On a hot Thursday evening in Canton, a buzzy Cardiff neighbourhood, a steady stream of people in sunglasses, shorts and dresses went back and forth between bar and garden at the city’s newest pub, the Pig & Swill. Next door, in Victoria Park, the splash pad was still heaving with families making the most of the tail-end of the May heatwave. Many parents and carers stopped by for takeaway pints and small plates. “Business has been really good since we opened a few weekends ago. We are really blown away by the positive reception and how the community has responded to us,” said Lewis Dwyer, the Pig & Swill’s co-founder. Recently published industry futures suggest British pubs are in deepening trouble. A total of 161, or two a day, closed in the first quarter of 2026 amid higher taxes, inflated food and energy bills and regulatory costs. The closures were up 26% on the same period last year and equate to the loss of approximately 2,400 jobs, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).…