Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach undergoes major renovation to expand into derelict building

Two years after initial renovation plans were put in place, legendary Cardiff venue Clwb Ifor Bach is finally undergoing construction to expand into a neighbouring derelict building.

The long-running club and live music venue is now in the process of redevelopment for the first time in its 40-year history, with plans to add a new 500-capacity space and a separate 200-capacity room to the venue.

According to Wales Online, the venue is now being part-demolished to undergo a “major” renovation, with plans to improve accessibility and expand its capacity from 380 to 1,000.

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The Womanby Street venue promises to “keep Clwb’s character, charm, and heritage while modernising and future-proofing it for generations to come with a new identity crafted by design studio Nissen Richards.”

Plans include adding a larger space for live music, a smaller space to platform emerging local talent, new dressing rooms, an improved green room, and a new bar area on the top floor.

“We want to see Clwb redeveloped into an accessible venue; able to not only hold larger-scale performances and events, but also create more opportunities in the industry for musicians, audiences and the community – so even more people can engage with music in Wales,” the venue said in 2023 alongside its initial development plans.

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At the time, the venue called for donations to support renovations, explaining that it had just 18 months to “raise the necessary funding”, and was exploring “all avenues of support”.

A recent study conducted by taxi app Uber found that Clwb Ifor Bach was Cardiff’s most popular destination by night in 2025, with the highest number of pick-ups and drop-offs at any venue in the city.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X