The Vulcan Hotel built in 1853 and voted Cardiff's pub of the year 1997 closed, after a long battle to keep it running, on 31st May.
 
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. We have found ourselves the target of negative publicity as a result of us having to sell a pub due to a compulsory purchase order to accommodate the St David's 2 development some four years ago. In essence, we had no other option than to sell the pub. We have kept the pub trading over this period despite declining customer numbers and therefore income. The uncertainty surrounding the future of the premises has also made justifying any significant investment in the pub unrealistic. Brains continue to invest in the City, with some of the most recent refurbishments being Greenwood & Brown, The Duke of Wellington and The City Arms which has recently won CAMRA, Cardiff pub of the year. 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 Vulcan was built to serve the mainly Irish immigrant community on the outskirts of the city centre in an area once known as Newtown. Among the famous names to back the 5,000-signature petition to keep it open the last time were James Dean Bradfield, of Manic Street Preachers, Hollywood star Rhys Ifans and sports presenter John Inverdale.
 
Mark Richards, deputy director of St Fagans open air museum of buildings said, "The Vulcan Hotel will be a welcome addition to the collection of historical buildings at St Fagans." Mr Richards said the museum will appeal for photographs, objects and stories relating to the Vulcan and its history.
 
The announcement about The Vulcan Hotel came as plans for a £24m, five-year revamp and expansion of St Fagans, Wales' most popular heritage attraction with 600,000 visitors a year, have been submitted to Cardiff council. If the work at St Fagans National History Museum goes ahead, the Heritage Lottery Fund will contribute £12m and the Welsh government £6m.