Cowbridge Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups.

We will be profiling some of these businesses and organisations in a feature called 'Up Close in Cowbridge'.

This week, we spoke to Bar 44 about what's been happening behind the scenes during the closure.

THE PANDEMIC has forced several of our favourite Cowbridge eateries to keep their doors closed.

One such high street staple is Bar 44 , founded by brothers Tom and Owen Morgan back in 2002, after they fell in love with Spanish food.

Since its Cowbridge origins, the business has expanded to Penarth, Cardiff and Bristol and now into an online shop.

Nub News spoke with director of the 44 Group Natalie Isaac to find out what has been happening behind the scenes.

Natalie said that at their other locations they've been able to trade 150 days out of the year. At Bar 44 Cowbridge, they were only able to trade for a staggering 78.

"We used to pack the place. Anyone who went on a Saturday would see how busy we were," said Natalie.

"We don't have many tables at Bar 44, and with the stairs, the two-metre social distancing rule, and drinking at the bar not being allowed we would probably be allowed maximum 16 people in there at any one time.

"It's not a viable business proposition, we'd be losing money. We know from operating bigger sites how the takings are down to about 45-50%.

"The stairs would need traffic lights system, and we couldn't have a one-way system either.

"Our customers range from children right through to adults aged 85-90, so we have to do the right thing for our customer base too," she said.

The company has been able to relocate the Cowbridge staff to its other locations and avoid making any redundancies. There will be familiar faces when Bar 44 returns, but Natalie doesn't think it that will be any time soon.

"We do know the support will be there when we reopen, because we've been immediately full at our other sites whenever we did reopen," said Natalie.

"The reason we haven't opened at the other sites currently is because we know the majority of our business is after 4pm. It's not specifically due to the alcohol ban.

"But we think that it reopening won't happen in January, it could be longer because the figures are so bad.

"I'm getting emails everyday asking when we're opening. We have amazing support from locals, particularly in and around Cowbridge and Penarth, where we're very much ingrained in the community there.

"We're using the time wisely to get better and stronger so when we can reopen everywhere, we'll be there with new menus and drinks.

"We always have millions of ideas, and loads of projects have been on the backburner, so we've had time to finish those, which is great," she said.

One of those ideas has been the online shop , stocked with a range of popular Bar 44 dishes, the brand's own jarred olives, olive oil, aioli and sauces, and luxurious gift hampers. The team are especially proud of the new Manzanilla44 sherry, which is now available.

The 44 Group has teamed up with Noble Grape, who are stocking the products at their shop on Cowbridge high street.

"The purpose of running the shop is to help our suppliers who had already brought in the stock for December, and to keep our staff employed as well," said Natalie.

"The demand is amazing and is testament to the fact that we've been around for almost 20 years.

"It would have been our 18th birthday in Cowbridge in September, which we had planned a big party for that obviously couldn't go ahead.

"We ran the shop over the summer and Cowbridge residents were awesome, they massively supported it.

"It's running now as a Christmas shop. You can place orders until 12pm on Monday, which is when it will close.

"Then we'll be distributing the orders on 23-24 December. We'll arrange a collection point in Cowbridge to pick up all your fresh goodies ready to enjoy over Christmas," she said.

As well as the shop, the 44 Group has been running virtual parties including cocktail school sessions, paired sherry tastings and Spanish cook-alongs.

"If we stay shut from January to March next year, we'll offer things like that for birthday parties, and hen-do's," said Natalie.

So, while we may be pining for a platter of tapas and a glass of authentic Spanish sherry inside Bar 44, there's plenty of ways to enjoy and support this long-standing Cowbridge restaurant.