SWANSEA: Kingsway office block on old Oceana nightclub site named most impressive commercial workplace in South of England and Wales

Generations of Swansea revellers knew 71/72 The Kingsway as Oceana — one of the city’s biggest nightclubs. Now the site has won two national awards as one of the most impressive new office buildings in the South of England and South Wales.

71/72 Kingsway — the striking glass and concrete building that replaced the former nightclub — took home both the Commercial Workplace award and the Innovation award at the British Council for Offices South of England & South Wales Awards, held in Bristol on Wednesday night.

It was the only building in the competition to win two categories — beating schemes in Penzance, Maidenhead, Bracknell and Bristol to claim the double. It is also the only Welsh winner in this year’s competition.

Judges said the building “stood out for its seamless integration of architectural quality, sustainability, and user-focused innovation” — and called it “an enabler for future regeneration of Swansea city centre, with multiple active frontages, new routes, and a bold architectural approach.”

Swansea Council built the development — partly funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal — with the ambition of turning The Kingsway into a proper business district. The numbers suggest it is working. Around 80% of the office space is already let, and the council estimates that once fully occupied, the building could create up to 600 jobs and contribute £32.6 million to the city’s economy every year.

The building is already filling up fast. Global workspace giant IWG — which runs Regus — signed for 20,000 sq ft earlier this year, joining TUI, Amazon-owned Veeqo, Optical Express, sk:n clinic and Futures First as tenants.

Harry Allen, chair of the judging panel and director at Savills, said what stood out about this year’s winners was their impact beyond the workplace itself.

“From revitalising town centres and supporting local economies to redefining the role of the modern office, each scheme demonstrates how far the sector has evolved,” he said. “Collectively, they reflect a growing emphasis on sustainability, wellbeing and creating workspaces with a strong sense of place.”

BCO chief executive Samantha McClary said the Swansea win was proof that reports of the death of the office had been greatly exaggerated.

“Vibrant, impactful, enablers, drivers of economic growth — this is exactly what our workspaces are,” she said. “The idea that the office is dead is most definitely fake news.”

Inside, the building is as striking as its exterior. A stepped timber forum runs the length of the ground floor, lit by dozens of circular pendant lights. A sculptural spiral staircase connects the upper floors. A rooftop terrace — where Swansea’s big wheel is visible on the skyline — sits above it all.

The ground floor reception and atrium of 71/72 Kingsway, showing the building’s exposed concrete and industrial design aesthetic. (Image: supplied) The stepped forum inside 71/72 Kingsway, one of the design features cited by BCO judges. (Image: supplied)
71/72 Kingsway seen from street level, with The Kingsway visible below and the building’s distinctive upper floors and mesh façade above. (Image: Johan Dehlin / supplied)The rooftop terrace at 71/72 Kingsway, with the Swansea big wheel visible on the skyline. (Image: Johan Dehlin / supplied)

The award is the latest piece of good news for Swansea’s city centre regeneration. The former Debenhams building — long a symbol of high street decline — was sold earlier this month to Quadrant owners Centurion, with three major new tenants expected to be named soon.

71/72 Kingsway now goes forward to the BCO National Awards on 6 October 2026 at Grosvenor House in London — competing against regional winners from across the UK for the top national prizes.

The building sits at the heart of a Kingsway that looks very different to the one that hosted Oceana, Top Rank and a succession of entertainment venues across the decades — and the council’s bet that offices, not nightclubs, are the future of the street appears to be paying off.

Work is already under way on a further major office development at the former St David’s Shopping Centre site nearby, with Swansea’s transformation as a modern commercial centre gathering pace on multiple fronts simultaneously.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: Global workspace giant IWG takes huge 20,000 sq ft at booming Kingsway development
The latest big name to sign up at 71/72 Kingsway — and what it means for the city centre.

SWANSEA: Debenhams building sold to Quadrant owners as three major new tenants set to be named ‘within days’
More good news for Swansea city centre as the former Debenhams finds a new owner and new purpose.

All our 71/72 Kingsway coverage
From demolition of the old Oceana site to award-winning office block — the full story.

#7172Kingsway #award #BCO #BritishCouncilForOfficesSouthOfEnglandSouthWalesAwards #CommercialWorkplaceAward #InnovationAward #Kingsway #officeDevelopment #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

SWANSEA: Indian Mela returns to Brangwyn Hall next month with dance, food, henna and a full day of colour and culture

One of Swansea‘s most colourful annual events returns next month as the Indian Society of South West Wales hosts the Swansea Indian Mela 2026 at the Brangwyn Hall.

The event takes place on Saturday 6 June from 10am to 6pm, promising a full day of live dance and stage performances, authentic Indian food, jewellery and craft vendors, Indian clothing, interactive workshops and henna artistry.

The family-friendly event is open to everyone, with organisers welcoming people from across south-west Wales to experience Indian heritage and culture under one roof.

Mrs Sindhu Mahadeven, a trustee with the Indian Society of South West Wales, said the Mela was about much more than a celebration.

“The Mela is more than just a celebration — it’s a bridge between cultures,” she said. “We are proud to support local business through a variety of stalls that promote small vendors and to create a welcoming space where people of all backgrounds can come together, learn and celebrate the beauty of Indian culture while strengthening community connections here in South West Wales.”

The Indian Society of South West Wales was established in 1983 and has spent more than four decades sharing and integrating Indian culture with the wider local community.

The society’s mission is to reflect the evolving multicultural landscape of south-west Wales, promoting values of tolerance, respect and strong community bonds — while sharing India’s rich cultural traditions with other minority ethnic groups and the general public.

The Brangwyn Hall is one of Swansea’s most distinctive civic venues, its grand interior providing a striking backdrop for the colour and spectacle of a full Mela programme.

The hall was opened in 1934 and is renowned for its ornate interior, including the famous Brangwyn Panels — a suite of large decorative paintings commissioned for the House of Lords before finding their permanent home in Swansea. It has become one of the city’s most versatile event spaces, hosting everything from orchestral concerts to community celebrations.

The venue was recently named one of the UK’s top ten micro wedding venues — the only Welsh venue on the list — while earlier this year hundreds packed the hall for a rally in support of the Ospreys. Violinist Nigel Kennedy is also bringing his virtuoso tour to the hall later this year.

The Indian Mela adds to a busy summer of events in Swansea. Swansea Pride returns this Saturday 16 May — while auditions are open for a major musical production at one of the city’s biggest stages.

Entry is priced at £4 for adults, with free entry for children under five. Tickets can be bought in advance at indiansociety.co.uk or on the door on the day.

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SWANSEA: Brangwyn Hall named one of the UK’s top 10 micro wedding venues
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SWANSEA: Construction begins on Skyline Swansea — the £49m cable car and luge attraction that’s been years in the making

After years of planning, consultation, debate and controversy, Skyline Swansea is finally being built.

Earthworks have begun on Kilvey Hill to prepare the site for the downhill karting luge tracks — clearing and shaping the land while creating sustainable drainage systems to manage stormwater and support biodiversity.

At the Landore Park and Ride, groundworks are getting under way to prepare the site for the cable car system itself. For anyone who has watched this project develop over the years, the sight of machinery on the hill will feel significant.

When complete, Skyline Swansea will be a £49m adventure tourism destination featuring an accessible cable car, downhill luge rides, a free children’s adventure playground, a sky swing and food and drink facilities — all with sweeping views across Swansea Bay and beyond.

It will be Skyline Enterprises’ first site in the UK and Europe, joining its international portfolio of destinations across New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Canada.

Artist’s impression of the completed Skyline attraction on Kilvey Hill
(Image: Skyline)

Geoff McDonald, Chief Executive of Skyline Enterprises, said: “With early preparation works now complete, people will soon begin to see real progress as we move into construction. We’re proud to be bringing our first UK site to Swansea and to be working with local partners to deliver something truly unique for the city and the region.”

Construction is expected to continue for the next two years, with the attraction scheduled to open in 2028.

The Landore Park and Ride will remain open during the works, though the number of available spaces will reduce. Penderyn Distillery, which operates a visitor centre at the nearby Morfa Copperworks site, will also remain open. Additional fencing will be installed to ensure the safety of workers, hill users and visitors to both sites.

Public access to Kilvey Hill will be maintained throughout, with temporary diversions and signage near active work areas. All existing public access routes will be kept open and new trails created as part of the project.

Artist’s impression of the completed Skyline attraction on Kilvey Hill
(Image: Skyline)

The Landore Park and Ride’s role as the cable car basecamp is significant — and directly feeds into plans being developed to relocate the Park and Ride to a new site on Alamein Road, just across from the Swansea.com Stadium, once the Skyline basecamp is established.

On ecology — one of the most contentious issues raised by those who opposed the scheme — McDonald was direct. “Our focus remains on delivering something of lasting value for Swansea — from the jobs and skills this project will create, to the biodiversity outcomes we are committed to delivering for Kilvey Hill,” he said.

Trees and vegetation will be replaced at a ratio of at least 3:1, with native broadleaf species including field maple, alder, silver birch, beech, Scots pine, sessile oak and wild cherry planted alongside more than 14,000 native shrubs, new meadow and grassland seeding, and sustainable drainage planting. The work will be overseen by certified ecologists.

Artist’s impression of the completed Skyline attraction on Kilvey Hill
(Image: Skyline)

That commitment comes in the context of sustained opposition from a small but vocal campaign group who raised concerns about the ecological impact of development on the hill throughout the planning process. Police warned protesters that action would follow as demonstrations continued at the site, and the Green Man sculpture on Kilvey Hill became a symbol of that campaign as work began to transform the face of the hill.

Those concerns haven’t gone away — but the project has cleared the planning process and construction is now a reality.

For Swansea, the arrival of an attraction of this scale is a big deal. Reports have suggested the project could deliver significant economic benefits for the city, and it forms part of a wider transformation of the stadium district that also includes Swansea City’s proposed fan zone, the Penderyn visitor centre at the copperworks, and a new riverside walking and cycling path.

Our Skyline Swansea coverage

Council approves plan for Skyline development
The moment planning consent was granted — and what it means for Kilvey Hill.

Police warn protesters as demonstration continues over Skyline development
The opposition that accompanied the project throughout its planning stages.

New report reveals Skyline’s potential economic impact to Swansea
The case made for why this project matters to the city’s economy.

Landore Park and Ride set to move across the road to Alamein Road
How the Park and Ride is being relocated to make way for the Skyline basecamp.

#cableCar #construction #featured #KilveyHill #LugeRun #Skyline #SkylineSwansea #Swansea

SWANSEA CITY: Planners give fan zone the green light in principle — but the club has got some work to do

The principle is fine. Planners have accepted that a covered fan zone capable of holding more than 1,700 supporters behind the South Stand at the Swansea.com Stadium — with self-pour beer taps, a big screen and bierkeller bench seating — is an appropriate use of the site. The site is in the right location, it serves an identified need, and the planning history supports it.

But the response is detailed, and AFL Architects have a fair bit of work to do before a formal application can go in.

The most immediate problem is trees. The plans appear to show the building line coming right up to the row of trees along the southern edge of the active travel path — the walking and cycling route that runs along the northern edge of the site. Planners say those trees must stay, and the building will need to pull back to accommodate them.

The site behind the South Stand at the Swansea.com Stadium outlined in red, showing the constraints the architects have had to work around — including the tree-lined public path, existing lampposts and the electricity substation (Image: Swansea City FC / AFL Architects)

That active travel route — which connects the Swansea City FC stadium area to the city centre and railway station — is a recurring theme throughout the response. Planners want a clearer design solution for how fans arriving at the fan zone will safely coexist with cyclists and pedestrians using the path.

The fan zone site sits in the same rapidly developing part of Swansea as the proposed new home for the Landore Park and Ride, which is being studied for relocation to Alamein Road just across from the stadium — a sign of just how much development pressure is building up in this corner of the city.

The area is moving fast in all directions — and construction on the £49m Skyline Swansea cable car and luge attraction began today, with earthworks starting on Kilvey Hill and groundworks under way at the Landore Park and Ride basecamp.

On design, the architects are told to go further. Planners want vibrant colours on the exposed steel framing, clerestory windows, a butterfly truss to bring in natural light, and an entrance canopy that takes design cues from the triangular structures of the stadium and the adjacent footbridge. The view toward Kilvey Hill — where the Skyline cable car could one day be visible — is flagged as an opportunity to exploit from the mezzanine level.

Accessibility is a gap in the current submission. The plans include a mezzanine level — which planners support — but say nothing about how wheelchair users and people with mobility needs will reach it. External lifts are recommended, and planners suggest making them a visual feature rather than something bolted on as an afterthought.

South Wales Police have also had their say, and their concerns are serious. They want physical hostile vehicle mitigation — barriers meeting security standard ISO 22343-1 — to prevent vehicles being used as weapons against crowds arriving at the fan zone. CCTV coverage, appropriate lighting, and measures to lock down the structure when not in use are also required.

And then there’s Martyn’s Law. The club will need to demonstrate how the fan zone complies with the Protected Duty under the legislation introduced following the Manchester Arena bombing. Given the venue’s capacity of more than 1,700, it falls within the enhanced tier — meaning formal security planning is not optional.

Noise is another issue. Residential properties in the Copper Quarter, including seven-storey apartment blocks with river-facing balconies, lie to the east. A designated Quiet Area sits around 70 metres away. A Noise Impact Assessment will likely be required, and the club needs to set out clearly what hours it proposes to operate — including for non-matchday events.

On the question of location — the site is outside a defined retail and leisure centre, which requires justification under planning policy — planners are broadly satisfied. They accept the fan zone serves a specific need linked to the stadium and couldn’t simply be relocated to a nearby retail park.

But they want the formal application backed up by stronger evidence: Championship fan zone comparisons, supporter experience data and the club’s own fan engagement plan would all help make the case.

There’s also a drainage note worth flagging for the architects. A sewer pipe runs beneath the active travel path to the north of the site, which could constrain construction.

The architects now have the full response and will be working on revised proposals. The club has publicly said it wants the fan zone ready for the 2026/27 season — a timeline that is looking tight but not impossible if a revised application moves quickly through the system.

More on Swansea City and the stadium district

Swansea City plan huge fan zone for more than 1,700 fans
The original proposals — self-pour beer taps, a big screen and a bierkeller vibe.

Landore Park and Ride set to move across the road to Alamein Road
How the wider stadium district is being reimagined — and what it means for transport.

Penderyn Distillery handed keys to Morfa Copperworks site
Another major development transforming the area around the stadium.

Swansea’s Skyline project moves a step closer
The cable car proposal that would take visitors up Kilvey Hill — visible from the fan zone’s mezzanine level.

#FanZone #PlanningPermission #Swansea #SwanseaCityFC #SwanseaComStadium

SWANSEA: Landore Park and Ride set to move across the road — as funding approved for design study of new Alamein Road site

The Landore Park and Ride is set to move — but not far. Funding has been approved through the Regional Transport Fund for a WelTAG stage 2 study to look at design proposals for a new facility on Alamein Road, just across from the existing site.

Alamein Road is an industrial estate immediately opposite the Swansea.com Stadium — placing the proposed new Park and Ride right at the heart of what is rapidly becoming one of the most intensively developed parts of Swansea.

Alamein Road – a small industrial park opposite the Swansea.com Stadium
(Image: Google Maps)

A WelTAG stage 2 study is the Welsh Government’s standard process for developing detailed design proposals for transport schemes. The funding covers that design work only — no planning application has yet been submitted, no decision has been made, and no opening date has been set.

The Landore Park and Ride has been serving Swansea since at least 2002 and has become an established part of the city’s transport network. Parking costs just £1 a day for a car and up to four passengers. The site is served by the number 52 bus, operated by First Cymru and subsidised by Swansea Council, which runs every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday linking the site to Swansea railway station, Kingsway and the bus station.

Park and Ride bus entering Swansea Bus Station

However, the service has been struggling. A report before the council’s scrutiny programme committee earlier this year revealed the combined operating budget for Swansea’s two park and ride sites — Landore and Fabian Way — was £693,300 in 2024-25, but income was only £89,637 — a drop from £100,734 the previous year. Cheap city centre car parking was identified as one of the reasons for the low take-up.

The report also noted that capacity at the Landore site had already been reduced due to development work nearby — and that alternative locations were being explored. That process has now resulted in the Alamein Road design study.

Landore’s existing Park and Ride site next to Penderyn’s Distillery
(Image: Google Maps)Alamein Road – just opposite the existing park and ride site in Landore
(Image: Google Maps)

The reason for the potential move is significant. The existing Landore site has been identified as the preferred location for the basecamp for the Skyline cable car project — the proposal to take visitors up Kilvey Hill — meaning the current Park and Ride would need to relocate to make way for it.

Construction at the Landore site has now formally begun — as Skyline Swansea confirmed today that earthworks are under way on Kilvey Hill and at the Park and Ride.

The area around the proposed new site is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Penderyn Distillery was handed the keys to the former Morfa Copperworks site — one of the most historically significant industrial landmarks in Wales — where they are developing a visitor centre that will draw tourists to this part of the city.

The copperworks restoration has yielded internationally significant archaeological discoveries and a Welsh business has been chosen to bring new life to its heritage buildings.

Artist’s impression of what the Kilvey Hill Skyline development will look like
(Image: Skyline)

Nearby, the historic 70-tonne Bascule Bridge has been restored and a new £8m riverside cycle and walking path is being constructed linking the city centre to the stadium along the riverbank.

At the stadium itself, Swansea City have plans for a major fan zone for more than 1,700 supporters — complete with self-pour beer taps, a big screen and a bierkeller vibe — which would significantly increase the number of people visiting the area on matchdays.

A well-placed Park and Ride at Alamein Road could serve not just everyday commuters but the growing number of visitors drawn to the stadium, Penderyn’s visitor centre, the copperworks heritage site and whatever else emerges from this part of Swansea in the years ahead.

A new Park and Ride in this location would also need to be designed with that emerging visitor economy in mind — not just as a commuter car park, but as a gateway to a corner of the city being rapidly reimagined.

The WelTAG design study will inform what the new facility might look like and whether it is viable before any further steps are taken. There is no guarantee that a planning application will follow, and any eventual scheme would need to go through the full planning process.

#AlameinRoad #featured #HafodMorfaCopperworks #LandoreParkAndRide #Skyline #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaComStadium #whereIsLandoreParkAndRideMovingTo

SWANSEA: Firefighters describe dramatic rescue of casualty from giant cargo ship at Swansea’s King’s Dock

When the call came in at 4.14pm on Tuesday 28 April, crews from Swansea Central and Morriston fire stations knew straight away this wasn’t going to be a straightforward job.

The Welsh Ambulance Service had requested the fire service’s help with a casualty aboard a large cargo vessel at King’s Dock — and one look at the ship told them why.

The JSP Samsø, a multi-purpose cargo ship registered in Madeira, stretches roughly 90 metres from bow to stern — almost the length of a full football pitch — and weighs in at approximately 4,000 gross tonnes.

Emergency services at King’s Dock during the rescue operation. Picture: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Standing at the dockside, the ship towers above you like a four-storey building. Getting someone off safely from a vessel that size was going to take planning, specialist equipment and tight coordination between agencies.

Ships like the JSP Samsø present a particular challenge for emergency responders. The sheer height of the vessel above the dockside, combined with the complex layout of walkways, ladders and decking, means a standard stretcher carry simply isn’t an option for a seriously injured or immobile casualty.

That’s where the turntable ladder from Morriston Fire Station came in — a specialist piece of kit that can reach significant heights and be used as a platform to lower a casualty safely to the ground.

Firefighters use a turntable ladder appliance to remove the casualty from the vessel. Picture: Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Before any of that could happen, the crews first had to carefully immobilise and package the casualty to make sure they could be moved safely. Working alongside Welsh Ambulance Service paramedics, firefighters went through the painstaking process of securing the patient on a stretcher before the extraction could begin.

It was detailed, careful work — exactly the kind of thing that looks unremarkable from the outside but requires significant skill and training to get right.

Once the casualty was ready, the turntable ladder was brought into position and the extraction got under way. The patient was brought down from the vessel and transferred directly into the care of the ambulance crew waiting on the dockside.

The casualty was then conveyed to hospital. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service have not provided details of the patient’s condition, as is standard practice.

The crews were stood down and left the scene at 5.21pm — just over an hour after they had first arrived.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the incident demonstrated the ability of their crews to adapt quickly and deliver effective casualty care under pressure, as well as what they described as seamless coordination with partner agencies.

The docks have long been a challenging environment for emergency services, with the combination of heavy industrial machinery, large vessels and confined spaces creating risks that require specialist training and equipment to manage safely.

King’s Dock is operated by Associated British Ports (ABP), which has run the Port of Swansea since 1982 and manages the harbour offices on site. As the principal commercial area of the port, it handles cargo vessels from across Europe and beyond — and the combination of heavy industrial machinery, large vessels and confined spaces means emergency services require specialist training to operate safely there.

The port’s working docks are separate from the nearby SA1 waterfront development and the marina, which occupy former dock areas that have been redeveloped over recent decades. King’s Dock remains an active commercial facility, and incidents involving vessels or dockside workers are handled by a multi-agency response drawing on fire, ambulance and coastguard resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

The JSP Samsø — registered under a Madeira flag and operated as a multi-purpose cargo vessel — is typical of the commercial shipping that calls at Swansea’s port facilities.

More fire service coverage

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In pictures: the aftermath of the Port Talbot Water Street fire
Aerial images showing the scale of the blaze that gripped the town.

Fire crews tackle two wildfires in 24 hours on Gower as bank holiday fire risk soars
Fairwood Common and Cefn Bryn both ablaze in the same 24-hour period.

Port Talbot fire enters controlled phase as road closures lifted
How the Water Street fire was brought under control after days of firefighting.

#cargoShip #containerShip #KingSDock #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService #rescue #Swansea

SWANSEA: Prolific shoplifter who stole entire chocolate display case jailed after targeting city convenience stores

Richard Wolsey, 47, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft from a shop at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on 11 May and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

Wolsey targeted supermarkets and convenience stores across Cadle, Portmead, Fforestfach, Penlan and the city centre — leaving with items worth as much as £657 in a single visit.

CCTV footage from one of the businesses, released by South Wales Police, captures the moment Wolsey walked out carrying an entire Cadbury’s display stand. The footage was shared by officers as part of a wider warning to shoplifters that persistent offenders will be identified, pursued and jailed.

PC Christian Thomas of South Wales Police said Wolsey had never shown any signs of attempting to change his ways. “Shop workers should not have to deal with petty thieves targeting their businesses,” he said. “But Richard Wolsey cares not a jot for those whose lives he makes harder with his shoplifting.”

He added: “We will relentlessly pursue anyone involved in shoplifting, especially those persistent offenders like Richard Wolsey, and they will be sent to prison.”

The shoplifting convictions are the latest chapter in a long and serious criminal history. In 2023, Wolsey appeared at Swansea Crown Court on far more serious charges — pointing a knife at his former partner’s neck on a park bench and threatening to slit her throat.

Prosecutor Hannah George told the court that Wolsey and the complainant had been in an on-off relationship for some 23 years, during which the defendant had been repeatedly violent towards her. The court heard that when Wolsey was released from prison following a 2021 assault conviction, the pair had rekindled their relationship with him promising to change — but by January the following year he had returned to his old ways.

Richard Wolsey. Picture: South Wales Police

The knife incident occurred in June 2022. Wolsey attended a garden area the couple used to frequent, found his former partner sitting on a bench reading a book, and grabbed her — pointing a Stanley-type knife at her neck and threatening to slit her throat. When she tried to flee, he punched her repeatedly to the back of the head.

At that sentencing, Wolsey was found to have 16 previous convictions for 32 offences including 11 for violence and two involving weapons. He had also breached a restraining order designed to protect his former partner on seven separate occasions since it was first imposed in 2015.

Judge Geraint Walters jailed him for two years for the knife offence and related charges, telling him the sentences would only get longer each time he broke the order. A new indefinite restraining order was imposed.

The latest sentence means Wolsey has now spent significant periods of his life in custody. He was of no fixed abode at the time of the shoplifting offences, and South Wales Police say he remains a priority target for enforcement action.

South Wales Police say shoplifting causes real harm to the people who run and work in small businesses — and that persistent offenders like Wolsey who show no intention of stopping will face the full consequences.

Anyone who recognises shoplifting activity in their local area can report it to South Wales Police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

More court cases

Prolific shoplifter jailed for ten months and banned from every store she targeted
Another persistent offender sentenced after a sustained campaign of theft from Bridgend shops.

Maesteg meat thief: serial shoplifter jailed after six raids in six weeks
A serial shoplifter who repeatedly targeted the same stores was banned from the town’s shops entirely.

Swansea burglar jailed after targeting city business
Another Swansea offender jailed after targeting local businesses.

Serial dine and dashers sentenced to jail
A pair who repeatedly ran off without paying at restaurants across south Wales were jailed.

#Cadle #Fforestfach #Penlan #Penplas #shoplifting #SouthWalesPolice #Swansea #theft

SWANSEA: First look at the new Swansea Market entrance as makeover works progress on Union Street

Swansea Market’s long-awaited makeover is now visible to anyone walking past on Union Street, with the market’s new entrance design emerging from behind the hoardings.

The market confirmed on Tuesday that the Union Street entrance has been partially reopened while lower-level works continue — meaning shoppers can once again access the market from that side as the transformation progresses.

The new design features a bold geometric canopy in orange and brown tones, a striking new bilingual fascia reading “Marchnad Abertawe / Swansea Market”, and illuminated signage with a distinctive fan-shaped logo — a far cry from the tired exterior that had greeted shoppers for years.

The new-look Union Street entrance to Swansea Market taking shape. Picture: Swansea Market

The reaction from inside the market has been positive. Storm In A Teacup Coffee House, one of the market’s well-known traders, said simply: “Looks great.” Fellow trader Rachel Jones added: “I’m sure our customers will see the difference.”

The design was chosen by the public in a vote held last year, after Swansea Council launched a consultation giving shoppers a say in what the new entrances should look like. Hundreds of people took part, with the geometric stained-glass-inspired canopy proving the overwhelming favourite from a shortlist of three options developed with Wales-based consultants Tangent Partnership.

Council cabinet member and joint deputy leader David Hopkins said at the time that the new entrances would make the market “smarter, more visible and vibrant” and help attract customers. He also said the work would improve security and help deter anti-social behaviour.

The striking geometric canopy above the Union Street entrance to Swansea Market. Picture: Swansea Market

Work is continuing on the market’s other entrances on Oxford Street and Whitewalls, with the same design set to be applied across all three entry points once the full programme of works is complete.

The entrance revamp is the latest in a sustained programme of investment in the market over recent years. In recent years the council has invested in new public toilets at the award-winning market and introduced the Market Garden, a popular spot to eat, meet and enjoy events. Wikipedia

The Market Garden was created following a public consultation and opened in late 2021 as a new space at the heart of the venue where shoppers could eat, meet friends and enjoy themselves. It quickly became one of the market’s most popular features.

The Market Garden in Swansea Market
(Image: Swansea Council)

The investment in the market’s facilities has helped cement its reputation as one of the best in Britain. Swansea Market was judged Britain’s Best Large Indoor Market in 2024 by the National Association of British Market Authorities — the third time it had won the title, following previous victories in 2015 and 2020. It has also been ranked in the top two in the UK.

Wayne Holmes, chair of the Swansea Market Traders Federation, said when the award was announced: “It’s great that the market has won this award. Recognition like this helps make all the hard work of our traders feel really worthwhile.”

The entrance works also form part of the wider Future Swansea vision for the city centre, which sets out plans to make Swansea Market a destination in its own right — with better links to the Quadrant and surrounding streets forming part of a decade-long regeneration strategy.

That wider plan, which is expected to be adopted as council policy later in 2026, also includes a new transport hub, a potential cultural quarter and improvements to the Oxford Street arcades — all designed to drive footfall into the city centre.

The market sits at the heart of what the council calls the Core — the retail, leisure and nightlife centre of the city — and the entrance revamp is seen as a key part of making it more welcoming and visible from the surrounding streets.

Works at Union Street are ongoing, and shoppers have been thanked for their patience. The market remains fully open throughout the works, with business continuing as usual inside.

More on Swansea Market

Market entrances to get new look after public vote
How shoppers chose the winning design for the new-look entrances.

Swansea Market named one of Britain’s favourites
The market’s third national award win — and what the judges said.

Market shoppers enjoy taste of the market’s new attraction
When the Market Garden first opened its doors to visitors.

Swansea’s future mapped out: transport hub, market revamp and cultural quarter
The bigger picture — how the market fits into Swansea’s decade-long regeneration plan.

#marketEntrance #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaMarket #UnionStreet

SWANSEA: Don’t ignore that NCP parking fine — and here’s what the May 20 meeting means for Kingsway, Orchard Street and City Gates

A lot of people are asking the same question right now: if NCP has gone bust, do I still have to pay that fine? The short answer is yes — and ignoring it could land you in trouble.

Car leasing experts at LeaseLoco are warning drivers not to assume that NCP going into administration wipes the slate clean. The company still legally exists — it’s just being run by accountancy firm PwC, who were brought in as administrators back in March. And as far as they’re concerned, it’s business as usual.

John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco, said: “A lot of people are confused about where this leaves them and we’re worried the news is going to catch some drivers out. If you are using an NCP car park, remember to continue to pay as normal — otherwise you can still face a fine.”

He added: “Those with existing fines should also treat these as they usually would by either appealing or paying it off. NCP has gone into administration which means it still exists — this doesn’t make fines void all of a sudden.”

The NCP Orchard Street Car Park in Swansea city centre. Picture: Swansea Bay News

PwC confirmed this week that “all other car parks remain open to customers” — so if you’re parking in one of Swansea’s three NCP car parks, you still need to pay.

So why did NCP collapse in the first place? The company — which manages 340 car parks and employs around 681 people nationally — never really recovered from the pandemic. Fewer people commuting into city centres meant lower occupancy, and the company was stuck in long-term leases it couldn’t get out of. Eventually it ran out of cash, and the directors called in the administrators.

Since then, PwC has been closing the sites it can’t make work. Twenty car parks shut on 27 March, including sites in Birmingham, Bristol, London and Leicester. Four more followed on 16 April in Belfast, Coventry, Leicester and Sheffield. Five more closed on 30 April in Bradford, Chester, Kidderminster, Nottingham and Southampton.

That’s 29 closures in total — and not one of them is in Wales.

The NCP Kingsway Car Park in Swansea city centre. Picture: Swansea Bay NewsThe NCP Orchard Street Car Park viewed from the street. Picture: Swansea Bay News

When NCP entered administration in March, Swansea’s three city centre car parks — Kingsway, Orchard Street and City Gates — were immediately put under a cloud of uncertainty. Together they provide a huge chunk of city centre parking, and their loss would be a serious blow for shoppers, workers and visitors.

Kingsway alone is one of the busiest car parks in the city centre — a short walk from the Quadrant, the market and the high street. Losing it, along with Orchard Street and City Gates, would leave a significant hole in Swansea’s parking provision at a time when the city centre is already fighting to attract footfall.

The good news is that all three have survived every round of cuts so far. But survival so far is not the same as safety — and the administrators have been clear that every site remains under ongoing review.

The big date is Wednesday 20 May, when NCP’s creditors meet to discuss the future of the business. A creditors meeting is where the people owed money — landlords, suppliers, lenders — get to hear what the administrators have found and what the options are. PwC has said it is exploring a potential sale of all or part of the company as one route forward.

If a buyer is found, some or all of the remaining car parks could continue under new ownership. If not, further closures are likely. Either way, May 20 should bring some clarity on which way the wind is blowing for Swansea.

Until then, the message from the experts is simple: carry on as normal. Pay for your parking. Pay your fines. Don’t assume the chaos means you can get away with it — because you can’t.

#administration #carPark #Kingsway #KingswayMultiStoreyCarPark #motoring #MSCP #NCP #OrchardStreet #OrchardStreetMultiStoreyCarPark #pwc #Swansea