The Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper is a pub in central Cardiff, Wales, operated under the J D Wetherspoon brand. It stands at 9–10 Westgate Street, close to the site of one of the five gateways through Cardiff's medieval city walls. According to the pub's official history, that gateway was originally called Wales Gate and later became known as Blounts Gate after a former gatekeeper — the source of the pub's name. A blue plaque nearby marks the location of the gateway to the Town Quay; although the nearest water is now more than 200 metres away, the River Taff once flowed along what is now Westgate Street, and until the end of the 18th century the quay was Cardiff's main outlet to the sea. The building itself has a varied past: Wikidata records it as a pub in Cardiff that was formerly a theatre and cinema. As a Wetherspoon pub, The Gatekeeper follows the chain's familiar formula: a large, value-focused, food-and-drink-led pub with long opening hours, an extensive menu, real ale and craft beer ranges, and a strong emphasis on order-and-pay convenience through the Wetherspoon app. The pub opens at 8:00am daily, closing at midnight Sunday to Thursday and at 1:00am on Friday and Saturday. Children under 18 are only permitted on the premises between 8:00am and 9:00pm. Facilities include Wi-Fi, TV screens, a licensed outside area, a projector and screen, baby-change facilities, step-free access and TNT Sports coverage. The Gatekeeper participates in Wetherspoon's wider promotional calendar, including the twice-yearly real-ale festivals. The official site highlights an autumn beer festival featuring 30 real ales, five of them from international brewers in China, Denmark, Singapore, Ukraine and the USA — the first time brewers from Singapore and Ukraine had taken part. It also promotes the chain's Christmas menu and its spritz cocktail range. The pub's own history page also presents local context, including Cardiff Arms Park and the Millennium Stadium, reflecting Wetherspoon's practice of giving each pub a distinct local identity and story. Ownership sits with J D Wetherspoon plc, the UK pub company founded by Tim Martin, whose first pub opened in 1979 in Muswell Hill, north London, and which floated on the Stock Exchange in 1992. The Gatekeeper is therefore a single-site pub brand within a large national operator rather than an independent business. Its identity is tied to its Cardiff location, its historic name and its role as a city-centre Wetherspoon outlet serving locals, shoppers, office workers and visitors.

The Gatekeeper is a pub in Cardiff, Wales, operated by J D Wetherspoon. Its name derives from the medieval city walls of Cardiff: the pub stands near the site of one of the five gateways through those walls. According to the pub's official history, the gateway was originally called Wales Gate and later became known as Blounts Gate after a former gatekeeper. A blue plaque nearby indicates the location of the gateway to the Town Quay. Although the nearest water is now more than 200 metres away, until 150 years ago the River Taff flowed along what is now Westgate Street, and until the end of the 18th century the quay was Cardiff's main outlet to the sea. The building at 9–10 Westgate Street has had other uses: Wikidata records it as a pub in Cardiff that was formerly a theatre and cinema. The pub operates within the J D Wetherspoon estate. Wetherspoon's own history begins in 1979, when its first pub — purchased from an entrepreneur who had converted it from a bookmaker's — opened in Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill, north London, on 9 December. For its first month it was called Martin's Free House before being renamed Wetherspoons in early 1980. In the early years all the company's pubs were in north London, with the head office above The Dog in Archway. In 1990 the pubs hosted their first real-ale festival, lasting four days and featuring six beers; today each Wetherspoon pub takes part in the twice-yearly beer festival, offering up to 50 beers each, 10 of them from overseas. In 1991 the company opened The Tally Ho in North Finchley with a dedicated non-smoking bar upstairs, one of several initiatives it pursued before the smoking ban of July 2007; it also launched its CBS (cleanliness, beer, service) scheme and produced the first edition of Wetherspoon News, and opened Hamilton Hall at Liverpool Street station, its first central London and train-station pub. In 1992 Wetherspoon opened its first airport pubs at Heathrow Terminal 4 and floated on the Stock Exchange as J D Wetherspoon plc, with shares issued at £1.60. As part of this national chain, The Gatekeeper follows the Wetherspoon model: long opening hours, a broad food and drink menu, real ale and craft beer, and app-based ordering. The pub opens at 8:00am daily, closing at midnight Sunday to Thursday and 1:00am Friday and Saturday; children under 18 are allowed only between 8:00am and 9:00pm. Facilities include Wi-Fi, TV screens, a licensed outside area, a projector and screen, baby change, step-free access and TNT Sports. The pub takes part in Wetherspoon's promotional calendar, including the autumn beer festival — a 12-day event from Wednesday 7 to Sunday 18 October offering 30 real ales, five from international brewers in China, Denmark, Singapore, Ukraine and the USA, the first time brewers from Singapore and Ukraine had been involved — as well as the Christmas menu (available from Thursday 12 November to Thursday 31 December, excluding Christmas Day) and the spritz cocktail range. The pub's history page also presents local Cardiff context, including Cardiff Arms Park and the Millennium Stadium, in keeping with Wetherspoon's practice of giving each pub a distinct local story.

• 1992

  First airport pubs open at Heathrow Terminal 4; company floats on the Stock Exchange as J D Wetherspoon plc at £1.60 per share.

• 1991

  The Tally Ho opens with a dedicated non-smoking bar; CBS scheme and Wetherspoon News launched; Hamilton Hall opens at Liverpool Street station.

• 1990

  First Wetherspoon real-ale festival held, lasting four days with six beers.

• 1979

  First Wetherspoon pub opens in Muswell Hill, north London, initially as Martin's Free House.

• Autumn beer festival runs from Wednesday 7 to Sunday 18 October, offering 30 real ales including five from international brewers in China, Denmark, Singapore, Ukraine and the USA.

• Christmas menu available at Wetherspoon pubs from Thursday 12 November to Thursday 31 December, excluding Christmas Day.

Value-focused, high-volume city-centre pub within the J D Wetherspoon national chain, with a distinct local Cardiff identity tied to its historic name and building.

• Real ale

  Cask-conditioned ales, including guest ales and festival ranges.

• Craft beer

  Craft cans and keg beers with published tasting notes.

• Spritz cocktails

  A range of nine classic and fruity spritz recipes.

• Christmas menu

  Festive food including returning favourites and new dishes.

• Pub food

  Value-focused all-day menu ordered via the Wetherspoon app.

1. 1The Gatekeeper - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
2. 2History - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
3. 3The Gatekeeper - J D Wetherspoon (pub history)jdwetherspoon.com
4. 4About us - J D Wetherspoonjdwetherspoon.com
5. 5The Gatekeeper - Wikidatawikidata.org