Croeso Pubs Ltd, the south Wales pub chain which already runs five successful city centre venues including The Philharmonic and Brewhouse, has added former Marstons Brains pub The Dock in Cardiff Bay to its portfolio.
Originally opened as Terra Nova, the bar underwent a £1.25million refurbishment in 2016 and was renamed as The Dock. Now it will be run by the team behind The Philharmonic, Brewhouse, Retro, Blue Bell and Daffodil.
This isn’t the first Brains pub that Croeso Pubs has taken over, as it refurbished the former Goat Major pub on High Street, opposite Cardiff Castle, and reinstated it to its original name Blue Bell in 2021.
Craig Davies, Director of Croeso Pubs, said: “I remember when the pub first opened, how busy it was and how key it was to any night out in Cardiff Bay, so we were very sad when we heard that it was closing.
“We felt that if we jumped in and took over the bar, we could really make a difference and turn it around and so decided to go for it.”
Fellow Croeso Director Simon Little added: “It is a massive venue that has huge potential, and we can’t wait to get it open again and return it to its rightful place as the number one venue in Cardiff Bay.
“We are offering all former staff members their jobs back, as well as creating around 20 more full time and part time positions. The Dock will be open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner using local fresh produce with a menu created by our very own executive chef Jamie Newman
“We look forward to welcoming former regulars and new customers through the doors on 26th January.”
The bar will also be showing all major sports events with full Sky, Amazon, BT and Viaplay packages, and will also have live bands and musicians playing daily entertaining customers.
Croeso Pubs Ltd has a great track history in turning failing venues around. It took over the lease for The Philharmonic and reopened it in 2017 after a £1million refurbishment and turned it into Cardiff’s most popular nightspot. Croeso also took over former Brains pub 33 Windsor Place in December 2022 and reopened it as Daffodil, a food-led venue run by Alex Howells, who was the former restaurant manager of the Hare and Hounds in Aberthin and The Heathcock in Llandaff.
In March 2023, Croeso Pubs will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of Cardiff’s best loved sport and live music venue, Brewhouse
