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| Morgan Arcade |
Twitter (I stubbornly refuse to call it "X") gets a bad wrap, often rightly, both because of the bananas management of the platform by its owner, and the toxicity amongst certain of it's user base. However, follow the right people and it's a trove of information and news. Recently I saw a tweet from @ILovesTheDiff an account that tweets all things Cardiff about a chap that runs free walking tours of Cardiff variously taking in the City, it's arcades, Cardiff Bay, Dr Who locations and more. This is Fogos Free Tours, and interest piqued I promptly booked me and Mrs H onto an Arcade Tour.
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| Eugene "Fogo" Fogarty, our tour guide at the John Batchelor statue |
There's no cost, although I think it's entirely reasonable that tips are given at the end of the tour and very much appreciated if you've enjoyed the experience. Online booking confirmation and a 24 reminder were promptly received by email along with instructions of where to meet up for this roughly 2 hour tour.
On the appointed date we gathered by the John Batchelor statue in the Hays at 2pm as requested, along with about 10 others. Eugene, or Fogo, was ready and waiting in his trademark green t shirt and green umbrella (although it wasn't raining, but always prepared!)
After waiting a few minutes for 3 no shows we set off. Fogo an experienced walking guide from his time in other cities led us on an up and down journey of the Victorian arcades. Despite having lived in (or very near) to Cardiff since 1980 and my wife who is Cardiff born and bred both agreed that we often taken the architecture and history for granted as we listened as Fogo gave us some known but lots of unknown information about the existing arcades, and some that are no longer around, having been built over, or demolished. For example, have you ever heard of Dickens Arcade? It's more commonly known now as Revolution! Or that there's a street of houses behind one of the arcades, hidden from view that housed hundreds of people back in the early days of Cardiff's massive growth as a city.
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| Wyndham arcade |
There was some nostalgia involved too, as Fogo talked about the shops and in the arcades that have moved around, and clubs and businesses long, or in the case of Howell, more recently gone by the wayside. We learnt about the history of the famous Wally's delicatessen and how the famous Bear Shop in Wyndham arcade that's been around (although not at its current location) since 1870. Indeed my wife can remember when the big stuffed bear used to be stood outside the shop in a previous location.
We stopped outside Howells for a quick chat and view of the Bethany Chapel, recently visible after some of Howells facade has been knocked down. I suspect many people in Cardiff didn't even know the chapel was there.
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| Bethany Chapel, behind the old Howells building |
We had a quick 10 minute break in the Market, before learning that the market was also the site of the old Cardiff gaol, and the site of the last public execution (Dic Penderyn) in August 1831. The gaol was eventually moved to its current site in Adamsdown as the population of both Cardiff, and the gaol grew in the latter years of that century.
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| Cardiff Market - one big arcade |
I also didn't know that the Old Arcade pub got it's name, because alongside it ran probably one of the very first arcades in Cardiff, now just a place that provides some side access to the Market, and an open air alleyway along the side of the pub festooned with a large dragon and Yawl Goch mural. A bit obvious know I know, but something I hadn't given much thought to before.
Outside Queens Arcade, the newest arcade and not worthy of as much interest Fogo told us that a big yellow and ornate building looking like it had some Venetian influence, was probably built that way as it was adjacent to a canal which has long since disappeared, but was probably intended to reflect the buildings and canals of Venice.
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| A Venetian influenced building on Queen St? |
Castle arcade has a long tunnel underneath it, used primarily as storage for the business in the arcade, but apparently it's not very interesting - just a concrete like bunker.
Perhaps one of the prettiest arcades, is Duke St Arcade, which to my mind at least has some echoes of Harry Potter's Dragon Alley.
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| Duke St Arcade |
We finished the tour, slightly later than planned - running about 15 minutes late, outside High St Arcade which perhaps has the prettiest entrance facade. It was a fascinating way to spend a couple of hours, and a great way to learn a little bit more about the city we live in. I'd certainly recommend this tour, and hopefully, will be looking to try one of Fogo's other offerings soon.
Don't forget to tip!
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| Fogo winds up the tour outside High St Arcade |
There is a more complete set of photos on my Flickr pages, links below.
Instagram: simon_hiscocks
1 comment:
Really interesting blog.
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