Redevelopment of the old Irish Club is approved. It features apartments and a cafe/bar in Newport, Wales.
The ground floor will have cool stuff like a function hall, cafe (or bar!), and dance studio. They already finished building an extension at the back.
Upstairs, they made thirteen small apartments, each with its own kitchen and bathroom. Newport City Council will rent these apartments out, likely for contractors working nearby.
The council said those upper floors were always for workers and the apartments are small, so they cannot be permanent homes. But temporary use is fine because they provide needed short-term stays.
The ground floor cafe/bar can open early and stay open until 2 AM, Monday through Saturday. Sunday hours are 8 AM until 1 AM.
Planners think the cafe/bar is no big deal because the building was a club before, so it’s similar. Agents for Liam McGoldrick say this improves things, claiming it provides better space and a face lift.
They call it “car-free” because it is easy to reach stores, buses, and trains. The agents added this reuse makes the place lively, and it should improve the look and feel of the area.
Nobody complained during the public feedback time, and they gave permission, but there are rules. The apartments can only be temporary until the end of 2026; after that, the apartments must be empty.