Heartbreak for diners as popular Gorseinon restaurant closes its doors

The devastating news was shared by the Seager family on Facebook, citing “mounting financial pressures” for the heartbreaking decision.

Their post read: “Unfortunately, due to mounting financial pressures, we have made the heartbreaking decision to close our doors at present here at No1 High Street. We thank you all for your messages of support & will keep you informed.”

This latest closure comes hot on the heels of their Llanelli restaurant, “Y Bryngwyn,” which shut down just two months ago, leaving many customers heartbroken.

The Seager family has been a staple of the South Wales dining scene for years, known for their popular steakhouses.

The Gorseinon venue, which opened in 2018, represented a significant £600,000 investment, transforming the former Riverside Inn pub into a bustling steakhouse.

Now, only their “The Grillhouse” restaurant in Waunarlwydd remains open, leaving the future of the family business hanging in the balance.

The double blow to the Seager empire highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the hospitality industry in the region.

Yesterday my class was sent forth into the wilds of Swansea's Singleton Park to try our hands at nature writing. This is what emerged. #swansea #wales #nature

https://www.martynwinters.com/singleton-park-a-single-organism/522

One Million Cheers! Arena smashes visitor record as stars flock to city

The milestone highlights the arena’s rapid rise as a major draw for live events, conferences, and community gatherings, contributing significantly to the city’s ongoing regeneration efforts.

The venue, a central component of the Copr Bay development, was built by Swansea Council and received part-funding from the Swansea Bay City Deal. It is operated by ATG Entertainment.

Swansea Council Leader Cllr Rob Stewart commented on the achievement: “Welcoming one million visitors in just a few years is a fantastic milestone for the Swansea Building Society Arena.”

He added that the arena has “quickly established itself as one of the most important cultural and economic assets in our city, attracting audiences from across Wales and beyond.”

Beyond the headline acts, the arena also hosts a variety of other events, including exhibitions, graduations, and local community activities, which are credited with increasing footfall and activity in the Copr Bay area.

Matt Blackhouse, Venue Director at the Swansea Building Society Arena, acknowledged the diverse programming: “Reaching the one million visitor mark is a huge moment for the arena which reflects the wide range of events that have taken place here since opening.”

He noted that the venue has hosted “live music, comedy, theatre, conferences, banquets and graduations, as well as creative learning activities and community events.”

Since its opening, the arena has attracted numerous high-profile performers, including The Manic Street Preachers, Bob Dylan, and Wet Wet Wet. Comedians such as John Bishop have also performed, alongside touring productions like Riverdance and Mamma Mia.

Upcoming events for 2026 and beyond include performances by 10cc, comedian Russell Howard, and Ocean Colour Scene, indicating a continued busy schedule for the venue.

The arena’s success is frequently cited by the local authority as evidence of the positive impact of investment in cultural infrastructure on the city’s economy and reputation.

FILM DREAM: Swansea teen takes ‘clown life’ documentary from streets to the big screen

A 19-year-old filmmaker from Swansea is turning a childhood spent on the road into a big-screen debut — with a documentary exploring the hidden lives of clowns.

Pip Furlong, who grew up travelling across the UK and Europe with his father’s street performances, is set to premiere his film Where Do Clowns Go? in Swansea this weekend before taking it on a nationwide tour.

The project has been six months in the making — following five professional clowns across four countries, from the Arctic Circle in Norway to the French Pyrenees.

But for Pip, this isn’t just a film — it’s personal.

“I always knew our lives weren’t ‘normal’,” he said. “But it didn’t seem odd to me because that’s what I had always known.

“I rarely told anyone about it — it just felt like a secret, separate life.”

Life behind the curtain

Growing up around performance, Pip was no stranger to unusual settings — including the family’s mobile, solar-powered “Sol Cinema”, a tiny travelling cinema showing short films to audiences of just eight people.

While he loved performing, filmmaking quickly became his passion.

“I always viewed phones as mobile cameras,” he said. “I had no crew or actors, so I would write scripts, set up shots and play all the parts myself.”

That early experimentation laid the groundwork for his latest project — a documentary looking beyond the greasepaint.

Following the clowns home

The idea for the film came after watching a performance at Glastonbury.

“It wasn’t the shows that struck me — it was the audience’s view of the performers,” Pip explained.

“I realised I had a unique perspective. Most of these clowns have other lives after the show. I wanted to explore that — where their clown and their real self meet.”

With no budget, Pip funded the project himself — working multiple jobs to pay for travel and equipment.

He embedded himself fully in the lives of his subjects.

“We ate together, worked together and travelled together,” he said. “I just filmed everything — I wanted the reality of life offstage.”

Big moment in Swansea

The finished film — a 50-minute fly-on-the-wall documentary — will have its world premiere in Swansea on March 21 before heading out on a UK tour including Cardiff, Bristol, London and beyond.

Pip, who is now studying Film and Television at university in Bristol, is already looking to expand the tour further.

And for a young filmmaker who started out making videos alone with costumes from his dad’s shows, it marks a huge step forward.

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PARA SPORT: Swansea to host part of four-city festival expansion in biggest shake-up yet

Swansea will once again be at the centre of a major national sporting event after plans were confirmed to expand the Para Sport Festival across four cities in 2026.

The festival — launched this week at the LC Swansea — will grow from its current format into a multi-venue event spanning Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Bangor.

Organisers say the move marks a major step forward for what has quickly become one of Wales’ most important inclusive sporting events.

The 2026 edition will also shift from its traditional summer slot to the autumn, a change designed to support further growth and attract a wider range of competitions and athletes.

Swansea launch highlights growing ambition

The expansion was formally unveiled in Swansea, where schoolchildren from across the area were invited to take part in a series of taster sessions — including wheelchair basketball, football, boxing, judo and boccia.

The event, backed by Disability Sport Wales, is now entering its fifth year, with organisers pointing to steady growth in both participation and profile.

Welsh Government minister Jack Sargeant said continued investment in the festival reflected a wider commitment to disability sport.

“Our continued support of the Para Sport Festival reaffirms our commitment to the development of disability sport, creating sporting opportunities for disabled people from across Wales.

“This event will once again make the most of the fantastic facilities in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport — and now Bangor — meaning more people from more areas can join in than ever before.”

New sports and international ambitions

As part of the expansion, organisers confirmed that new disciplines — including visually impaired tennis and para powerlifting — will be introduced for 2026.

There are also plans to increase the level of competition, with hopes of attracting more elite athletes from outside Wales and the UK.

Robyn Wilkins, Para Sport Festival Senior Officer at Disability Sport Wales, said the event’s growth had been driven by both returning competitions and new additions.

“We are always looking at ways to expand and 2026 sees the expansion from two to four host cities.

“We take great pride in the return of past sporting events as it shows how important and successful the Para Sport Festival has been in terms of a significant date in the sporting calendar.

“But we are also incredibly excited to see the festival attracting new sporting events to the schedule.”

She added:

“For our returning events, we continue to grow the level of competition and are looking to bring more world class athletes from outside of Wales and the UK than ever before.

“For our new events, we see the introduction of visually impaired tennis and para powerlifting — events that will showcase Wales’ ability to host a range of competitive sporting events.”

Athletes highlight impact of festival

Athletes involved in the festival say its growth is helping to raise the profile of disability sport while opening up opportunities for more people to get involved.

Paralympic, World and European champion Ben Pritchard, who attended the Swansea launch, said the event’s development over recent years had been significant.

“It’s testament to the Festival in terms of how it’s grown in four years.

“It’s a great way to showcase sport and to encourage people of all ages and abilities to enjoy being involved — whether that’s participating, volunteering or cheering from the sidelines.”

Competitor Sue Morris said the festival had played a key role in her own sporting journey.

“The Para Sport Festival holds a very special place in my heart.

“It was my first shooting competition and I came away with two gold medals — an event I will never forget. The atmosphere was amazing.”

Wheelchair basketball player Alex Wilson added that the event provides a vital platform for athletes.

“It is hard to put into words the influence sport has had on my life and it’s fantastic to showcase the sport I love as part of this multi-sport, multi-venue festival.”

Swansea remains key to festival’s future

With Swansea once again hosting key elements of the festival, organisers say the city will continue to play a leading role as the event develops.

The expansion to four cities is expected to bring increased attention to Wales as a destination for major inclusive sporting events — while also ensuring more communities can take part.

For Swansea, it reinforces the city’s growing reputation as a hub for sport — and ensures it remains firmly at the heart of one of the country’s fastest-growing events.

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SPORTS HUB SHAKE-UP! Major changes approved at Swansea’s Sketty Lane site as £150m superhub vision gathers pace

The move will see facilities across Swansea Bay Sports Park — including council-run playing fields, university-operated pitches and athletics facilities, and the partnership-run Wales National Pool — brought together under a single operator for the first time.

It’s a significant shift for a site that’s currently managed by a mix of organisations, and comes as plans gather pace for a £150m sports and health “superhub” in the area.

Council leader Rob Stewart said the aim is to secure the long-term future of the facilities while improving standards for everyone who uses them.

“Swansea is a sporting city and we want to ensure that community facilities continue to be available to all — and to be run to the highest possible standards.”

Under the plans, a new not-for-profit company — led by senior figures from the council and Swansea University — will oversee the site, with a professional operator appointed to run day-to-day services.

Cabinet member Andrew Stevens said the current set-up simply isn’t working as well as it could.

“Having different management obligations and teams across a single site isn’t 100% efficient and now resources will be better directed to improving the facilities.

“A new single operating model for the facilities that comprise much of the Swansea Bay Sports Park next to our fantastic coastline will help us achieve that.”

The shake-up is closely linked to wider ambitions for the Sketty Lane site, where plans have already been unveiled for a major new National Institute for Sport and Health — part of a long-term vision to create a regional hub for sport, wellbeing and research.

Despite the changes, the council says no jobs will be lost, with a new operator expected to be in place later this year following a competitive tender process.

The decision does not affect Swansea Tennis Club, which will continue to operate independently.

The decision also comes at a time of growing uncertainty for sport in the surrounding area — particularly at nearby St Helen’s, where long-term plans for the Ospreys’ return have been overshadowed by ongoing upheaval in Welsh rugby.

Proposals being explored by the Welsh Rugby Union have raised fears the region could even disappear from the professional game — prompting political pressure, fan backlash and calls for urgent clarity.

With major investment plans already approved for the historic ground, the lack of certainty has left questions hanging over how the wider sporting picture in Swansea will evolve.

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FAIRIES LAND IN SWANSEA: Magical statue unveiled at station to bring Gower legend to life

The eye-catching installation, unveiled by Great Western Railway (GWR), brings to life the legendary Faeries of Pennard Castle — a haunting tale rooted deep in Gower folklore.

From Gower legend to city centre spectacle

The striking sculpture shows a winged faery perched among bright yellow flowers — a nod to the ancient story of how magical beings punished a cruel lord by burying his lands beneath sand dunes near Pennard.

Now, that legend has been transported from the windswept Gower coast straight into the heart of Swansea, as part of a wider campaign to get families exploring the stories behind the region.

GWR says the move is about turning everyday journeys into adventures — encouraging passengers to step off the train and discover the landscapes behind Wales’ most famous myths.

“Step into the stories”

The Swansea statue is part of a wider rollout linked to a new book, The Line to Legend Land, which retells traditional tales from across Wales and the South West.

A spokesperson for GWR said the aim is to “bring legends to life” and inspire a new generation to connect with the places around them.

And Swansea’s faery isn’t alone.

A giant red dragon has also appeared at Cardiff Central railway station — representing the iconic national symbol of Wales.

Boost for Swansea footfall?

The installation could also prove a boost for the city centre, with the station acting as a gateway for visitors heading to Swansea and the Gower.

With its mix of local heritage, family appeal and Instagram-ready visuals, the statue is already drawing attention from passers-by and travellers alike.

More than just a statue

The campaign is also supporting a children’s charity founded by author Michael Morpurgo, with hundreds of books being distributed to schools across the rail network.

But for Swansea, the focus is firmly local — shining a spotlight on one of Gower’s most enduring legends and putting it right in front of thousands of commuters every day.

And if GWR gets its way, this could be just the start — with more people swapping routine journeys for myth-filled adventures across South Wales.

Inside Swansea’s deadly new zoo exhibit where venom could help cure cancer

Plantasia Tropical Zoo has unveiled its latest exhibit, Vital Venoms and Practical Poisons, bringing some of the animal kingdom’s most feared creatures face-to-face with the public.

But behind the fangs, stings and toxins lies something far more surprising — scientists are now studying these species in the fight against cancer, diabetes and chronic pain.

From fear to frontline science

The new exhibit features eight venomous and poisonous species — each with a story that goes far beyond their bite.

Among them is Lucy the beaded lizard, one of only two venomous lizards in the world. Her venom is already being explored in research into type 2 diabetes.

Brightly coloured poison dart frogs — famous for their toxic skin — are helping inspire powerful new painkillers, while fire-bellied toads are being studied for compounds linked to breast and prostate cancer treatments.

Visitors can also come face-to-face with:

• A mangrove snake, whose venom could play a role in colon cancer research
• A Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula, linked to chronic pain studies
• An Asian forest scorpion that glows under UV light
• And even assassin bugs, whose venom is being used to develop eco-friendly insecticides

‘Look closer and be amazed’

Zoo bosses say the aim is to turn fear into fascination — and show how nature’s most dangerous creatures could hold the key to future medicine.

Paul Sheppard, Attraction Manager at Plantasia, said the exhibit is designed to get people thinking differently.

He said: “We’ve taken a familiar part of the zoo and turned it into something completely different.

“This new area invites visitors to look closer, ask questions and discover just how clever nature can be.”

A bold new chapter for the city centre attraction

The exhibit is part of a wider expansion at Plantasia, which has been growing its offering with immersive experiences including its dinosaur-themed Giants of the Past and large-scale escape room challenges.

Cllr Elliott King, Swansea Council cabinet member, said the latest addition is another boost for the popular attraction.

He said: “It’s great that Plantasia has this fantastic new exhibit… I highly recommend a visit.”

More than just a day out

As well as giving visitors a close-up look at some of the world’s most misunderstood animals, the zoo says the exhibit plays a key role in its conservation and education work.

The long-term plan even includes adding a critically endangered species and contributing to international breeding programmes.

And while the creatures inside may look intimidating, the message is clear — they could be helping to save lives.

Houmous is IN, hotels are OUT! Shocking new basket reveals how YOUR spending has changed

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has updated its annual “basket of goods,” giving a fascinating glimpse into how families in Swansea Bay and across the UK are spending their cash.

This year’s changes highlight a shift towards healthier lifestyles, new technology, and a growing obsession with pets.

But it comes as the cost of living crisis continues to bite, with fears that inflation could surge again, hitting local households hard.

Maike Currie, VP Personal Finance at PensionBee, said the basket offers a “real-world glimpse” into changing habits.

“Houmous and alcohol-free beer have edged their way in, alongside pet grooming and dashboard cameras,” Ms Currie revealed.

She added that these changes reflect “healthier lifestyles, changing technology and the growing role pets play in household spending.”

Many of these shifts, she noted, were “kickstarted during the Covid pandemic but now look firmly entrenched in how households live and spend today.”

So, what else is in and what’s out for families in our area?

WHAT’S IN:

• Houmous: As vegetable spending rises and supermarkets expand their ranges, the chickpea dip is now a firm favourite.
• Alcohol-free beer: Reflecting the massive growth in low and no-alcohol drinks, a trend seen in pubs and shops across Swansea. Local brewers like Swansea-based Drop Bear Beer have been at the forefront of this boom.
• Dashboard cameras: Capturing the demand for new in-car technology and security products, as drivers look to protect themselves on our roads.
• Pet grooming: Highlighting the soaring spending on pet care services, with local dog groomers busier than ever.
• Motor homes: Recognising a significant boom in the leisure travel market, as more people opt for staycations.
• Croissants and breakfast pastries: Reflecting everyday bakery purchases, a familiar sight in local cafes. This includes popular local spots like Saint Hugo Bakery, known for their viennoiserie.
• Ready-made sandwiches: Capturing the growing variety of places people buy lunch, from city centre delis to supermarket meal deals.

WHAT’S OUT (OR CHANGING):

Hotel prices collected one day in advance: Removed to reduce volatility in the index, a move that could impact how we view local tourism.

Sheets of wrapping paper: Replaced with rolls, which better reflect what’s available in our high street stores.

Separate “European” and “New World” white wines: Replaced with a single white wine category, simplifying choices for shoppers.

Generic spray oil including olive oil: Replaced with non-olive spray oil to improve measurement of different oil types.

Ms Currie warned that the return to stable inflation could be “bumpier than expected,” potentially impacting local families and businesses.

This comes as concerns mount over rising energy prices and global uncertainty, which could temper hopes for interest rate cuts.

The changes in the ONS basket offer a stark reminder of how quickly our lives and spending habits can evolve, impacting everything from local food prices to leisure activities.