First time home in ten years - need advice.

[BLUETIT]

No offence taken!

It's more like 12-13 years not ten. Yes I'm travelling 7,000 miles for a steak bake and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm sure I'll get to the independent cafes too. Any you'd recommend? Pontcanna looks great nowadays!

The posh cafes in Pontcanna, will charge you £25 for breakfast (tea/coffee not included), then you’ll have to go to Greggs afterwards because you’ll still be hungry

[Dave Blue]

That may be true, but my comment is that Cardiff is a shit night out, and you're not going to change my mind. The bars are dross, the music scene is contemptible at best, and there are no decent clubs at all.

Many in the Tom Jones concert last night just wanted to get wasted. It was as if Tom was background music to their chat and evening out. Strange.

[ToTaL ITK]

No offence, but if you're prioritising your hotel on it's convenience for a 'Greggs breakfast', then ,well !
Dozens of excellent, independent cafes and restaurants that would serve you up a wonderful breakfast in far nicer surroundings. Where for lunch, Subway ?

The best breakfast i've had was at the Millenium Hilton in BKK. why not just eat Hiltons breakfast

[North Cardiff Blue]

Stay somewhere else because Cardiff by night these days is utter shite

Stay at the Village hotel Junction 32 and go to the Fino Lounge Whitchurch for Breakfast.

[William Treseder]

In my humble opinion, the best cafe/cooked breakfast, I’ve experienced in the 60 yrs I’ve lived in Cardiff, was the Busy Bee in Canton. Alas, it closed yonks ago.

[JamesWales]

Town is fine. What normally changes is us. People who say it's not like it was may be right or they may be looking at it as an older person and comparing it to when they were younger.

I love a night out in town. It could be better. It does lack a really good respected club and there is a lack of diversity in terms of pubs..but it's a good laugh.

The issue is more some daytime's. The council and WG's policies on home working, coupled with changes to the roads make getting into Cardiff harder and some day times are pretty quiet and it is sad to see.

But I would only encourage people to come into the city centre and enjoy it. I very rarely see any trouble at all.

There is an issue with drugs, beggars and the homeless, that cannot be denied, but I think there always has been and it's the case in loads of places. It's certainly nothing like I saw in Paris last year and people still go there.

[jeepster]

You'll be disappointed, between Cardiff City Council and Drakefords government town especially is turning into a right sh!thole.

Remember it's 20 mph with Cameras everywhere, one lane in as most lanes are now for either bus which use them once an hour or so or cycle lanes which are used about twice a day unless one of the cyclists is off, then once a day. Western Ave is 30mph and is generating hundreds of tickets an hour so be careful there.

Once you finally crawl into the Bay, it's not too bad and much better than town.

One in three towns,cities in the UK have this limit.
So it is not just Drakefords folly.

[superfeathers]

Town is fine. What normally changes is us. People who say it's not like it was may be right or they may be looking at it as an older person and comparing it to when they were younger.

I love a night out in town. It could be better. It does lack a really good respected club and there is a lack of diversity in terms of pubs..but it's a good laugh.

The issue is more some daytime's. The council and WG's policies on home working, coupled with changes to the roads make getting into Cardiff harder and some day times are pretty quiet and it is sad to see.

But I would only encourage people to come into the city centre and enjoy it. I very rarely see any trouble at all.

There is an issue with drugs, beggars and the homeless, that cannot be denied, but I think there always has been and it's the case in loads of places. It's certainly nothing like I saw in Paris last year and people still go there.

I’ve wondered over the last few years if it’s an age thing, like you say, and some of the sad states you see some of the homeless in, is because you notice it more as you get older

I’m not 100% convinced, it does seem to be worse in recent years.

In answer to the op, I still think Cardiff is one of the nicest cities you can go to and certainly somewhere I’d feel safe, just not without it’s problems like any city

[Bondi Bluebird]

This thread is useful for me as I'm visiting for the first time in ages early in the new year and was wondering where to stay with young kids.

I too am looking forward to Greggs. Specifically the sausage rolls. Although I believe pies are superior in Australia, sausage rolls are not. Over here the default meat is beef and if you do find a pork one, it's always something too fancy. Pork & fennel etc and the pastry is too dry. If my memory serves me correctly, Greggs was always the perfect balance of grease and crispness.

Also a couple of football related questions. Does anyone know if Ligue 1 in France has a winter break? I'm also going to be in France and might go to a game, if it doesn't. And do we automatically start the FA cup in round three? One of the weekends I'm in the UK is the third round 'proper'.