Hidden space once home to a top dance club being cleared for a courtyard (original) (raw)

We visited the famous former music venue that will soon become an open-air dining destination in the heart of Cardiff's arcades

Pigeons flutter among the rafters. A Midland bank card which expired in 1999 lies on the dusty floor. The scene feels a long way from the heyday of what was once widely considered Wales' most successful dance club.

We are standing in the former site of the Emporium in Cardiff, a hidden space between Duke Street and High Street arcades which has sat dormant since the venue's closure in 2004. In its 90s peak, clubbers flocked to the Emporium, known for its Roman-inspired interior and a DJ booth hanging off a wall. It even featured in the film Human Traffic, a homage to the city's club scene.

The site will finally come back into use around mid-2023, when it will reopen as a courtyard surrounded by restaurants. With asbestos cleared and planning permission in place, demolition is due to start imminently. The first floor and roof will be removed for the space to become open-air, with a new retractable roof. Scroll down to see the pictures from our final visit to the old Emporium.

The Castle Quarter Courtyard scheme will include seven new restaurants in the arcades, four of those facing into the courtyard. A balcony will run around the outdoor space at first-floor level. Mansford — the developer which owns High Street, Duke Street and Castle arcades — is investing an eight-figure sum.

Letting agent Owen Cahill, from EJ Hales, tells us they are in advanced discussions with restaurants. He says there will be a focus on independents, with a wide range of cuisines. The design was inspired by London's three-storey alfresco dining venue Kingly Court. "We want to keep the Victorian style of the arcade, and the courtyard will be a rustic outside space," says Owen. "I expect there will be an element of street food."

Destinations which bring together independent food and drink options seem to be on the rise in Cardiff, from the Corporation Yard in Canton to the incoming market at the Capitol Centre. "People want different experiences rather than just standard restaurants," says Owen.

Why has it taken so long to resurrect the site? "It's landlocked," he says. "We looked at student residential conversion but couldn't make it work. When Covid happened there was an opportunity to come up with a fresh idea."