One of Britain’s hardest pubs goes up for sale for £150,000

It became notorious as one of Britain’s hardest pubs, hosting bitter fights before being shut down by police after it became a hotspot for stolen goods. 

But those who have been missing the action at The Wyndham Arms in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales have the chance to buy the boozer for themselves – and at a bargain rate of less than £150,000.

The bar, which lies in the historical Welsh valley, was a favoured haunt of boxers, tough ex-miners, gangsters and steelworkers.

It attracted a generally older demographic, many of whom were up for a scrap from the minute they entered.

Locals said that drinkers popping in from other parts of Wales ‘would not stop long’, with one adding: ‘They’re either carried out or they’re knocked out.’

The Wyndham Arms was even featured on a TV series about Britain’s hardest boozers, such was its reputation.

But the Victorian-era drinking spot became polluted by a wave of shoplifting, with many selling stolen goods to the pub’s regulars.

Particularly popular were the variety of steaks and alcoholic beverages on offer, swiped from nearby shelves and sold off for a discount.

Landlord Kevin Jones was investigated by police over the racket at his pub and quizzed about handling stolen goods.

He later made a ‘full and frank admission’ of buying nicked gear, leading to The Wyndham Arms’s closure. He has not been investigated in connection with anything else.

The property is listed with a guide price of £138,000, and auctioneer Paul Fosh said: ‘The lively pub occupies a prominent corner position close to Merthyr Tydfil town centre.’

The auctioneer added: ‘The property is let on a six-year lease. Above the pub bar area there is a two-bedroomed flat with planning consent, on which work has started, to create an additional second one-bedroom flat.

‘Merthyr Tydfil is a busy town situated just below the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road and is linked to Cardiff to the south and the Brecon Beacons to the north via the A470.

‘The property consists of the public house on the ground floor with the mina bar area, lounge bar, toilets and cellar. On the first floor, where there is a flat, there is a hallway, living room, kitchen and shower room.

‘There is also a derelict area which is in the process of being converted to a second bedroom. There is a landing and two further bedrooms on the second floor.’

PC Steve Moseley of South Wales Police previously gave evidence confirming the efforts police had made to work with Jones to ‘break this chain of criminality’ at the pub.

But the force said his actions actively promoted crime after he purchased stolen goods and failed to stop others buying and selling such goods at the premises.

One incident captured on CCTV in March showed a shoplifter placing three or four items of meat into Jones’s van while the landlord handed over cash.

A police search of the van also uncovered washing pods and four bottles of wine worth £100, which Jones could not account for.

The landlord had previously received a warning in October last year about criminal activity linked to the pub.

Officers highlighted two incidents, including one in June 2024 when a prolific male shoplifter had been outside the Wyndham Arms with a box of Jameson whiskey.

CCTV showed customers handling the whiskey stolen from Tesco before one bought three bottles.

A second example in October 2024 featured a clip of a man stood outside the pub selling stolen steaks from a nearby Iceland supermarket.