fraction of grants we had in comparison to England we couldn't carry on. We had no choice but to shut but we knew it wouldn't be forever - we just had to be patient and wait to find an ever better venue."
The new venue is bigger than their previous home with two stages, two bars, a pool table, neon signs and a fully-stocked bar. Of course, the flamingo theme runs throughout.
The staff at Flamingo's are looking forward to re-opening their doors and welcoming new and old faces. Even more impressive is the fact that they managed to turn the venue around in just 10 days, although it's not their record after turning a pub around in just four.
Chris said that the response to a cabaret bar in the Rhondda wasn't always a welcomed one - most people were supportive and accepting but some were not.
Chris said: "We were anxious on the initial opening night as we really didn't know how it was going to go. We didn't want to call it a gay bar, because nothing like this had ever been in the Rhondda before and be too much in people's faces, so we sort of drip fed it in. It took us months to even put the flags up outside because we were nervous.
"For weeks after opening we had people driving past screaming homophobic slurs at our customers and we even had bottles of pee thrown at the venue."
The pair said it was all worth it though when people as far as Manchester were travelling down to the bar. Rob said: "The support was amazing, our re-opening night sold out within two hours."
Over the coming weeks the bar plans to open up its daytime café which will be serving food from 8am to 3pm and then basket meals in the evening from 6pm to 11pm.
The new venue can now sit up to 140 whereas their previous venue could only hold up to 50.
The Flamingo Cabaret Show Bar will be open in the evenings on a Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 11pm at their new venue 25 Gelli Road, Gelli, RCT, CF41 7LR. To book a table head to their Facebook page.
For news straight to your inbox sign up for one of our free newsletters here.
