Croeso Pubs Ltd, the Cardiff-based pub chain which already runs eight venues including The Philharmonic, Blue Bell and Brewhouse in the city centre, is taking over the lease of The Cricketers in Pontcanna.
The acquisition of The Cricketers means that Croeso Pubs now runs nine venues in and around Cardiff, Penarth and Mermaid Quay. It runs two community pubs, The Bear’s Head in Penarth and The Discovery in Lakeside. Croeso also runs city centre venues The Philharmonic, Brewhouse, Blue Bell, Retro, and gastro pub Daffodil, as well as The Dock in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay.
The Cricketers was run by the previous owners since 2010, but now the lease has been sold to Croeso Pubs, who will reopen it in a few weeks after carrying out £250,000 worth of improvements.
Along with the extensive refurbishment, regular customers and newcomers will be treated to selected live sport from Sky and TNT Sports, as well as a new range of popular draught beers and traditional Welsh cask ales. The new menu will feature local favourites and daily specials.
Croeso Pubs area director, Michael Haygarth, said of the acquisition: “We are thrilled to be adding The Cricketers to our ever-increasing list of venues. It is a pub that is synonymous with the west of Cardiff and attracts tourists, walkers and locals alike and so we want to offer something for everyone.
“It is a great location in a stunning Edwardian townhouse just a stone’s throw away from Llandaff Fields and Sophia Gardens and we can’t wait to welcome clients, old and new, to try out our special Croeso atmosphere when they visit.”
Jamie Newman, Executive Chef at Croeso Pubs, has been working with the team on the menu for the new-look Cricketers. He said: “This pub is well known for its hearty meals and its warm welcome and we plan to build on that with our new menu. At Croeso Pubs, we celebrate all things Welsh with our produce and dishes, and so have been working hard with our suppliers such as the Rib & Oyster from Kilgetty and Sullivan’s green grocers in Cardiff, to create dishes that reflect the venue and appeal to our customers at a reasonable price.”
Croeso Pubs will be recruiting for new staff at the venue, but are also saving the jobs of 12 staff who will remain at the pub.
Croeso Pubs Ltd has a great track record of breathing new life into city centre venues and turning failing community pubs into local hubs. In 2017, it took over the lease for The Philharmonic following a £1million refurbishment, transforming it into Cardiff’s most popular nightspot. Croeso Pubs also took over former Brains’ pub 33 Windsor Place in December 2022 and reopened it as the Daffodil, and in 2021, it refurbished the former Goat Major pub on High Street, opposite Cardiff Castle, and reinstated it to its original name Blue Bell, further extending it in 2024.
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