THE ALEXANDRA, NEWPORT. BETTER ON THE OUTSIDE

August 2026. Newport. Gwent.

Four years since my last visit to Newport, but I’ve still probably blogged more about this wonderful town than anywhere outside “home”.

Four years means a couple of Beer Guide debutants have crept in, that Weird Dad micro over the Usk, and a lively town pub run by Rhymney Brewery in the centre.

And Newport is still a lively town city, especially on a sunny weekend like this one when you can see the grandeur of the architecture if you look UP,

rather than at the signs saying “Card Factory” and “Vape Shop” at eye level.

But you’ll need to keep an eye out for the Alexandra (a bank conversion) on Commercial Street, or miss that distinctive yellow sign.

CAMRA reckons Rhymney run eleven pubs, and if they’re all like this one and the Federation in Maesteg then their combination of good cheer bargain beer and 10am openings then they may grace the GBG again soon.

With TV and functional sports rooms they won’t compete with Sam Smiths for ornate interiors,

but for well under £4 the Bitter was superb,

and I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than on Newport’s pedestrianised main drag listening to “W****r” and “***k o**” and “50p whatever you see” *.

and regular readers will know I’m being entirely serious.

*Don’t ask. Honestly

Unknown's avatar

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

8 thoughts on “THE ALEXANDRA, NEWPORT. BETTER ON THE OUTSIDE”

  1. “That distinctive yellow sign” features the trademark of the original Rhymney Brewery taken over by Whitbread in 1966 and closed in 1978.
    How does that Newport compare to the Shropshire one ? .

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. The Welsh one, always, though Salop’s smaller town is well-pubbed these days (Titanic, Joules, Black Country) and of course you’re not far from High Offley’s Anchor here.

      Like

      Reply

      1. It’s a while since I visited the Alexandra and it was packed then – I looks much tidier devoid of people! I should definitely revisit, but Newport has so many other attractions (Pen and Wig, Carpenters, Weird Dad and Murrenger), it’s tough choosing which ones to miss out.

        If you’re looking for other ticks for future visits, the Red Lion is a nice local pub (Butty Bach and London Pride), not too far from the Alexandra towards the residential end of Stow Hill, and another pub that deserves some love is the Lamb, which seems to get overlooked even though it’s central, seeming in a constant cycle of opening and closing. Looking at Google Maps just now it looks open again and had a spruce up and gone up market (comfy seats and gold painted radiator), so Proper Job and Tribute might be off the menu – will have to investigate.

        (the Federation is in Maesteg (pronounced Maesteg), not Tredegar btw!)

        Liked by 1 person

      1. I always thought it was Rumknee, Rhys. My mother was from Bargoed and she pronounced it that way (although she could have been mistaken).

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment