A pub full of spirits!

Aug 29 2007

by Gareth Rogers, South Wales Echo

In our third report on the haunted sites around South Wales, Gareth Rogers visited the Rummer Tavern in Cardiff, an inn that claims to be the capital’s most haunted hostelry

A LICENSED ale house since 1730, the Rummer Tavern is believed to be one of Cardiff’s most haunted pubs.

Legend has it that the old inn in the shadows of the castle is haunted by an angry mariner, who died of jealousy after catching his wife in bed with another man.

Manager Andy Melbourne claims he and his staff have witnessed several spooky happenings in the pub – but he believes their ghost is friendly.

The 51-year-old, who took over as manager in 2002 after an earlier spell at the pub in the late 1980s, said: “It amazes me how many of the staff have had sightings.

“The most popular places are the ladies’ toilet and the cellar.

“The cellar is dark, cold and quite creepy, so it doesn’t surprise me that people get spooked there.

“But I think ours is a friendly ghost because it’s never done anyone any harm.”

The pub is featured in a book called Haunted Cardiff and the Valleys, which is compiled by a number of authors from the South Wales Paranormal Research group.

But Mr Melbourne said that the pub’s ghost is not as sinister as the tales in the book might suggest.

He said: “There is no need to fear any of the spirits in this pub at all.”

The old pub, which has stained glass windows and corners, nooks and crannies, has been rumoured to be haunted for decades.

Mr Melbourne said: “A lot of customers come in and ask about the ghosts and the staff always like to talk about it.

“We have a note on the wall which mentions the resident ghost.

“One of the most clear sightings I have had was of a man wearing a white shirt, but I am still quite sceptical.

“I believe there’s something out there, but I’m not sure what. Since I have been working here I have become more interested in the paranormal.”

Horror at the pub urinals! - page 2

Horror at the pub urinals!

The book Haunted Cardiff and the Valleys tells the tale of a man called David who claims to have encountered the Rummer Tavern ghost in October 2000 in the pub’s toilets.

The book said: “As he stood in front of the urinal, David suddenly had the feeling that he was not alone. He could feel the hackles on the back of his neck rise to such a level that it made him shiver.

“The feeling persisted as he stood there but there was not a soul in the room with him.

“Becoming more uncomfortable by the second, David quickly headed for the basin to wash his hands, just wanting to leave the toilets and get back to his friend in the pub.

“As he stood there washing his hands the feeling again became more intense behind him, so feeling a little braver than a moment ago, he looked up into the mirror to survey the room behind him.

“Although it all happened too quickly for David to describe what he saw, he was able to tell us that it was of a human size, and it had moved towards a wall behind him before disappearing.”