located approximately one mile away, has Shamrat (an Indian Restaurant), a Boots Chemist, doctor's surgery and two previously empty supermarket units which once belonged to Hyper Value and Kwik Save until both companies went into liquidation in 2006 and 2007. These have now been occupied by a What! store. Further to the east, near the A48(M) Junction, there is the 3 star St Mellons Hotel and Spa, the St Mellons Golf Club, The Heron Marsh (no longer called The Heron Marsh) public house, and the Blue Diamond Garden centre complex. There are a number of sports and leisure facilities dotted around the district, including floodlit outdoor courts, playing fields and children's play parks (at least two children's play areas had the equipment removed and nature took over)as well as community centres (now demolished), a bowls club (now demolished), job centre and St Mellons Library. There is also Hendre Lake Park; a park and man-made lake popular with local fishermen situated near the mainline railway. The Beacon Centre Toward the south of the estate there is the Beacon Centre which is a community centre created in the early 2000s. The centre runs a large variety of groups and events for the community. The centre is home to the Beacon Church, an Elim Pentecostal church. Shops and public houses In Old St Mellons there is a Texaco petrol station, newsagent and convenience store, fish & chip shop, and hairdresser. The Post Office closed in 2009. There are also four public houses situated in close proximity along Newport Road: The Bluebell Inn, The Star Inn, The Coach House and The Fox and Hounds (widely believed to be one of the oldest pubs in Cardiff). These establishments were able to gain extra business on weekends by exploiting the Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881. The act prohibited the sale of alcohol in Welsh establishments on the Sabbath, but St Mellons was in the ancient county of Monmouthshire where the act did not take effect until 1921. Public houses in Old St Mellons Education St Mellons has 5 state primary schools: Meadowlane Primary School, St Bishop Childs Church in Wales, Oakfield Primary, Willowbrook Primary and St. Mellons Primary. It also has a private school St John's College, Cardiff, amongst the best performing schools in Wales, based on results. The building and surrounding fields were part of the Ty-to-Maen convalescent house, which only closed in the 1970s.