On Friday 19^th October the Council gave the approval for a new licensed premises in one of Cardiff’s renowned buildings, Harlech Court.  

The new Company Porter’s has two directors - Dave (Wilson) is the Director of Actorsworkshop. Dan (Porter) has just retired as an actor (his greatest triumph coming as ‘the fat one’ in a series of commercials for the UK’s No. 1 Lager).

Dan hopes this leap from one ridiculous profession to another (Host at his own bar) will provide him with the happiness and stability that has been missing all of his professional life. The completely inexperienced and terrified double act (despite being no strangers to bars) will use their knowledge of the arts and their experience of events to create a different style of entertainment and customer service led bar.

Porter’s will have entertainment and good times at its heart. Dan describes his vision as ‘Old fashioned but inherently cool. An unpretentious, welcoming and familiar home not only for actors, industry professionals, Drama students and theatre lovers but for anyone looking for good old-fashioned fun. ‘A place where everybody knows your name’ to coin a phrase. I’m way past clubbing and the lighting, chrome, glass and mirrors of other places do my reflection no favours so it’s the kind of place I’d like to go to’.

A key focal point in Porter’s will be a stage for performances of Cabaret, Comedy and Music and the like. It is hoped that patrons of that bent will feel that they may use this stage as a platform.

There will be a Piano (and other instruments) that anyone can play and anyone can sing along to. ‘We want our regular patrons to ‘own’ the space’ Dan says. ‘If people want to sing or dance they can. If they want to just have a nice drink in nice friendly surroundings they can’. Within the site will also be ‘The Other Room’ decked out with traditional theatre style seats that can be used as a cinema, function room, private party area, rehearsal room, teaching space or simply as a  ‘bolt-hole’.

Situated next door to the Big Sleep Hotel and in the City centre the new venture will start to programme events from November when it opens. Although it is currently like a bomb-site. Dan adds ‘I sat on the cold concrete floor the day after signing the lease and looked at the chaos surrounding me and thought ‘What the hell have I done?’

For more information/photos please contact the bar by emailing: info@porterscardiff.com