Splott Boozer

[splott parker]

Yes Jim moved just outside Cardiff ,takes me 25 minutes to get to clifton street now. Clifton streeet is one of the reasons we moved away, a no go area at night now people fighting with swords I kid you not
I think the guy you mention is Trebsy and yes the Tred lifestyle still goes on. Remember Dai Bishop enjoying himself on many occasions with us and at the time he was playing Pro for Hull Kingston Rovers.
Forgot Abi was somali I was close but getting old now

Steve Shellard ended his days in one of the houses adjoining the old Moira (block of flats now, surprise, surprise). On a warm day he’d often be sat outside the house with a glass of cider. That Abi would have been some basketball player, Christ she was tall.

[Xmarksplott]

Sunday nights on the Special VAT in the Tred back room made Monday mornings unforgettable (or was it forgettable ). I don’t think the Tred shutting benefitted the police at all. All human life was contained there under one roof, most probably became like a game of mob when it shut

Special VAT . Jesus Christ that stuff should have been made illegal. If you poured a pint of that next to a pint glass full of 4 star petrol you would not tell the difference with the vapour it used to give off.
When Bob Pinches had the Tred he used to ration us to only 4 pints each. Even that was enough to turn people into someone from another planet.When people drunk that the place turned into the pub like the one in The Boys from the Blackstuff.

[Splott-light...]

Special VAT . Jesus Christ that stuff should have been made illegal. If you poured a pint of that next to a pint glass full of 4 star petrol you would not tell the difference with the vapour it used to give off.
When Bob Pinches had the Tred he used to ration us to only 4 pints each. Even that was enough to turn people into someone from another planet.When people drunk that the place turned into the pub like the one in The Boys from the Blackstuff.

Special Vat made Hurlimanns look like Shandy Bass, evil stuff

to think we were drinking Tennents Super and White Lightening back then too 😳

[Splott-light...]

Sunday nights on the Special VAT in the Tred back room made Monday mornings unforgettable (or was it forgettable ). I don’t think the Tred shutting benefitted the police at all. All human life was contained there under one roof, most probably became like a game of mob when it shut

what a place though, full of characters, many a lock-in after town early hours of Sunday morning

[splott parker]

You’re all correct, Special Vat should have been on the optics not in pints straight out of a flagon. Lovely drink though, only get it on prescription now I believe

[Xmarksplott]

what a place though, full of characters, many a lock-in after town early hours of Sunday morning

Indeed , what a place. As were a lot of pubs then full of characters not like your shit pubs now like wetherspoons .
Pubs will never be like they used to be for many reasons but you would be hard pushed to find a place like The Tred was.

[alfie]

They started selling Special Vat cider in the Llanrumey Hall in the seventies and there was more trouble than usual. They stopped selling it and the fun calmed down. It was not aplace for the faint hearted back in the day.

[splott parker]

The Addie was another crackers establishment. My mate Murphy brought a workmate of his down from Manchester who reckoned he’d seen it all up there. How shocked was he when he witnessed a punter dragging the fruit machine out of the door arguing that he reckoned it was his due to how much he’d put in it. Also The Eastern was top notch for MOT certificates and, you know what, they never even had to see your car.

For a small area, Adamsdown , the characters and goings on were unbelievable. I reckon the Krays would have needed security had they ventured.

[Tuerto]

Sunday nights on the Special VAT in the Tred back room made Monday mornings unforgettable (or was it forgettable ). I don’t think the Tred shutting benefitted the police at all. All human life was contained there under one roof, most probably became like a game of mob when it shut

True enough, i went in there when i was about 17 years old with a couple of blokes after work. One of the locals was just going from table to table and sanding them off with a bit of crap sandpaper, then repeating the sequence. Nobody seemed that bothered. When i asked why he did it, the reply was 'Because he likes it' That told me.

[Xmarksplott]

The Addie was another crackers establishment. My mate Murphy brought a workmate of his down from Manchester who reckoned he’d seen it all up there. How shocked was he when he witnessed a punter dragging the fruit machine out of the door arguing that he reckoned it was his due to how much he’d put in it. Also The Eastern was top notch for MOT certificates and, you know what, they never even had to see your car.

For a small area, Adamsdown , the characters and goings on were unbelievable. I reckon the Krays would have needed security had they ventured.

I also used these 2 pubs and it is true what you say the whole place (Adamsdown) seemed to be full of bonkers people but fantastic times were had in both these pubs.
The Eastern was the place to go to get almost anything you wanted as long as you knew the right person.
I remember going in there on Sundays as it was shoplifters sale day. Out the back room all the jewels were on display to start a bidding war, the array of goods was mindboggling,there was even a sit on lawnmower there one day ,how they got that out of the shop is anyones guess.
Both mad pubs but full of wonderful colourful characters

[splott parker]

Tony Debono, bouncer on the Addie door casually smoking the dope he’d confiscated off punters.

[Xmarksplott]

Tony Debono, bouncer on the Addie door casually smoking the dope he’d confiscated off punters.

Tony was one of my closest best mate. Top guy , we had many a good times and laughs together god bless his soul.

[Xmarksplott]

They started selling Special Vat cider in the Llanrumey Hall in the seventies and there was more trouble than usual. They stopped selling it and the fun calmed down. It was not aplace for the faint hearted back in the day.

Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to sell Special Vat to Llanrumney boys

[alfie]

Who the hell thought it would be a good idea to sell Special Vat to Llanrumney boys

Obviously the landlord didnt know the area and locals.

[splott parker]

Tony was one of my closest best mate. Top guy , we had many a good times and laughs together god bless his soul.

Old school mate of mine

[Xmarksplott]

Old school mate of mine

Tony could have gone a long way in Rugby if circumstances were different , as you probably know he could be a right handful in his day but saying that he was a very fair bloke if there was any disputes.

[goats]

Yes Jim moved just outside Cardiff ,takes me 25 minutes to get to clifton street now. Clifton streeet is one of the reasons we moved away, a no go area at night now people fighting with swords I kid you not
I think the guy you mention is Trebsy and yes the Tred lifestyle still goes on. Remember Dai Bishop enjoying himself on many occasions with us and at the time he was playing Pro for Hull Kingston Rovers.
Forgot Abi was somali I was close but getting old now

Me and two mates got attacked on Clifton street about 15 years ago about 2am, they did my mate good and proper kicking his head into the curb etc, lost his sense of smell and was in hospital for weeks. Never caught the bastards either…..right outside the police station.
They’d just left the tred apparently and were off it

[Xmarksplott]

Me and two mates got attacked on Clifton street about 15 years ago about 2am, they did my mate good and proper kicking his head into the curb etc, lost his sense of smell and was in hospital for weeks. Never caught the bastards either…..right outside the police station.
They’d just left the tred apparently and were off it

How do you know they apparently left the Tred. There are 2 pubs in the area which are closer to the police station The Clifton and The Yellow Kangaroo. Did the police have any evidence that they apparently left the Tred?

[splott parker]

Tony could have gone a long way in Rugby if circumstances were different , as you probably know he could be a right handful in his day but saying that he was a very fair bloke if there was any disputes.

Yeah he was alright Tony, bit of a chequered life. Born in Norwich if memory serves, brought up in Adamsdown obviously, not sure how, adopted?? Wales u/15 cap at rugby. Photo up with cap in Lady Mary outside main hall. Things could have been looking bright, but could they? Black lad end of the 1960s, although he had a Welsh cap would Union readily accept him? Or would League have been an option?

Perhaps the rough & tumble of Adamsdown and the odd game for the AcAcs was a bigger pull. I’m sure he had a spell in the CRFC youth system which obviously didn’t work out.

Very sad it all ended on a doorstep in Sanquhar St after a domestic stabbing.

[Xmarksplott]

Yeah he was alright Tony, bit of a chequered life. Born in Norwich if memory serves, brought up in Adamsdown obviously, not sure how, adopted?? Wales u/15 cap at rugby. Photo up with cap in Lady Mary outside main hall. Things could have been looking bright, but could they? Black lad end of the 1960s, although he had a Welsh cap would Union readily accept him? Or would League have been an option?

Perhaps the rough & tumble of Adamsdown and the odd game for the AcAcs was a bigger pull. I’m sure he had a spell in the CRFC youth system which obviously didn’t work out.

Very sad it all ended on a doorstep in Sanquhar St after a domestic stabbing.

I met his mother at his funeral sadly. I think his father was an american GI visiting our shores . Don't know why he was sent to Cardiff but it was his nana who brought him up in adamsdown.
With the rugby I think you're right about the CRFC youth system I am sure he played alongside Danny Wilson ,Ryan Giggs dad. Whilst Danny went north because as you said he had no chance of advancing with the WRU of that era , I think Tony just prefered to party.
Danny did try to convince him to follow him up north but was pissed off with the racism.
Sad ending but the relationship was always toxic.

[goats]

How do you know they apparently left the Tred. There are 2 pubs in the area which are closer to the police station The Clifton and The Yellow Kangaroo. Did the police have any evidence that they apparently left the Tred?

Some blurry video of them coming down and they had been kicked out of there or something, involved in some commotion outside the pub just before….they still had pint glasses

[Xmarksplott]

Some blurry video of them coming down and they had been kicked out of there or something, involved in some commotion outside the pub just before….they still had pint glasses

Sorry to hear about you're ordeal but from what you have said most people who used the Tred were from the Splott area so if they were regulars I don,t think they would have walked that far up Clifton st. near the police station although it is not impossible for this to happen.
Also there was a club right behind the police station which the police used themselves and very few people knew about this.
Could it be possible they came from this private club.
Who knows . SW Police are well known for cover ups.

[goats]

Sorry to hear about you're ordeal but from what you have said most people who used the Tred were from the Splott area so if they were regulars I don,t think they would have walked that far up Clifton st. near the police station although it is not impossible for this to happen.
Also there was a club right behind the police station which the police used themselves and very few people knew about this.
Could it be possible they came from this private club.
Who knows . SW Police are well known for cover ups.

Yes I recall that club, went there a few times, open really late and had a weird layout. It was about 2am when we got attacked, if I hadn’t drunk about 12 pints of Guinness I might have faired a bit better. I’d love to have found the buggers after as they did a right job on my buddy who was a small harmless type.

[Jimmy the Jock]

Tony Debono, bouncer on the Addie door casually smoking the dope he’d confiscated off punters.

Funnily enough this thread had taken me back to when I first arrived in Cardiff.
I wanted a bit of something a bit recreational. "Go and see Tony Debono in the Eastern" the tourist advice centre offered.
I walked into the Eastern where strangers were welcomed with open arms .
The sign outside was about 8 inches square , the front of the building felt foreboding, almost said DO NOT ENTER .
I asked the guy behind the bar as he stared at me questioningly , if Tony was on the premises.
There was a handful of people in the pub and it went deadly silent.
The tourist information centre hadnt mentioned the frosty locals .
He wasn't there , I drank my pint and left .I wasn't sure if I was going to have to fight my way out.
I did catch up with Tony and he was able to help .
I think I had to get one of the guys from the Tred to introduce me .
We did laugh about my introduction to the Eastern , he certainly was a character.
I have never been in since or before a more closed shop than the Eastern .
The people who drank in were so tight they didn't have time for visitors .
I think the sign outside was bigger than it needed to be.

[Xmarksplott]

Funnily enough this thread had taken me back to when I first arrived in Cardiff.
I wanted a bit of something a bit recreational. "Go and see Tony Debono in the Eastern" the tourist advice centre offered.
I walked into the Eastern where strangers were welcomed with open arms .
The sign outside was about 8 inches square , the front of the building felt foreboding, almost said DO NOT ENTER .
I asked the guy behind the bar as he stared at me questioningly , if Tony was on the premises.
There was a handful of people in the pub and it went deadly silent.
The tourist information centre hadnt mentioned the frosty locals .
He wasn't there , I drank my pint and left .I wasn't sure if I was going to have to fight my way out.
I did catch up with Tony and he was able to help .
I think I had to get one of the guys from the Tred to introduce me .
We did laugh about my introduction to the Eastern , he certainly was a character.
I have never been in since or before a more closed shop than the Eastern .
The people who drank in were so tight they didn't have time for visitors .
I think the sign outside was bigger than it needed to be.

At least you were brave enough to finish your pint Jim. Most strangers who entered usually left at least half and certainly none of them ever bought a second.
It was indeed a closed shop almost members only type of pub. As you said if a stranger who came in for a pint the juke box would stop and silence prevailed and all the punters would wait until someone knew the stranger, then as if by magic if someone did the juke box would go back on and conversations would resume.
The obvious reason for this was because the place was full of ex cons and dodgy characters , as I said earlier in the thread you could get almost anything in there as long as you knew the right person. Unless you had been to jail or you did not have a crimnal record you propbably would be best avoiding the place ,however if you wanted a criminal record or go to jail this could be arranged also.
How you doing Jim ,are you still commuting from Swansea?