This is a community website for Grangetown in Cardiff, highlighting people, business, community activities, local news and things to do in the area and linking other websites and blogs.
This voluntary project - in connection with Grangetown Community Action - is the free, independent, online presence of the long-running Grangetown News community paper, which has been distributed to 6,500 local homes at least twice a year for 40 years.
E-mail us on grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk if you'd like to help, are local or would like to send any contributions for inclusion, or wish to advertise. Also if you'd like to be included FREE in our DIRECTORY,
You can also follow us on Twitter @grangecardiff and look for Grangetown Community Action on Facebook. We have a growing number of followers and are keen to encourage a social network to promote Grangetown community events, activities, issues, businesses and organisations.
Excitement as Pavilion enters final phase
The community group which is responsible for the new £1.7m Grange Pavilion has been showing off the latest designs - and says its final make-up will be determined by the people who use it.
Its first annual report was presented at a public meeting on Monday night, as the countdown is well under way for the opening in spring 2020.
There was hope to officially open the community venue in Grange Gardens at the end of March but to ensure the developers have maximum time and the difficulty in finding a suitable date the right side of Easter, the Pavilion is now looking at a "soft launch" instead before the ribbon-cutting in front of invited guests by the winner of a My Grangetown schools competition, probably in May.
The chair of the Grange Pavilion CIO (charitable incorporated association) Steve Austins said he was "excited about what's to come," as the flexibility of the new building - on the site of the old 1960s bowls pavilion - was outlined at Tramshed Tech.
There will be three rooms for hire - the smallest Blue Room, intended as a quiet space for yoga and peaceful activities. The largest Yellow Room will be a "messy" space, ideal for arts, crafts, playgroups and kids parties. The third Green Room was intended for events, lectures, theatre productions and larger group activities. This also has an annexe or "chill-out" area off it.
Meanwhile, as well as a gallery/exhibition space near the entrance, the Hideout Cafe will return, led by Moseem Suleman, who trialed it in the pavilion's last guise, promising they would be putting on events as well as refreshments - and a teetotal bar. Members of Grangetown Youth Forum were also present at the AGM and asked if they could be guaranteed a space to meet - and are to have a member co-opted onto the Pavilion board. They also asked about basketball court facilities.
Local schools have already expressed an interest in using the outdoor classroom area, while there will also be office space for organisations like Grangetown Community Action and Community Gateway, as well as "hot desking" spaces for local people.
"The uses will evolve as people start to use it," said project manager Lynne Thomas.
Richard Powell, one of the local CIO board members was part of the residents' group which first looked to take over the old building from council control in 2012.
"It's built of a concrete but it's not set in stone," he said. "It's changed as we learnt what that site is."
New centre manager Sophey Mills says it will open from 9am until 5pm but volunteers will be able to open up for events in the evening, with a 9pm cut-off point. But she had a "dream" that one day it would successful enough to be open until 9pm every evening.
Room hire charges range from £10-20 an hour for charities and £15 to £25 an hour for businesses and private parties but local groups will get free hire guaranteed for 30% of available time.
The venue has also pledged to be dog-friendly, while in opening hours, there will be access for residents at the Holmesdale Street end of the park.
There is a hope that a piece of community theatre will be created too to "celebrate Grangetown in all its colours," to coincide with the opening.
Moving forward, the group hopes to build a bank of local volunteers and expertise to become even more involved in its running.
The Pavilion will also be launching a website, grangepavilion.wales and bookings and more information can be made via sophey@grangepavilion.wales
The controversial Bottleworks flats development on the Taff Embankment is not now going ahead - after the developers sold the site to a housing association.
But no work had started on the site - which has become something of a lake in recent months. Then it emerged this week that the site had been sold to a so far unnamed housing association.
The Bottleworks proposals had faced 140 objections and a petition from local residents.
But the planning committee backed the development, even though some councillors expressed concern about the size of the development and also queried why Rightacres would not be paying a contribution towards social housing. Councillor Sean Driscoll said although he liked the design, the scale of the plans were more suited to the Brain's development on the other side of the River Taff.
Ward councillors Ashley Lister and Lynda Thorne had both objected about the height of the development.
Cardiff Civic Society also objected, calling it "unsympathetic" and "retrograde".
Rightacres this week cited "community sensitivity" in their decision not to proceed, after receiving an offer from a housing association.
Pentre Gardens residents, who had been "shocked and saddened" at the original decision are now waiting to see what new plans emerge. Local councillors have been assured it will bring "much needed social housing" to the area.
Day-by-day Tuesday 14th January: Community Theatre Project, The Reach Centre, next to Grangetown Nursery School, Avondale Road, 6pm-8pm. Help create a community show to celebrate the best of Grangetown for the launch of the new Grange Pavilion. Working with the Sherman Players for anyone who wants to try their hand at writing, telling stories, drama production, costume or set design or acting, All welcome. First weekly meeting. Saturday 18th January 2020: Keep Grangetown Tidy litter-pick, meet 10am, outside Grangetown Hyb, Havelock Place. Look out for the Cardiff Rivers maroon truck. All welcome to join in, equipment, gloves and bags provided. Tuesday 11th February: The Surprising History of Grangetown – who built it and why was it once in Penarth? Glamorgan Archives, 2pm. A talk by local historian and author Ray Noyes about the building of Victorian Grangetown. Coincides with a new book. Sunday 16th February: Welsh Music Night, Lufkin Cafe at The Bank, Clare Road, 7pm, £10. With Sorela and Huw Chiswell. Buy tickets online. Bring your own booze.
The Cinema at Tramshed - Watch for future programme. click here for listings and to buy tickets online.
Regular events: Mondays: Friends and Neighbours (FAN) group at Grangetown Hyb, 9.30am to 10.30am, women-only group at Clare Road Cultural Centre, 33 Clare Rd, 9.30am; and at Ikea, 11am to 12pm Grangetown Community Choir, Cornwall St church hall, 7.30pm-9.30pm. All weclome, relaxed, harmonious environment. £70 for term, from 18th September, payment options available. Email paulinedown7@gmail.com Tuesdays: Exercise for Beginners, Grangetown Health Centre, 10.30am–11.30am. Weekly sessions to improve your mobility/flexibility and get advice on simple
exercise routines that you can do at home. Grangetown Running Club, meets Channel View 6.15pm warm-up for 6.30pm start. Friendly and easy-paced group, ideal for beginners. Cost £1. Meets weekly. 9th Cardiff Brownies and Guides, St Samson's church hall, Pentre Gardens, 6-7.30pm. For girls aged 7-10, 10 to 14. Cardiff Morris, 8pm-10pm, Lyndon Social Club, Clare Road. Welsh Morris dancing club, open to new new dancers and musicians. Long-established group has been meeting weekly for practice sessions in Grangetown for the last two years. New members of any age, gender or ability are welcome to turn up to any practice or contact bagman @ cardiffmorris.org. Sessions are free to join. The practice season runs September to May. During summer months we dance out on Tuesdays in pubs across the city and at weekend folk festivals. Grangetown Book Club, Grangetown Hub, 6pm First Tuesday of each month, December's book - The Commitments by Roddy Doyle. Wednesdays: Baby massage and baby yoga group, Grangetown Hyb, 1pm. Includes Welsh vocab and songs, suitable for babies under nine months. Email: rhian.arwel@meithrin.cymru. Six weeks from start of February.
Cardiff People First, Grangetown Hub Cafe, 1pm-3pm. A chance to meet project worker Dawn over a cuppa in the cafe, chat, make new friends or try new things. Project run by local charity working with people with learning difficulties. Cardiff Dance Stars - Ballet and Lyrical Dance, ages 4-6, 4pm; Modern and Lyrical Dance, ages 7-12, 5pm - at Grangetown Hub, Havelock Place. Qualified dance classes for children, www.cardiffdancestars.weebly.com Welsh Taster and Beginners courses, Channel View leisure centre, 7pm-9pm. Introduction to Welsh - particularly aimed at parents with children at Welsh-medium school. From October/November 2017 until July and October 2018. Cost £177, intalments possible. Pub Quiz, The Grange Pub, 8.30pm. Weekly quizzes, with a different quiz-master every week. Thursdays: The Great Brains Speed Quiz, The Cornwall pub, 8pm. First Thursday of every month. Prizes. Fridays: Grangetown Food Bank, Grangetown Baptist Church, Clive Street, 12pm-2pm. Weekly foodbank, organised by Cardiff Foodbank Grangetown FAN group, Salvation Army - Women only. Starting at 10am with an English language class then 11am for a FAN meeting. Fluent English speakers welcome too! Grangetown Local History Society, first Friday of the month, 2pm, Glamorgan Archives, Leckwith Close, Leckwith, by Cardiff City Stadium. Free, a chance to share stories, memories, work on project, talks. See www.grangetownhistory.co.uk. Grangetown Afterschool Club/Full Circle Education, Grange Pavilion, Grange Gardens, 3.30pm-5pm. Brand new girls club, perfect for girls who love arts and crafts, games, music, photography, sports and making friends. If you would like any more information, please email: Nikki@FullCircleEducation.org Cardiff Dance Stars - Acro and Gymnastic Dance, ages 5-12, 4.15pm; at Grangetown Hub, Havelock Place. Qualified dance classes for children, www.cardiffdancestars.weebly.com Cook At Church, St Paul's Community Hall, 5.30pm-7.30pm - first Friday of month. For children aged 10 and 11 to learn cooking skills and have fun
Email your local events to grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk. For regular events, meetings and classes - including a listing for Grangetown Library Hub - see our directory. |
Street of 29 shops says final farewell
It is the end of an era in Court Road, with the demolition of its last corner shop and the end of a story going back 125 years.
Kan and Uma Kanthabalan were the last incumbents of Mas and Co on the junction with Jubilee Street, which closed in July - and finally saw the building disappear this week to make way for a flats development.
"We’ve had some very nice customers and made friends over the last 17 years,” said Uma. “Even the people we banned – who we allowed back!"
Before many people had their own transport and home delivery meant not Amazon but a horse and cart, most Grangetown streets had a variety of shops.
This shop’s history goes back to widow Elizabeth Kerman, the first owner when most houses in Court Road were built in 1894. Hundreds of people were moving into the Saltmead area, as north Grangetown was called, to work in the docks, on the railway and trams and helping to build the new terraced houses sprawling across the booming town.
This Cardiff street directory from 1897 shows Elizabeth Kerman’s shop on the corner with Stoughton Street. Court Road was still unfinished at this point and so the shop is No 52 - it was later re-numbered No 58. There was another grocer’s shop on the opposite corner too. Neighbours were a chemist and a fishmonger. Stoughton Street was renamed Jubilee Street in 1935. Residents petitioned the council to change the name, after silver jubilee celebrations for King George V.
In 1927, when Mabel Hackman was running the grocery, there were an incredible 29 traders in Court Road alone. Mabel’s neighbour was Edward French’s furniture shop on the opposite corner, while there were two fish and chip shops, two tobacconists and newsagents, two butchers and a jeweller. A refreshment rooms stood on the corner of Clare Road.
Albert Axford, a former Navy man, ran the shop in the 1950s and into the 1960s.
But where does the name Mas & Co come from? Apparently, a previous owner was asked to keep the name of the business when they took it over – and it’s been like that ever since.It’s believed it may be made up from the initials of Sajawal Khan and his wife Mary, who took over the shop in the mid 1960s.
Kan and Uma, Sri Lankan by background, came to Cardiff 30 years ago and took over the shop in 2002. Their business motto was “Honest, respectful and friendly”.
Going, going - gone. The demolition of the shop in November.
There were a few tears on the final day, while customers brought flowers, chocolates and good wishes.
The couple had always tried to move with the times
– increasing the range of wine and more recently giving the shop lay-out a revamp and adding a
coffee machine.
But the change in shopping habits – with supermakets Asda, Morrison, Aldi and Lidl within a short drive, as well as late-opening Tesco and One Stop convenience stores within walking distance, meant competition for local independent shops has been fierce.
It became street’s last surviving store after the closure of a cycle shop in the early 1990s.
The couple – who live nearby – also wanted to put their health first. "“I’m really sad we’re closing, but if anything happened to one of us, we wouldn’t be able to carry on," said Uma.
"We’ve had old people who used to come here to buy sweets when they were kids,” said Kan. Three flats will be built on the site.
This is an updated article to the one which is in the latest Grangetown News
The Grange darts team has a mixed Yuletide
By Dai Dearden
The Grange darts team were formed in 2017 and are into their third season in the Cardiff and Whitchurch Darts league.
The pub team - the Bar Baa's - are currently playing in Division 1, the second level of a three-tier league - and the latest report covered the mixed fortunes over the Christmas period.
You can follow their fortunes on their new web page here and also on Twitter @grangedarts
We hope to bring you more monthly updates from your local darts team thoroughout the year. Any interested players can come to matches (meet at The Grange pub) around 7.30pm on Monday nights or on Sunday afternoons around 5pm when there is usually a practice game.
Grange crushed at Baglan
Baglan Dragons 6-1 Grange Albion
Match coverage by Tom Sargent
Grange Albion made the long trip to Swansea Bay where they faced Baglan Dragons in a long awaited return to SWAL Premier Division action last the weekend.
Baglan are going great guns in both league and cup competitions this year and they didn't relent against the Albions on Saturday.
Read more of the match report here
Toy shop is latest indie shop venture
The latest in a new string of independent shops has opened, giving a boost to the main Grangetown shopping district.
The Honeycomb is a toy and children’s book shop in Clare Road.
Owner Maia Banks, who has a background in education, wants to go beyond just opening a business and, perhaps with a cue from the nearby Wild Thing cafe, wants to forge strong links with the neighbourhood she’s become a part of.
"My desire to start this toy shop has grown out of a want to engage with the local Grangetown community,” she told Grangetown News.
Read more on our local businesses page
Grangetown News autumn edition out
The autumn edition of Grangetown News is out!
It includes news on the progress of the £1.6m Grange Pavilion, including an exclusive first interview with the newly-appointed manager.
We have features on one long-running shop that has closed - and a new business which has opened. A look behind the scenes at Grange Albion football club - and we will be also catching up (if we can!) with the folks involved with Run Grangetown.
There is also a special farewell message from Grangetown vicar Father David Morris.
There is now an online version here - and we are appealing for volunteer deliverers, especially for streets in North Grangetown and off North Clive Street.
Please email grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk or go to our Trello board to register an interest in delivering.
Copies are distributed to 6,500 homes, shops and businesses. It is also be available in Grangetown Hub, local shops, venues and pubs and you will be able to view an online version above.
Grangetown News was shortlisted for a community news award in the 2019 Wales Media Awards in what is the publication's 40th year.
The newspaper - with website and social media presence - was chosen by the judges in the community news category. Can we take this opportunity of thanking all our readers, contributors, volunteer deliverers and advertisers for all their help and support over the years.
Now called Grangetown News, the first edition of the new-look 16-page full-colour tabloid newspaper came out in May 2016. Published by Grangetown Community Action, it has been a quarterly magazine format since 1978. In March 2019, it was shortlisted in the community news category in the Wales Media Awards.
Thanks for all those who have contributed and advertised - and also to our volunteer deliverers. If you can help deliver - email grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk
Should you have a local news story or would like to tell the community about your organisation or school then our paper is a perfect way of reaching people!you are a local business/organisation who would like to advertise to the local community our paper is an ideal place to place an advert.
Our rates are listed below:
1/8 page - £40
1/4 page - £70
1/2 page - £110
1 full page - £200
1 full back page - £250
The Grangetown News is still printed 100% in COLOUR, but is printed in a tabloid format, making your articles and adverts larger than ever! This is a pilot project which will hopefully allow us to increase readership through spreading more positive, local news stories. The editions are 16 pages. All articles submitted should be in a Word document (or jpeg for images / designed adverts - All images to be supplied high-quality 350dpi, colour pictures converted to CMYK) and sent to grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk.
If you would like to discuss advertising in the Grangetown News, please feel free to contact grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk, or call Ashley on 07572875804.
As well as more local news stories, there are features on local businesses and also sport. The paper has also been designed by Grangetown residents. Online versions of the features - with more photos - will also be put up later on this website But it's not too late if you want to get involved:
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