³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A historic Cardiff pub, the Vulcan Hotel, has served its last pint and is set to be dismantled and moved, brick by brick, to St Fagans National History Museum.

The Vulcan Hotel opened in 1853

Brewers SA Brain said it was no longer commercially viable for either Brains or licensees Gwyn and Sandra Lewis to keep the pub open.

The exterior of the two-storey Vulcan Hotel, which first opened in 1853, has remained virtually unchanged.

The pub became a "cause célèbre" with supporters such as James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers and Hollywood actor Rhys Ifans supporting the petitions to keep the pub open.

It was also the location where Welsh band Future of the Left recorded their video .

Speaking about the closure and move to St Fagans, Scott Waddington, chief executive at Brains said:

"It is with regret that we confirm that the Vulcan pub has closed as of today. As we have previously stated, and despite attempts to attract more customers, the pub is no longer commercially viable for either Brains or the tenant who operated the pub.

"The Vulcan is an important part of our history, which is why we have been working with its owner, Marcol, and the National History Museum, to relocate the building to St Fagans and preserve the history of the pub for the future."

The property's owners Marcol Asset Management Limited have agreed to donate the building, which is rich in original features, to St Fagans National History Museum.

Mark Richards, deputy director general of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales said:

"The Vulcan hotel will be a welcome addition to the collection of historical buildings at St Fagans. We are grateful to Marcol for donating the building and giving us the opportunity to save and preserve this important part of Cardiff's heritage for the nation and to tell some of the area's rich history."

The pub retains many of its original features

However, there is no firm date as to when the work on rebuilding the Vulcan will begin. Due to current commitments, work is not expected to start for several years. In the meantime, museum curators will work on an interpretation strategy to decide on how and which period to display the building.

An appeal will be made for photographs, objects and stories relating to the Vulcan and its history.