Recently, WalesOnline was granted access to a slice of Swansea's nightlife history in the form of the old Cavalier Bar which had sat forgotten above the old BHS store since the 80s. You can read more about that here.
The frozen in time venue was filled with nostalgic blasts from the past like dusty Corona lemonade bottles and old menus offering £1.50 bar meals. Loads of people commented on the story on our Facebook page and website, sharing their memories of the bar which was also known as the Penthouse. Many readers also shared their opinion that the site and its historical nightclub relics should be preserved. You can read more stories about Swansea here.
Here's exactly what people had to say:
'For me at that time the best in town'
Sharing their memories of the building before it became the Cavalier Bar, Boggis 2 said: "It was originally The Penthouse and for me at that time the best in town." The Penthouse is an important part of some people's family history; Rockyboo 2's mum and dad met each other there and have been happily married ever since.
"I also remember it being called The Penthouse and I remember they had female 'go go' dancers. Great days," said AnnieJ2. Another reader, Deltawhiskey, used to stock the bars there when they left school at 16 and said the club opened in 1972 as The Penthouse Club. Although it all looks "wonderful", the reader said, it was painted plaster over chicken wire.
' Seen my first stripper here'
Some Swansea locals reminisced about family nights out in years before Wind Street was the hub of the city's nightlife. Naggypants2 said: "I never went in the cavalier but my sister loved going there. We would go into town together go in a few pubs. She would go to the cavalier and I'd go to baron's. We always met up then to go home. There used to be quite a few good night clubs in Swansea. Gone are the good times in Swansea, Wind Street ruined the night clubs."
Others recalled some memorable coming-of-age moments in the bar, such as burtkwok who said " Seen my first stripper here. 50p in a pint glass for second half." Thanks for sharing!
Many remembered the small dance floor and Orangeman2 said: "Good times may have been small but it was packed most nights. From the Penthouse days with Terry Brown and up to the Cavalier days with Brian Ludlam. Not forgetting Jeff Grey's bar."
'What a treat it was'
One item on the bar that stuck out to many of our readers was the Corona Lemonade bottle, a throwback to a popular soft drink brand from south Wales which stopped trading in the 90s. The old Corona factory in Porth later became a music and media complex called The Pop Factory. Wendy Flanigan said she used to get Corona pop delivered to the door weekly, "What a treat it was, and we didn’t even have a fridge!" Many could not believe it used to cost 10p for a bottle and Mai Evans suggested the pop bottles could go to the Vulcan pub at the Museum of Welsh Life in St Fagans.
'Should have a reunion night'
Some called for the preservation of this historical bar, or at least thought a reunion would be nice before it is transformed into a community hub by the council. Player677 commented "Apart from the bogs, it looks good. Should have a reunion night for old customers before knocking it down". Nick Rawlings asked "Why does someone not apply for a preservation order to protect Swansea's history?" and HarlequinsPorth9 said it was a shame to lose all that history. Allison Koska said it would be nice if the stained glass window behind the bar could be saved.
If you worked at or ran The Cavalier or The Penthouse Club and would like to share your memories, get in touch with katie.hoggan@reachplc.com.
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