The Hayes

Why go

Royal Arcade and Morgan Arcade bring covered passages directly into this broader shopping space. The Old Library at the northern end and Cardiff Central Library at the southern end give the walk clear anchors, while the Alliance sculpture adds a contemporary landmark. Look beyond individual shops to appreciate how the street has changed.

What to look for

• Royal Arcade and Morgan Arcade both have entrances on The Hayes.
• Alliance pairs a large metal ring with a pointed column near Central Library.
• A statue of nineteenth-century politician John Batchelor stands in The Hayes.

The full story

The Hayes tells part of Cardiff’s civic and commercial history through buildings that have changed use. The Old Library opened in 1882 as the Cardiff Free Library, Museum and Schools for Science and Art. Its combination of learning, collections and public space gave the northern end of the street a civic role alongside commerce. The David Morgan department store grew from a draper’s shop opened in 1879. Successive buildings expanded its frontage, and Morgan Arcade was added beneath the shop in 1896 to connect parts of the business. The store closed in 2005; its former buildings were subsequently adapted for shops and apartments. The arcade survives as a useful way to read that older commercial layout. The opening of Cardiff Central Library at the opposite end in 2009 created a new civic anchor. Walking between the libraries and entering the arcades reveals a street shaped by public institutions as well as retail redevelopment.

Useful to know

• Link an arcade visit with a walk between the Old Library and Central Library.
• Use the covered arcades as breaks from the exposed pedestrian space in wet weather.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.