the ninian pub (Mavericks)

for those who used to frequent it, I have had a message off Nikki (paul's missus)

"at the moment the pub is shut, their waiting to see if its been sold, subject to planning permissions, if not their hoping to go back in, if it has been sold, its going to be a Chinese and not open on match days. their hoping to find out within the next 2 weeks"

as soon as I hear anything else I will update you

Lets be honest it was never going to make it as a steak house, no matter how hard they tried.If you were taking your misses for a meal it would not be there.With the drop off in wet trade im not sure what a pub like the ninian can do to make money.It does not seem to have any local regulars and still relied on football for trade.Maybe it should have gone further down the football route and became a place for cardiff city groups to meet/run buses from/breakfasts/supporters groups, maybe even a football team,its a tough one............but a chineese...........surly there are enough of them about.Good luck to them anyway.

Lets be honest it was never going to make it as a steak house, no matter how hard they tried.If you were taking your misses for a meal it would not be there.With the drop off in wet trade im not sure what a pub like the ninian can do to make money.It does not seem to have any local regulars and still relied on football for trade.Maybe it should have gone further down the football route and became a place for cardiff city groups to meet/run buses from/breakfasts/supporters groups, maybe even a football team,its a tough one............but a chineese...........surly there are enough of them about.Good luck to them anyway.

Indeed theres already Happy Gathering and Dragon Court which are 5 mins away from each other! Hopefully it will remain as a pub!!

Lets be honest it was never going to make it as a steak house, no matter how hard they tried.If you were taking your misses for a meal it would not be there.With the drop off in wet trade im not sure what a pub like the ninian can do to make money.It does not seem to have any local regulars and still relied on football for trade.Maybe it should have gone further down the football route and became a place for cardiff city groups to meet/run buses from/breakfasts/supporters groups, maybe even a football team,its a tough one............but a chineese...........surly there are enough of them about.Good luck to them anyway.

i think your correct.......its market should have been all things Cardiff City

Cheers Nips

Had some great laughs in the ninian over the years,we need a big boozer built right outside the ground.Build the atmosphere up before the game.

A Chinese is an even worse idea than the steak house. As a previous poster said, there's competition immediately around the corner. If it failed as a steak house that had limited competition close by how on earth do they think a Chinese will work? Makes you wonder what business sense these people have.

I would have thought the only way this place would succeed is if it's open on a match day. Closing it on a match day makes absolutely zero sense. Re-open it as a Cardiff City-themed pub. As another poster said, it could become a venue for supporters groups. Get a skittle alley in there, get a couple of football teams to go there after games etc.

This is the best football pub I have ever been to http://thevine.co.uk/ its in West Brom, they do a fantastic indoor BBQ. The Ninian would be perfect for this concept, anyone with half a business brain down in Cardiff, should replicate this place and they would make a mint

The problem was that when it was a city themed pub then the income was only on match days and nothing else. I remember John Bassett saying to me that it was more trouble than what's it's worth as it was taking a tenth of what his other pubs where doing.

OK then where will we be meeting now before games ? Hmmmmmm

The train situation has not helped the ninian either, people used to go down on the train and get off there, close to ground and have a few beers, then have a few while waiting for the train.Not many trains running there now and nothing for an hour and half after the games.People drinking in town or canton main drag before game, using mini buses to get into and out of town.Cheaper beer elsewhere.So they have to think of something to get the crowd there on match days, let alone the rest of the week.Maybe they should concentrate on making it a community pub for the people who live around there.

This is the best football pub I have ever been to http://thevine.co.uk/ its in West Brom, they do a fantastic indoor BBQ. The Ninian would be perfect for this concept, anyone with half a business brain down in Cardiff, should replicate this place and they would make a mint

the difference being the vine is busy all week with locals..the Ninian hasnt been..........i went there 3 seasons ago on a Sunday to watch us in an away game live on SKY........there was my mate and myself and just 4 others in the bar..you can not survive on 23 days a year......

The train situation has not helped the ninian either, people used to go down on the train and get off there, close to ground and have a few beers, then have a few while waiting for the train.Not many trains running there now and nothing for an hour and half after the games.People drinking in town or canton main drag before game, using mini buses to get into and out of town.Cheaper beer elsewhere.So they have to think of something to get the crowd there on match days, let alone the rest of the week.Maybe they should concentrate on making it a community pub for the people who live around there.

That's one of the problem why the Neville couldn't continue is that the area in which they are located is changing

Never really understood the attraction to this place, it's a dump. It seems to get a renovation every few months and still managed to look a dump.

Soon enough it will be knocked down and flats built.

Never really understood the attraction to this place, it's a dump. It seems to get a renovation every few months and still managed to look a dump.

Soon enough it will be knocked down and flats built.

Always thought they should make it one room with one big bar. The lounge has the smallest bar ever. But it's the location that's the problem. The only time the place is busy is on match day.

The problem was that when it was a city themed pub then the income was only on match days and nothing else. I remember John Bassett saying to me that it was more trouble than what's it's worth as it was taking a tenth of what his other pubs where doing.

Yeah, I appreciate that. Maybe not make it too City-themed. Just have some photos and memorabilia around but just use it as a base for fan groups etc. Offer deals that will get people there outside of match days etc. It just seems like there's been little creativity in the form of marketing and PR with the place.

As an above poster said though, even when it gets renovated it still looks a dump. I'm sure somebody could do something with it though.

This is the best football pub I have ever been to http://thevine.co.uk/ its in West Brom, they do a fantastic indoor BBQ. The Ninian would be perfect for this concept, anyone with half a business brain down in Cardiff, should replicate this place and they would make a mint

the difference being the vine is busy all week with locals..the Ninian hasnt been..........i went there 3 seasons ago on a Sunday to watch us in an away game live on SKY........there was my mate and myself and just 4 others in the bar..you can not survive on 23 days a year......

The reason The Vine survives, is because they are unique with the indoor BBQ they provide and they have bands on throughout the week etc. The Vine, is surrounded by industrial units, on a shitty back street. There is far more residential near the Ninian than The Vine. They have an outside covered tent area which the Ninian could easily do, but the one thing that people go there for, whether football fans or normal punters is the outstanding and cheap Indian BBQ If the Ninian, is ever to survive as a pub, that's the sort of thing that they need to do

Cheers Nips

why dnt you and annis get your cash out,

you would turn it into a gold mine

Why not turn it into a tapas/pichos bar for the super cup final.

Do what Stuart Lovering did to the Barry Town clubhouse, turn it into a Buddha Bar

Never really understood the attraction to this place, it's a dump. It seems to get a renovation every few months and still managed to look a dump.

Soon enough it will be knocked down and flats built.

Me neither. Can't even enjoy a pint with crappy plastic glasses.

This pubsdefinitely has a future as a pub but they need to go all out on football/Cardiff City. Make it one big bar, cram in as many people as possible on match days. You could then try and make it a meeting place for supporters before away games and for trust/supporters clubs meetings.

I do agree though that it can't survive on matchdays alone, which is why it needs to be bought by someone who owns another pub in the City. They can run both, you will see a profit from the Ninian pub if you only open it up on matchdays, functions and meetings. You will cut a lot of the over heads by ditching the restaurant open 7 days a week. You won't attract people there away from football sadly.

The only way it will survive is to attract different groups in the week like darts and pool teams or even the Cardiff City Trust for their meetings. You cant take it over and expect to make a living from football matches alone.
Pity, because although its a cackhole, ive had some good times in there.
Im afraid a Chinese restaurant will be the final nail. What idiot thought of that?

just had a text off nikki at Mavricks and the pub will be open at midday

After the success of the Romney I'm sure Steve would look to expand his city pub chain ?