Copyright walesonline
A Cardiff music venue has issued a desperate plea to customers, warning that without a higher footfall it's likely they'll have to close before the new year. Paradise Garden on City Road has been a popular spot in Cardiff's independent business scene since it opened in 2022. The small venue is located on the former site of Eartha, Blue Honey and Milgi and they've now warned they're in a precarious financial position having experienced a quiet few months. On Monday the music venue said the situation was so serious that unless they "stay busy" during the rest of the year it's likely they "won't make it into 2026". From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . The small business said they've had ongoing building maintenance costs and were forced to close for two weeks over the May bank holiday weekend, which combined with a quieter autumn has left them fighting a "juggling act of cashflow and razor-thin margins". Founded by local musicians, DJs, co-founders of creative collective TEAK, and couple David Bull and Esther Taylor, the venue offers an intimate musical experience only hosting 100 people. Paradise Garden isn't the only independent business which has been forced to issue a desperate plea in order to stay open recently. In September, the North Star pub on North Road, warned customers it was having to take "drastic action" to avoid having to close after almost having to shut their doors twice during the summer as a result of soaring costs. Now Paradise Garden has said: "2025 has been both an exciting and a challenging year for PG. We've increased our live music offerings, have worked with some amazing local creatives, communities and charities, plus we've invited really exciting international artists into our intimate little space. "Running a small grassroot venue is a tough gig in the current climate as everyone knows, it’s a constant juggling act of cashflow and razor-thin margins - so much so that even just a couple of low turnout gigs can easily rock the boat. "We started 2025 in a steady place but have been hit with ongoing building maintenance costs, including closing for a whole two weeks over May bank holiday which was a big blow." They added: "After a quiet summer autumn has unfortunately also remained quieter than we need to get back on track; as a result we've got significant running costs to claw back on and the only way that will happen is if we stay busy for the rest of the year. "We're asking our community to support us by coming to PG over the next two months, come down for an early evening drink or a late evening boogie. Reserve a table or book our yurt. Swing by for a gig, or grab a ticket for one of our upcoming events. "We appreciate everyone is strapped for cash at the moment and can't come out as much as before, but if we continue to have a low turnout for the remainder of this year then we probably won't make it into 2026. So if you are able to make the extra effort to support us we'd be eternally grateful."
