We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Flying Saucer
“If you look closely at this you’ll see that there is a mysterious new edition to the Cardiff skyline. I really don’t know what the grey flying saucer shaped structure is – but by my reckoning it’s one of 2 things, either NoFit State Circus is trying out a new Big Top or the Martians have finally landed…”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
The doors of St Marys
“The magnificent St Mary The Virgin Church in Bute Street is one of the areas most iconic landmarks, but I’d often wondered why its massive front doors had been closed off and why the entrance is actually at the back. I was there recently and asked the Vicar what the story was, I was surprised to hear that those doors have actually never been opened. In fact they are a facade with a stone wall behind them. Apparently at the time it was built the Anglican Church had a strict rule about fonts having to face the east and so the building was designed with the entrance at the rear, however the Marquess of Bute – whose money had paid for the construction – was most displeased that there was not a grand entrance on Bute Street – so the false doors were added to appease him.”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Ivor Novello
“This bronze statue commemorates the songwriter and actor Ivor Novello who looks over to the Wales Millennium Centre. A couple of years ago a film maker worked with a group of young people in Riverside (where Novello grew up) on an animated film about his life and the impact of World War 1 on the area, using his songs as a soundtrack. For some reason I was asked to voice his character, and I even sang a few bars of ‘Keep The Home Fires Burning’ ….so far there have been no offers for me to reprise the role with a full orchestra.”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Mansion House
“Near the VCS office there is an advert board which says ‘Starbucks now open in Mansion House’. Well, as I have an early meeting in Roath this morning I thought I’d pay them a visit. The Mansion House is the ceremonial home of The Lord Mayor of Cardiff and is where the great and the good are entertained Downton-style (I’ve only ever been invited there twice in seven years, once for an India Day flag raising ceremony, and the other time for a press reception when the Bluebirds won the FA Cup. But then I’m neither great or good!). Anyway, I thought it was a bit odd that Starbucks were opening there – another case of the Council trying to make a buck to offset the cuts perhaps? The answer I found was no. Not a hint of a coffee to be had, the doors firmly closed. Further investigation revealed that the ‘Mansion House’ referred to in Starbucks’ poster is in fact what is now called ‘Shand House Student Mansion’ on Newport Road – which is nowhere near as classy but at least does serve Americano.”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Bute Dock Hotel / Bombay Cafe
“The old Bute Docks Hotel sadly closed a couple of years ago and the building was left empty and forlorn – but recently it reopened as an Indian Cafe called The Bombay. It claims to have been established in 1953, but further investigation reveals that the proprietor is the grandson of the owner of the original Bombay in Bute Street which closed down in the early 80s. They have done a decent job with the decor and serve a damn fine cup of chai which I highly recommend. My only complaint is that the auto-tuned synthopop of Capital FM is pumped out, which didn’t exactly match the ambiance to my way of thinking. I did suggest a couple of alternatives of course, but then perhaps I am biased!”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Bute Street Station
“Another abandoned building today – the railway station in Bute Street. The shuttle train still brings people here, (now renamed ‘Cardiff Bay’) but the old station house and platform are long deserted, which I find baffling. To me it looks like a perfect venue for restaurant, bar or museum. Not even Wetherspoons or Starbucks seem interested, despite what would be an ideal outdoor sheltered patio area and guaranteed footfall. It’s just allowed to stand there, decaying more with each passing season. It’s especially odd as hundreds of staff from both the Welsh Assembly and Cardiff Council use it to get to and from work, it’s not like it’s hidden from those who have influence. What a waste!”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Boats on Cardiff Bay
“Easter Monday turned out to be sunny and bright in contrast to yesterday, so I’ve taken a walk through Hamadryad Park and down to the Boardwalk for this shot of the Bay with Penarth and the Barrage in the distance.“
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Mill Lane
“Named after a steam mill that used do whatever steam mills did, Mill Lane once looked over Glamorganshire Canal, now filled in. These days the street is a row of eateries and is described by Cardiff tourist information as ‘The Cafe Quarter’. I can’t claim to being much of a mathematician but I’m fairly sure we have more quarters in the the city centre than is arithmetically possible but perhaps that’s just me…”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Corys Buildings
“Today’s photo is of a grand but long vacant building in Bute Street. Variously described on its frontage as ‘Corys Buildings’; ‘Merchants Place’ and (most intriguingly) ‘170 Knightsbridge’ the huge building has been up for sale for years and looks very forlorn in the shadow of the gleaming new Wales Millennium Centre across the road. I only ever see it being used when the BBC are using it to stand-in for Victorian London on Doctor Who or some such . It is crying out to be turned into a hotel, and I’m sure would make a mint if some multimillionaire hotellier would only take hold of it and give it a new lease of life. I’d do it myself if I was a multimillionaire. Ah, well… ‘This time, next year’ – as Del Boy used to put it.”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Radio Cardiff – my second home
“This is the view from behind the desk in Studio 1 at Radio Cardiff. It’s a view I’m very familiar with having been sat behind it on a regular basis since 2007, though to be honest there are still many buttons and switches there I’ve not got a clue about. It’s from here that I get to share my passion for soul and blues music every Saturday morning and Wednesday night. Radio Cardiff is a remarkable place. Completely run by volunteers (over 100 I think) it brings together people of all ages who give of their time to provide the city with not only a very distinctive blend of music, but local information, news & features. Radio gets under the skin of some people, and I am one. We are very lucky to have such an open and receptive form of community radio in Cardiff, and it’s something I try not to take for granted. So ‘Big Up’ to all who make it so, and especially to handful of people who started it the first place and who have given so much of their time and energy over the years to keep in going in good times and bad.”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Tiger Bay Couple
“An early meeting in the Bay this morning took me past this wonderfully evocative and much photographed statue which I take to be a reminder of when Cardiff Bay was ‘Tiger Bay’ the thriving multicultural community that grew up around the coal exporting docks. I find the stories of those days fascinating – the history of the area is something that should not be forgotten, thankfully there are a growing number of people who feel the same way and are finding new ways of interpreting it through the arts. This statue is a fine example of that.”
We Are Cardiff contributor Jeremy Rees is recording his days in and around Cardiff with 100 photographs of local points of interest. We’ll be publishing some of them here on We Are Cardiff – and make sure you tune in to Jeremy as he presents the Saturday Soulful Breakfast on Radio Cardiff!
Cardiff Indoor Market
“Taken from the first floor balcony of the 108 year old indoor market which sells lots of things you can’t easily find anywhere else anymore – like Carbolic soap, aniseed balls and thimbles. It’s served the people of Cardiff since Queen Victoria was on the throne, but now – surrounded by pedestrianised streets and with the gleaming new St David’s Shopping Centre on its doorstep, its future looks uncertain. The Council are currently ‘consulting’ on it so time will tell….”
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