Historic Welsh hotel with huge claim to fame is the setting for top new BBC competition

Wales Online

21-04-2025

Historic Welsh hotel with huge claim to fame is the setting for top new BBC competition
BBC Two's Chess Masters: The Endgame is filmed in a famous Welsh hotel
This grand hotel is in Wales
(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC / Curve Media / Alistair Heap )
New BBC Two series, Chess Masters: The Endgame, is filmed at a famous Welsh hotel which is packed with history. The show, which seeks to find the newest chess star as players go head to head, was filmed at The Coal Exchange, in Cardiff.
Only a stone's throw away from the scenic Cardiff Bay, you will find The Coal Exchange which is a striking building from both the outside and the inside. Chess Masters: The Endgame, hosted by Sue Perkins, was filmed in the grand ballroom of the hotel, making the perfect setting for tense chess moves.
‌
The Coal Exchange is a boutique luxury hotel where Welsh heritage meets modern comfort and they advertised themselves as "our hotel isn't just somewhere to sleep, it's somewhere to experience."
The hotel is a Grade II listed building and once the epicentre of the global coal trade and quite literally the place where the world's first £1 million deal was made and the cheque was signed. Today, it's been lovingly restored into a luxurious hotel that still pays homage to its roots. Original wood panelling, high ceilings and intricate architecture all still remain.
The ballroom, where the series is filmed, is as grand as they come, with ornate ceilings, chandeliers and sweeping staircases. Built between 1884 and 1888, The Coal Exchange was designed as a hub for trading Welsh coal. It wasn't just any exchange, though.
Article continues below
The building has a lot of history
(Image: Mirrorpix )
It became one of the most important financial centres in the world, where deals worth millions of pounds were struck daily.
At its peak, over 10,000 coal traders, shipowners, and businessmen would pass through its doors each day. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter .
‌
The building itself was designed to impress, with its grand façade, sweeping staircases, and intricate wood panelling reflecting the immense wealth generated by the industry.
The highlight of its history came in 1904 when The Coal Exchange witnessed the world's first £1 million business deal. At a time when £1 million was an almost unimaginable sum, this transaction solidified Cardiff's position as the world's leading coal-exporting port.
However, no boom lasts forever. The 20th century brought massive changes to Cardiff and its coal industry. The decline began after World War I, when international demand for coal began to slow.
‌
The final blow came in the 1960s and 70s, when coal mining in South Wales drastically declined due to competition from alternative energy sources. As the industry collapsed, so too did the need for The Coal Exchange.
By the 1980s, the building had fallen into disrepair. What was once a vibrant hub of global trade now stood empty, a shadow of its former self.
What a setting
(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC / Curve Media / Alistair Heap )
‌
For years, it remained abandoned, with only whispers of its past echoing through its grand halls. The redevelopment of Cardiff Bay in the 1990s and early 2000s aimed to breathe new life into the area, and The Coal Exchange was a prime candidate for restoration.
In recent years, the building has been meticulously restored, preserving its rich heritage while transforming it into a luxurious hotel.
In 2024 the hotel was closed between January and March after freeholder Eden Grove Developments took back possession of the building from operator Coal Exchange Hotel LLP.
Article continues below