10-12 Royal arcade

Hundreds of people have walked through the arches of the historical Royal Arcade to taste the famous specialty coffee served at Uncommon Ground.

Nestled at the entrance of the arcade, the independent, family-owned coffee bar is run by brothers Paul and Ian Hayman. Since opening in March 2015, they have served some of the finest and expertly prepared coffee in Cardiff

With beans sourced from El Salvador to Ethiopia, the brothers run their own roastery, supplying cafes across the country.

Ian Hayman said:

“When we opened the business, we wanted it to be something different to everywhere else. We supply businesses across the country with our roasted coffee.

“Uncommon Ground is based on making things easy for our customers but also providing high quality consistent coffee.”

The business remained shut throughout the pandemic and only saw footfall increase when customers were allowed to dine in.

“When we re-opened, at times we would see five people a day. It’s a game changer for us and things are looking a lot more positive.

Coined as one of the coolest café’s in Cardiff, the Victorian features and historic architecture fits perfectly with Uncommon Ground’s aesthetic.

“Royal Arcade is one of the busiest and many shoppers cut through from The Hayes to St Mary’s Street, so we benefit from a lot of footfall.

“It makes a massive difference when you support a local business.”

“It’s great to have our business situated in one of Cardiff’s arcades and we have a good relationship with some of the other business owners. There are so many cool businesses, there’s such a variety that you may not have heard of.

“Many of the products on sale are so different to what you might find on the high street.”