Key Points
- A well-known vacant property located on North Road, Gabalfa, Cardiff, that is famous for its faded “Nice ‘N’ Tasty” takeaway sign has been empty for close to two decades now.
- The owner of the property is Vaughan Dickson, aged 76 years old (a former professional fighter known by the name Vaughan Innocent) who is a retired insulation engineer as well as a British professional boxer from the seventies era.
- Born in Splott, Vaughan was orphaned at the age of eight years after his mother, Evelyn Innocent died from thrombosis and brought up by his grandmother Matilda, and uncles Malcolm and Eugene.
- Vaughan’s father Desmond Dickson immigrated to Britain during the Windrush period, served in the RAF and briefly relocated the family to Jamaica until Vaughan and his mother went back to Britain.
- Vaughan had fifteen professional bouts in the United Kingdom, was trained at Llandaff Boxing Club and is a relative to the former great Welsh Rugby League player, Clive Sullivan.
- Working as an insulation engineer in the eighties and nineties, Vaughan bought the North Road land which used to be a weighbridge and advertising site and opened the Nice ‘N’ Tasty takeaway in 2004.
- The coffee shop shut down in 2007, and presently the building is being used for advertising purposes and storage as Vaughan struggles with his health issues, which include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and breathing difficulties.
- Vaughan is looked after by his partner Barbara Lyn, and he hopes that one day his children will make something out of the property.
Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) October 10, 2026 – A familiar, long-abandoned building bearing an aging takeaway sign on one of Cardiff’s busiest commuter routes has captured public curiosity for nearly two decades. Located on North Road in Gabalfa, the property’s structure and history are intertwined with the life of its 76-year-old owner, Vaughan Dickson, whose journey spans professional boxing rings, international engineering, and a lifetime embedded in Welsh community history.
Who Is Vaughan Dickson and What Is the Story Behind the Empty North Road Building?
As reported by Rahaf Ali of WalesOnline, the vacant property on North Road originally operated as a weighbridge before being used by an advertising company. Years later, Vaughan Dickson acquired the land and transformed it into the “Nice ‘N’ Tasty” takeaway, which opened in 2004. The small business served local workers, passersby, and students from the nearby Talybont halls of residence before closing its doors in 2007.
Reflecting on the acquisition, Rahaf Ali of WalesOnline noted that Vaughan Dickson took immense pride in turning the old weighbridge into a business, viewing it as a tangible symbol of how far he had progressed from his upbringing. Today, nearly twenty years after its closure, the building remains a local landmark and point of reference for drivers entering Cardiff, while currently being used for storage and poster advertising.
How Did Vaughan Dickson’s Early Life and Boxing Career Shape His Journey?
Vaughan Dickson was born and raised in Splott, facing significant personal and social challenges from an early age. As reported by Rahaf Ali of WalesOnline, Vaughan stated regarding his school days and learning to fight:
“I was the only black kid in school, that’s why I learned how to box.”
His life changed dramatically at the age of eight when his mother, Evelyn Innocent, passed away from thrombosis, leaving him orphaned. He was subsequently raised by his grandmother, Matilda Innocent, alongside his uncles Malcolm and Eugene Innocent, who were both boxers. Vaughan’s father, Desmond Dickson, had arrived in Britain during the Windrush era and served in the Royal Air Force before returning to Jamaica—a trip that eventually saw Vaughan and his mother return to the UK due to difficult circumstances abroad.
Following in the footsteps of his family members, Vaughan trained at Llandaff Boxing Club and turned professional by age 18. As detailed by Rahaf Ali of WalesOnline, Vaughan fought in 15 professional bouts across the United Kingdom during the 1970s under the professional name Vaughan Innocent, adopting his mother’s surname. His athletic connections also extended into rugby league; he spent time playing the sport in Leeds alongside his cousin, the late Welsh rugby league legend Clive Sullivan, whose statue stands proudly in Cardiff Bay.
Explore more Local Cardiff News
Cardiff Airport To Introduce Contactless eGate System In Wales 2026
New Cardiff Music Hub Opens 11 Rehearsal Spaces in Llanishen 2026
What Health Challenges and Future Plans Surround the Property?
Following his boxing career, Vaughan worked extensively as an insulation engineer during the 1980s and 1990s, taking on projects in Central Africa and Saudi Arabia. However, long-term exposure in the industry contributed to severe respiratory issues, including pleural plaques. Seeking work closer to home solidified his focus on the North Road site.
In subsequent years, personal health difficulties mounted. As highlighted by Rahaf Ali of WalesOnline, memory problems began to emerge around 2016, leading to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, Vaughan manages Parkinson’s disease and ongoing respiratory complications. Because of these health challenges, his partner, Barbara Lyn, provides his daily care, and initial long-term development aspirations for the North Road property have been placed on hold.
Regarding the future of the vacant site, Rahaf Ali of WalesOnline reported Vaughan’s perspective on keeping the property within the family: “I’d like to keep it for my kids, hopefully they can turn it into something good.”
Background of the Particular Development
The history of the North Road property mirrors broader commercial and infrastructural shifts across Cardiff over the past several decades. Sites historically utilized for industrial or municipal purposes—such as roadside weighbridges—frequently transition through various commercial iterations as urban transit corridors evolve. North Road serves as a vital arterial route connecting northern suburbs like Gabalfa and Whitchurch directly into Cardiff city centre, making any adjacent commercial plot strategically significant. Over the last twenty years, urban densification, student housing expansions around Talybont, and shifting retail patterns have transformed the immediate vicinity. Properties like the former Nice ‘N’ Tasty building represent micro-examples of urban plots caught between past local enterprise and complex modern planning environments, compounded by the personal circumstances of independent landowners navigating health challenges and property management hurdles.
This development and the ongoing dialogue surrounding disused urban plots can directly affect local residents, property investors, and community stakeholders in Cardiff. For local motorists, pedestrians, and residents living along North Road, vacant commercial properties can occasionally become visual focal points for urban decay if left undeveloped for extended periods. However, heightened public interest in the site—bolstered by media coverage detailing its heritage—may stimulate renewed conversations between local authorities, community representatives, and the property’s stakeholders regarding potential regeneration or community-focused usage. For independent landowners and small business families across Cardiff, properties like Vaughan Dickson’s underscore the critical importance of accessible planning support, streamlined change-of-use frameworks, and supportive health and social care networks that assist aging entrepreneurs in managing, leasing, or successfully transitioning long-held family assets.
