The Great Western

64 St Mary Street, Cardiff [map]


Amazing news. We went to see a band play at the Birmingham NIA on the weekend and, in what must rank as one finest pieces of booze-related thinking all year, the venue's various bars were selling two-pint plastic glasses of Carlsberg.

Now, obviously Carlsberg is a bit shit but when you're in an arena scenario, you have to take what you can get. The genius of it is that you can go and watch the band and only have to pop back to the bar with half the frequency that you otherwise would. Even if paying seven quid for some lukewarm session lager does feel a bit painful.


We've yet to come across anywhere in Cardiff that has picked up on this superlative alcoholic innovation. But if anywhere was to start selling beer by the two pints, then The Great Western would surely be the place.

It's a Wetherspoon although, prices aside, you'd hardly know it. Despite the makeover the pub had when it reopened as The Old Monk a few years ago, it hasn't managed to shake off the impression that this is a place for serious drinking.


It never, ever seems to shut. We went there for breakfast recently (they do a decent fry-up for under a fiver) only to see someone swigging Foster's at 9.30am. The bar staff didn't bat a collective eyelid. Trust us: being able to order a two-pint glass of fizzy lager here can only be a matter of time.