Riverside, Cardiff

Riverside (Welsh: Glan yr Afon) is an inner-city area and community of Cardiff, Wales, next to the River Taff. Riverside is also the name of the electoral ward, which includes the district of Pontcanna, to the north. The population of the community in 2011 was 13,771. Pontcanna was removed from the community in 2016. [1][2]

Public art on Fitzhamon Embankment
Riverside Real Food Market

Description

Riverside consists mainly of terraced houses and until 2016 the community included the grand houses of Pontcanna and lining Cathedral Road. The area has a diverse population including Bangladeshi, Sikh and Chinese heritage, particularly to the south of Cowbridge Road and around Tudor Street.

Riverside has a number of Chinese, Halal, and Indian shops selling a range of foods. Because of its close proximity to the Principality Stadium and the city centre, Riverside has become a focus for Cardiff's rapidly expanding budget accommodation sector, with two backpacking hostels in close proximity of Fitzhamon Embankment.

In addition to the two public gardens in Riverside, Despenser Gardens and Clare Gardens, Riverside residents use Sophia Gardens immediately to the north. Sophia Gardens was once in Riverside, and was the first home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who in their early years were Riverside A.F.C.

Welsh language

The 2011 census recorded that 1,475 people in the Riverside community could speak Welsh (13.7% of the population over three years old), a small rise on the 2001 census.[3]

The former HTV television studios in nearby Pontcanna, which produced Welsh language programmes, was a boost to the language locally.

Government
Riverside electoral ward of Cardiff

The Riverside electoral ward is in the parliamentary constituency of Cardiff West. It is bounded by the wards of Gabalfa to the north; Cathays to the east; Grangetown to the south; and Canton and Llandaff to the west.

Until 2016 the Riverside local government community included Pontcanna to the north, these districts now have separate community status. However, neither Riverside or Pontcanna have a community council.[4][5]

Local organisations

Riverside Real Food Market began as a Christmas Market in 1998 in a nearby park.[6] The market moved to the wide pavement of Fitzhamon Embankment beside the River Taff, and has stalls from up to thirty retailers every Sunday.[6]

Notable people
  • Ivor Novello (1893–1951), composer, singer and actor, born in a house on Cowbridge Road East
  • Tessie O'Shea (1913–1995), entertainer, born in Plantagenet Street

References
  1. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W04000859
  2. "Community Councils". Cardiff Council. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015.
  3. Welsh Language Commissioner: 2011 census: results by community Archived 2013-10-22 at the Wayback Machine; gwelwyd 24 Ionawr 2015.
  4. Ruth Mosalski (23 March 2015) "No longer will housebuyers be able to mock estate agents... Pontcanna is set to be one of four city 'areas' given official status", Wales Online. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  5. The City and County of Cardiff (Communities) Order – 2016 No. 1155 (W. 277) (PDF). Welsh Statutory Instruments. 2016.
  6. Alison Young, "Cardiff’s Riverside Market", South Wales Echo, 8 January 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
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