Free drinks for designated drivers during Six Nations

South Wales Police is bringing back its popular DES scheme for the Six Nations tournament, offering designated drivers free or discounted soft drinks at over 30 pubs and bars across the force area.

The initiative, which usually runs during the festive season, has been relaunched to encourage responsible drinking during rugby matchdays.

Anyone volunteering to be the sober driver can identify themselves to bar staff as “DES” and receive a wristband entitling them to complimentary or reduced-price draught soft drinks and squash throughout their visit.

The scheme is exclusive to South Wales Police’s area and is not currently offered by other forces such as Gwent Police.

🚗 How it works: Simply tell bar staff you’re the designated driver, get your wristband, and enjoy free or discounted soft drinks. Each venue sets its own terms for the offer.

South Wales Police provides the promotional materials and wristbands, whilst participating licensed premises cover the cost of the drinks.

Important reminders:

• There’s no safe way to calculate how much you can drink and stay under the limit
• Coffee and cold showers won’t speed up alcohol removal from your system
• You could still be over the limit the morning after drinking
• Driving under the influence puts lives at risk and can result in losing your licence

Participating venues:

Cardiff:

• Coyote Ugly Cardiff, 78-80 St Mary Street (CF10 1FA)
• Temple Bar Cardiff, 6 High Street (CF10 1AW)
• The Philharmonic, 76-77 St Mary Street (CF10 1FA)
• Brewhouse, 49 St Mary Street (CF10 1AD)
• The Bluebell, 33 High Street (CF10 1PU)
• Retro, 7 Mill Lane (CF10 1FL)
• The Daffodil, 33 Windsor Place (CF10 3BZ)
• The Cricketers, 66 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna (CF11 9LL)
• The Dock, Unit 1 Mermaid Quay (CF10 5BZ)
• The Discovery, Celyn Avenue (CF23 6FH)
• Yates Cardiff, Greyfriars Road (CF10 3AD)
• The Royal Oak, 17 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch (CF14 1DA)
• Mocka Lounge, 1 Mill Lane (CF10 1FL)
• Metro’s, 10 Bakers Row (CF10 1AL)
• Brewhouse & Kitchen, Sophia Close (CF11 9HW)
• The Lewis Arms, Heol Goch, Pentyrch (CF15 9PN)
• The Queens Vaults, 29 Westgate Street
• The Four Elms, 1 Elm Street
• Three Horseshoes, Main Road, Peterson-Super-Ely (CF5 8LH)
• The Royal Exchange, Ty Mawr Road, Llandaff North (CF14 2FQ)
• The Admiral, 239 Cowbridge Road East (CF11 9AL)
• The Cottage, 25 St. Mary Street (CF10 1AA)
• The Cornwall Hotel, 92 Cornwell Street (CF11 6SR)

Vale of Glamorgan:

• The Park Hotel, Park Crescent, Barry (CF62 6HE)
• St Fagans Penarth, 114 Glebe Street, Penarth (CF64 1EB)
• The Golden Lion, 69 Glebe Street, Penarth (CF64 1EF)
• The Bearshead, 37-39 Windsor Road, Penarth (CF64 1JD)

Swansea:

• Coyote Ugly Swansea, 41 Salubrious Place, Wind Street (SA1 1EE)
• One Eyed Willy’s Swansea, 20-21 Wind Street (SA1 1DY)
• Jack Murphy’s Uplands, 49 Uplands Crescent (SA2 0NP)
• Jack Murphy’s Wind Street, 5 Wind Street (SA1 1DW)

Licensed premises interested in joining the scheme should contact their local licensing team.