01/07/2026
Thinking aloud today β not a promotional post, just a genuine question.
Yesterday, Cardiff had an estimated 55,000 people in the city for live music, with two huge shows happening at the same time.
πLewis Capaldi at Blackweir Fields: 45,000 fans gathered for the first night of his outdoor "Blackweir Live" series.
πKaty Perry at Cardiff Castle: 10,000 fans packed into the historic venue for her exclusive "DEPOT Live" performance.
The city should have felt electric β not just inside the venues, but across the food, hospitality and independent business scene too.
But one question stayed with us:
Why did so many food venues not feel sold out?
Why did our iconic Cardiff Market feel like any other Tuesday?
For many of us in hospitality, summer gigs and festivals used to be a lifeline. These were the busy days we relied on. The days that helped balance quieter weeks. The days that gave the whole city centre a much-needed boost to local, small businesses.
So what has changed?