The Landlords

Mark Falzon

2015 to Present

Mark Falzon is the current landlord of the Old Arcade. He’s been in charge since April 2015 and celebrated his tenth year anniversary this April. Mark has run a few Pubs before including the Owain Glyndwr just down the road. Just before Mark’s arrival, there was an Old A refurbishment in November 2014 which moved Slogger’s corner to a new position in the back room (A confusing move)

He was in charge of the Old A when the Covid lockdowns hit and, when in recovery, the Council allowed tables for the customers in the Arcade outside. The outside Arcade also bears the Welsh murals for the Welsh football red wall including a mural of Mike Peters, arranged by an anonymous Welsh football fan.

Mark insists that he loves working in the City Center, as there are so many different characters who visit from all over the world as every rugby Nation knows the Pub. He recently had a young New Zealand apprentice who wanted to work in the Pub that his family had frequented in the past. The England v Wales RWC game of 2015 stands out as his sporting highlight. The Pub was ecstatic – an atmosphere you just can’t beat. The rugby family has donated so many memorabilia, all with their own stories. However, there are other sports, and he plays a lot of football on the TVs, supported by the mural on the facing wall of the arcade. The 2016 Euros was a truly memorable few weeks for Wales and the Old Arcade.

The only downside is the medieval drainage – but that’s also part of the history. A great place to work

Gary Corp

2005 to 2011

Gary Corp was the landlord from 2005 until 2011 and inherited Mr Ray as his assistant manager, although he left shortly afterwards

2005 was the year after a major refurbishment and the historic back wall mirror was now to be found in the front bar surrounded by shelves and bottles – a pity for those asking the age-old riddle “what’s the difference between the one side and the other”?

Some of the old jersey memorabilia had disappeared and the south wall in the back bar was now in a room of its own, plus the corner gent’s toilet had gone. The ceiling had also gone in the new room allowing a smoking area, but following the refurb, there was soon to be an increase in trade in Gary’s first couple of months.

In those days, Wales rugby was performing well, and the FA Cup finals took place in the Millenium stadium as Wembley was being rebuilt. The rugby league finals were also held in the Millenium ensuring a series of events for sporting enthusiasts and the Old Arcade

In May 2008, Gary remembers the Toulouse v Munster Heineken European final in Cardiff as a record for Guiness sales, but things moved on and there was soon to be a filming of Gary and Sue – calling time – which showed a struggling time for the industry

Gary remembers some of the Pub characters vividly – Barry John always willing to talk to people, and some visits from Warren Gatland. In fact, a Waikato rugby shirt was donated by Warren which now hangs on the wall of the City Arms

Gary ran the Grosvenor Hotel in London beforehand, and moved to the Grosvenor, Splott after the Old Arcade. He now runs the City Arms pub just down the road…

Paul Graciz

1978 to 1981

Paul and Josette Graciz ran the Pub from 1978 to 1980, and together with their two children, Joanna and Samantha they brought a lot of good feeling to the place

Paul’s father was a publican who ran the Marchioness of Bute, long since replaced by the Saint David’s centre. Paul followed in his footsteps and had run the Greyhound and Bosun before the move to the Old Arcade.

In the Spring of 1979, the Old Arcade RFC was formed with the full support of the President to be, Mr Paul Graciz. The next 18 months was pretty lively with loads of events and fund raising. Plenty of characters in those days with Slogger and John Dawes often in the Pub and Mike Burton (England prop forward) who managed the trip to California

Paul played a few games for the rugby team as did Josette who played for the Women’s team against the men to raise money for charity at Xmas times.

Joanna was only seven years old when they moved into the Old A but remembers her parents inviting some of the poorer people over for Christmas dinner. They would never let anyone have Xmas day on their own. She also didn’t realise her mother played rugby!!!

The family moved to the Bluebell late in 1980, but Paul still went on the California Tour with the Old Arcade RFC – who followed him to the Bluebell

Paul sadly passed away a few years later – much missed by many

Bernie Axtell

1972 to 1976

Bernie was the landlord during some of the glory years of Welsh rugby and still visits the Pub from time to time. During Bernie’s tenure, Church Street was pedestrianised which meant that dray wagons had to park around the corner and the barrels were delivered by rolling them to the Arcade. The barrels were hoisted down to the cellar through the trap doors in the Arcade – and the Cellarman at the time was Charlie Frampton – a very distinctive character

There was no side ramp into the back room then, although an arcade entrance existed, which led directly into the back room. In the Front room, some tables were still bolted to the floor and there was a corner entrance from Church Street close to the piano played regularly by “Fingers”

The Old Arcade received the vote for the worst toilets in the centre of town – then open-air troughs in the Gents – leading to a refurbishment

There was a trap door entrance behind the bar to the cellar and a large fan over the back-room bar (no aircon then) and the memorabilia consisted of only a handful of rugby shirts. There was also a Boxing picture where the mirror over the fireplace is now in the back room. Believed to be an early Jim Driscoll fight with many of the figures in the audience numbered and identified in an index. There used to be back bar booths before Bernie’s time and the back-room wall was covered by the infamous and distinctive mirror

In the 1970’s the Old Arcade used to close at 2-30pm and reopen at 5-30pm, which led to very long queues after the match on International days. The Pub sold 75% real ale in those days with all payments in cash before anything was computerised

It was the time of IRA bomb scares, and a few times Bernie was asked by the Police to evacuate the Pub, although some wouldn’t leave without an argument

There were many characters regularly in the pub, with Slogger and Catholic Jim. Several Boxers particularly Joe Erskine and Eddie Avoth as well as Barry John and John Dawes. Max Boyce, Emlyn Hughes and Alex Hurricane Higgins were occasional visitors

1972-76 were particularly good years for memorable rugby games in the Arms Park and several successful Five Nations tournaments. There was still a greyhound track in the Cardiff Arms Park (as it was then) and Gareth Edwards scored a famous try against Scotland in the mud on the side of that track

Jim Brockington was the Tied House Manager and all important in the decision-making processes, and Bernie belonged to the National Association of Licensed House Managers (NALHM) – a regular gathering of all Cardiff’s House managers

Bernie also housed several music events, although not often advertised and it was a magnet for Male Voice choirs. He was the stepbrother of John Entwistle of the Who although it’s doubtful he visited the Old A unlike many bands who came in after their performances in the City Centre

Kenneth and Margaret Davies

1963 to 1970

Kenneth and Margaret Davies and their siblings Gail, Karen and Jason all lived at the Old Arcade in the 1960s. After the Old Arcade, the family moved to Whitchurch and then the Forresters (Sic) Arms in Canton before the Pennsylvania Pub – all in Cardiff

Landlord Kenny should take credit for starting the Old Arcade rugby jersey collection, with Club shirts from Cardiff, Newport, Neath & Ponty’ etc gifted to him probably by “Slogger” Templeman & John Hickey. “Slogger” played for Penarth, and John for Cardiff RFC and both were friends of the family. Sadly, John never represented Wales, but he must have come close on a few occasions. In those days you were informed of selection into the Welsh squad via the papers, seeing many hopefuls swiftly on their way to grab an early edition.

Slogger was a definitely a character and happy to play with a rugby ball in the Arcade outside the Pub,

Jason the son, was a bit of a wanderer as a youngster, often found roaming around the market and surrounding shops. Church Street was two-way traffic in those days as well, making it a very different world to today

Jason Davies, son of Kenny recalls

As a 4/5-year-old I needed something outside of the four walls of the pub, being stuck inside was constricting. Mum would often tell stories of the regulars bringing me home from the indoor market, where I would often be found wondering around. Howells too, especially around Christmas time if Santa was in his grotto, at least twice a day hoping for the odd present. Even the keeper from the castle would escort me back across Castle Street up High Street into Church Street and home. My mother would go potty at me. Ahh great days back then. Anyway, back to Slogger. He would stand in Church street (mainly on Sundays when it was quiet), holding a rugby ball (the road side of the arch way), which had cars travelling up and down in those days, wait for a break in traffic, and launch a rugby ball from his foot up into the heavens, I would wait for what seemed like an eternity for my ball to descend back to Earth, my eyes & arms wide open determined to catch the ball. It would hit the pavement and bounce feet into the air before I knew it more often than not, much to Sloggers amusement. We, well mainly myself would been responsible for bringing the fun to an end. Attempting to return the ball back over the roof I didn’t quite have as much ummpphh as i thought and my ball would often get caught between the chimney stack.

Rich Bennett recalls

Rich Bennett also has a relationship with Ken and Margaret Davies as Margaret was his auntie. When Margaret was in the Old Arcade, Rich visited many times with his sister and mum and dad. His parents Charles (Midge) and Maureen, were the landlord and landlady of the Black Lion in Llandaff City from 1973 to 1989, and also the Splotlands

Margaret moved to Deal in Kent, and her parents were also in the pub trade and ran the Golden Cross in Cardiff before moving to Deal themselves to run the Pier Hotel, Sadly, both Margaret and Ken passed away a few years ago

Rich remembers Slogger well both as a boy visiting his Auntie and also in the Splotlands where Midge and Maureen ran the Pub. Rich was born in the Splotlands but vividly remembers upstairs in the Old Arcade even though a young boy