Swansea motor giant hits 100 – from single garage to UK powerhouse

Day’s Motor Group, launched in 1926 by Charles Edward Manton Day on St Helen’s Road, has gone from a small Singer dealership to a major player employing more than 500 people across the UK.

And this week, the milestone was marked with a visit from Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart, who met with the Day family and staff to celebrate a century of success.

From those humble beginnings, the company struck up a long-standing partnership with Ford in 1934 — a relationship that still plays a central role in the business today.

Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, the firm is led by chairman Graham Day, alongside director Jill Day and CEO Russell Day.

Speaking during the visit, Russell Day said reaching the 100-year mark was a proud moment not just for the family — but for everyone who has been part of the company’s journey.

“This is an incredible milestone for our family and for the whole Day’s team,” he said.

“Our growth over the past century wouldn’t have been possible without the loyalty of our customers and the dedication of our colleagues.

“Swansea has always been at the heart of our story, and we’re proud to keep investing here while continuing to grow across the UK.”

He added that the anniversary isn’t just about looking back — but pushing forward.

“This milestone isn’t just about the past — it’s about the next chapter. We’re committed to investing in new technology, new skills and sustainable mobility right here in the region.”

Over the decades, the business has expanded far beyond its original site, now operating more than 14 locations and representing major global brands including Ford, Peugeot, IVECO, Chery and Geely.

It has also developed a number of successful divisions, including Day’s Fleet, Day’s Rental and Day’s Finance — helping cement its position as one of Wales’s leading automotive groups.

Cllr Stewart praised the company as a shining example of Swansea success.

“Day’s Motor Group is a fantastic local success story,” he said.

“From its beginnings in Swansea a century ago to becoming one of Wales’s leading dealer groups, it shows what can be achieved through hard work, innovation and a real commitment to the community.

“It also proves Swansea is a place where businesses can grow, invest and create jobs — and that’s exactly what we want to see.”

The company has picked up a string of national awards over the years, including being named AM Best Dealership in the UK twice, alongside recognition from Motability and Investors in People.

And as it enters its second century, the message from the Day family is clear — Swansea remains firmly at the heart of everything they do.

Mystery ‘foolish student’ sends £100 apology to Swansea shop for drunken prank 15 years later

A Swansea shop owner has been left surprised — and amused — after receiving an unexpected apology from someone admitting to a drunken prank carried out 15 years ago.

Staff at Exotica Foods Swansea say a letter arrived along with £100 in cash from an anonymous sender describing themselves only as “a former foolish student.”

The international food store, located on St Helen’s Road, Swansea, shared the note on social media after it was delivered to the shop.

In the letter, the sender admits that around 15 years ago they and another student took a temporary PVC banner hanging outside the shop after a night of drinking.

The note reads:

“Some 15 years ago as a student, following a night of drinking, I and another came across a temporary PVC banner hanging from your shop.
For some reason we thought it would be funny to bring this home with us.”

But the mystery writer says time — and age — had changed their perspective.

“As an older man, I now see that what seemed funny to us at the time likely caused your shop some inconvenience.
I would like to offer my apology and hope you will accept this compensation.”

The envelope also contained five £20 notes, totalling £100.

The apology was signed simply:

“A former foolish student.”

Shop owner Imran Ashraf shared the story online, joking about the long-delayed confession.

“This has made my morning — thank you to whoever you are,” he wrote.

The post quickly attracted dozens of comments from locals praising the gesture.

Many said it showed that “it’s never too late to do the right thing.”

One commenter wrote: “Better late than never — well done!”

Another added: “We’ve all done stupid things when we were younger. Fair play to him for making it right.”

And one joked: “That must have been one hell of a guilt trip.”

While the identity of the sender remains unknown, the unexpected apology has given the Swansea shop something rare on social media — a story about someone owning up to a mistake and trying to make amends.

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Swansea student block could become homeless accommodation under new plans

A prominent six‑storey building on St Helen’s Road could soon switch from student flats to temporary supported accommodation, with councillors set to decide the application on Tuesday 13 January.

Pobl Homes & Communities has applied to convert the Boutique Student Living complex — the former Sun Alliance House office block — into 76 self‑contained studios for people needing secure, short‑term housing with on‑site support.

Office block turned student flats now facing another change

The building was originally constructed as offices before plans were first lodged in 2017 to convert it into student accommodation. Those proposals did not progress at the time, and a fresh application was brought forward in 2021, leading to the building’s eventual conversion into an 80‑unit purpose‑built student accommodation (PBSA).

Now, less than five years after the student scheme was finally delivered, the building’s use is set to change again.

The new proposal would repurpose the studios for residents moving on from homelessness, with internal alterations only and no changes to the building’s external appearance or height.

24/7 management and on‑site support

The scheme would be jointly managed by Pobl and Swansea Council, with a 24/7 staff presence, controlled access and a detailed operational plan covering safeguarding, visitor management and incident reporting.

Planning officers say the building’s central location, existing layout and car‑free set‑up make it suitable for the new use. Their report recommends approval, subject to conditions and a revised Section 106 agreement.

Decision due next week

The application will be considered by the council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday 13 January 2026.

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Rain gardens and car park revamps: £100k drainage grants to tackle flooding in Swansea and Carmarthenshire

Swansea streets in line for rain gardens

Swansea Council has scooped grants to draw up plans for rain gardens and other drainage features around Beach Street, St Helen’s Road and the Brynymor Street junction. The aim is to cut down on surface water flooding in busy city streets and stop polluted run‑off pouring into drains and streams.

Carmarthenshire car parks targeted

Carmarthenshire County Council will use its share of the cash to design drainage improvements at Llandovery Castle car park and Newcastle Emlyn car park. Both sites have long struggled with flooding, and the new schemes are intended to stop dirty water flowing into the Tywi and Teifi rivers — both protected Special Areas of Conservation.

Schools join the fight against flooding

The charity Trees for Cities has also been awarded funding to design drainage projects at three schools — St Cadocs, St Illtyds and Glyncoed — where rain gardens and other SuDS features could help keep playgrounds and classrooms dry while boosting biodiversity.

Sandfields shows what’s possible

The new funding comes hot on the heels of a rain garden already installed in Swansea’s Sandfields area, where planters and green drainage features have been used to soak up excess water and reduce flooding risk for residents. The Sandfields scheme has been hailed as a practical example of how sustainable drainage can transform urban streets — turning problem flood zones into greener, more resilient spaces.

Backed by Welsh Government

The grants, worth between £15,000 and £30,000 each, come from the Welsh Government’s Nature and Climate Emergency Capital Programme, which also supports peatland restoration, mine clean‑ups, fisheries and national forests.

“Greener, more resilient communities”

Helen Haider, Lead Specialist Advisor at Natural Resources Wales, said:

“These grants will help the five projects move another step towards creating greener, more resilient communities. Sustainable urban drainage solutions can help us tackle both climate and nature emergencies — reducing surface water flooding, pollution and enhancing biodiversity.”

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Brynmill sinkhole saga rumbles on — crews dig deep after second collapse

This morning we revealed how the street had collapsed again, forcing a fresh closure between Westbury Street and Eaton Crescent. Heavy machinery and barriers are now back in place as engineers work to stabilise the site.

From November shock to December drama

The saga began on 22 November, when a sudden collapse forced the closure of Brynymor Road. What at first looked like a small hole quickly grew into a major headache, with councillors warning the damage was larger than expected.

Investigations followed, with engineers probing whether old mine workings beneath the Crescent were to blame. For weeks, the mystery deepened as crews dug into the road surface, trying to uncover the cause.

By mid‑December, the answer finally came: the collapse was traced back to an old manhole chamber hidden beneath the tarmac. With the mystery solved, hopes rose that the road could reopen before Christmas.

On 17 December, councillors gathered for a photo call to mark the reopening, praising the swift repair and celebrating the return of traffic to one of Brynmill’s busiest streets.

Collapse number two

But the celebrations didn’t last long. Within hours, a second sinkhole appeared nearby, plunging the street back into disruption and forcing crews to return with diggers and trucks.

A Swansea Council spokesperson said:

“Our highways maintenance teams are at the site of a second sinkhole on Brynymor Road. We are doing all we can to repair as quickly as possible and reopen the road.”

They added:

“The road is closed between Westbury Street and Eaton Crescent. Brynymor Road between King Edward Road and St Helens Road remains open to motorists who are visiting local businesses in the area. Apologies for any inconvenience this is causing.”

Images from the scene

Photos taken Thursday show crews in high‑vis jackets operating diggers and trucks, excavating the collapsed section and cordoning off the street with barriers. The fresh hole exposes layers of asphalt and soil, as engineers work to stabilise the site.

Swansea’s future mapped out: new transport hub, market revamp and cultural quarter in draft city centre plan

Swansea could be about to undergo its biggest city centre shake‑up in a decade — with a new transport hub, a revamped market, and even a cultural quarter all on the table.

The draft Swansea City Centre Placemaking Plan, presented to councillors this week, sets out how the city centre and waterfront could be transformed over the next 8–10 years. It replaces the 2016 regeneration framework and covers everything from the Civic Centre site to the top of High Street.

A city carved into five zones

The plan doesn’t treat the city centre as one lump of concrete and shops — instead, it breaks it down into five distinct “Action Areas,” each with its own character and proposals:

• The Core: The beating heart of Swansea, where retail, leisure and nightlife collide. Here the council wants to reinforce a thriving shopping district, breathe new life into the Oxford Street arcades, and make Swansea Market a destination in its own right.
• City Waterfront: Stretching from the Marina to the Civic Centre, this is about reconnecting Swansea to its seafront. Expect talk of new public squares, leisure attractions, and even an aquarium as part of the Civic Centre redevelopment.
• Tawe Waterfront: Across the river, the old St Thomas railway station site is earmarked for housing, commercial space and community facilities — a new neighbourhood rising from the tracks.
• City North: St Helen’s Road and its surroundings are seen as a gateway, with plans to improve connections and make the area more welcoming for residents and visitors.
• Upper High Street/Dyfatty: The northern gateway, where the High Street station plaza could be transformed into a proper arrival point, linking seamlessly to a proposed transport hub at The Strand.

The big ideas

At the centre of the plan is a new transport hub on The Strand, just a stone’s throw from the railway station and facing the River Tawe. Councillors were told this could become the city’s main interchange, making it easier to move between trains, buses, and active travel routes.

Other “indicative concept” schemes include:

• A facelift for Swansea Market, with better links to the Quadrant and surrounding streets.
• Revitalised shopping arcades off Oxford Street.
• Greener, safer public spaces with more trees, street furniture and public art.
• A potential Cultural Quarter, celebrating Swansea’s identity and drawing visitors in with events, galleries and creative spaces.

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Councillors weigh in

At the scrutiny meeting, Cllr Michael Locke pressed for updates on the Civic Centre site, while regeneration team leader Gail Evans confirmed initial designs were ready and a report could follow in the new year.

Cllr Will Thomas praised the new central hub Y Storfa, which opened recently on Oxford Street, and asked if more city centre buildings could be repurposed for education and sport to drive footfall. Panel convenor Cllr Chris Holley warned that commercial viability remains a challenge, with many schemes needing public sector “gap funding” to stack up. He called for a workshop for all elected members, describing the plan as covering “a huge area.”

Council leader Rob Stewart said Swansea was “a different city” compared to 2016 and that it was time to refresh the plan.

What happens next

The draft placemaking plan will go before Cabinet in February 2026, followed by public engagement in March. Adoption as council policy is expected later in 2026, setting the stage for a decade of regeneration.

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“Is it worth getting stabbed?” – Swansea thugs jailed after terrifying city centre robbery

38‑year‑old Ceri Gibson, of no fixed abode, and 36‑year‑old Christopher Palmer, from Clase, Swansea, targeted a 43‑year‑old man on Page Lane behind St Helen’s Road late at night.

The pair launched a cowardly attack from behind, dragging their victim to the ground. One chillingly asked: “Is it worth getting stabbed over?” while the other rifled through his pockets and stole his mobile phone.

Fearing for his life, the man handed over cash from his other pocket after further threats that he would be stabbed if he resisted.

Facial recognition nailed them

The duo were quickly identified thanks to facial recognition technology and later convicted of robbery.

Gibson was handed an extended nine‑year sentence, while Palmer was jailed for five years.

Detective’s fury at “cowardly attack”

Detective Sergeant Griffiths said the case showed just how dangerous Gibson and Palmer were: “This was a violent robbery during which Ceri Gibson and Christopher Palmer convinced the victim that he was going to be stabbed if he did not hand over his valuable possessions to them.

“This could have happened to anyone. Gibson and Palmer were out on the streets looking for someone who was alone and vulnerable and then cowardly launched their attack from behind.

“This is the second time that these two defendants have been convicted of a robbery which they have committed together.

“These are not the sort of people who are welcome on the streets of Swansea. With hefty sentences for both of them, the city will be better off without their presence for years to come.”

Repeat offenders

Both men have long criminal records. Gibson has dozens of previous convictions including burglary, knife possession and a robbery committed with Palmer back in 2017.

The court heard the pair had prowled Swansea’s streets before, looking for vulnerable victims to rob.

Swansea safer without them

Judge Geraint Walters described the robbery as a “shameful act” carried out against a vulnerable man who stood no chance of defending himself.

With Gibson and Palmer now behind bars, police say Swansea is safer — and residents can be reassured that two repeat offenders are off the streets for years to come.

#clase #knifeCrime #mugging #pageLane #robbery #southWalesPolice #stHelensRoad #swansea #violentRobbery

Brynymor Road sinkhole larger than expected, says councillor

The sinkhole that forced the closure of Brynymor Road in Swansea last week is “significantly larger than first anticipated,” according to Uplands councillor Peter May, who shared an update on social media after meeting with Welsh Water engineers.

Cllr May said the company had accepted liability for the collapse, which is believed to have been caused by a major leak just above the affected area. That leak was repaired last week, but engineers are still working to assess the full extent of the damage beneath the surface.

“The hole is significantly larger than first anticipated,” he wrote, “and when I left site they were still trying to find the extent of the void under the road.” Based on surface cracking, the damage could stretch around three metres wide, five to six metres long, and just over one metre deep.

Welsh Water plans to excavate the area fully, backfill it with new material, and reinstate the carriageway. While repairs were initially hoped to be completed by Thursday evening, Cllr May said that timeline was “somewhat optimistic” and that a Friday reopening was more likely.

“There was a significant leak just above the sinkhole which was repaired last week,” he added. “Welsh Water agree that this has in all probability caused the collapse.”

Council investigation continues

Swansea Council last issued an update on 24 November, confirming that highways teams had begun investigating the cause of the sinkhole, which appeared at the junction of Brynymor Road and Westbury Street.

The council said the road would be reinstated once the investigation was complete and the area made safe. In the meantime, Brynymor Road remains closed to traffic between Westbury Street and Eaton Crescent. Westbury Street itself is open, but there is no access onto Brynymor Road from that junction. The section of Brynymor Road between St Helen’s Road and King Edward Road remains open to traffic.

#brynymorCrescent #brynymorRoad #eatonCrescent #kingEdwardRoad #roadClosure #sinkhole #stHelensRoad #swansea #swanseaCouncil #uplands #welshWater #westburyStreet

New route announced for Swansea Christmas Parade

The parade begins at 5pm at the Guildhall, where Santa will illuminate the building with a red glow before a fireworks display signals the start of the evening.

Parade route through the city

From the Guildhall, the parade will travel down St Helen’s Road, along the Kingsway, College Street, Castle Street and Caer Street, before finishing on Princess Way.

More than 40 community groups, colourful floats and beloved characters from fairytales and comic books – including Cinderella and Rapunzel – will join the procession. Santa and Mrs Claus will wave from their magical sleigh as the parade makes its way through the city.

Entertainment and lights switch‑on

Live entertainment will take place on two stages: one at the Guildhall and the traditional stage outside the Dragon Hotel, where a new Christmas tree will stand. Santa will ceremoniously switch on Swansea’s Christmas lights before another fireworks display lights up the night sky.

Professional entertainers, fairytale characters and superheroes will be on hand to keep children and adults entertained throughout the evening.

Council leader welcomes new route

Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said:

“The Swansea Christmas Parade is one of the city’s most cherished events – a chance for our communities to come together and celebrate the start of the festive season.

This year’s new route brings exciting opportunities to experience the magic from fresh perspectives and it promises to be a truly unforgettable evening.”

He added that the parade is the perfect opportunity to start Christmas celebrations, alongside visits to Waterfront Winterland with its ice rink and alpine bar, and the Victorian Christmas Market offering artisan gifts and festive treats.

Cllr Stewart said the parade rounds off another strong year of council‑delivered events, including the Wales Airshow, IRONMAN, Swansea Arts Weekend and Croeso.

#CaerStreet #CastleStreet #ChristmasLightSwitchOn #ChristmasLights #ChristmasParade #CollegeStreet #FatherChristmas #Guildhall #Kingsway #PrincessWay #Santa #SantaClaus #StHelensRoad #Swansea #SwanseaChristmasParade #SwanseaCouncil

Swansea’s African Community Centre shines at Welsh Charity Awards

From Zumba classes to food banks, Mojisola’s work earns top honour

Mojisola Olateju was named Volunteer of the Year for her tireless work supporting women and families from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. She runs women‑only Zumba classes attended by more than 40 women, coordinates a food bank serving over 500 families, and provides weekly childcare so that more than 50 mothers can attend English classes.

Accepting her award, Mojisola explained that her women‑only Zumba sessions are less about fitness goals and more about breaking isolation.

“I let them know that it’s not about losing weight – it’s about coming together, interacting, strengthening our muscles, and taking people away from isolation. We’re able to talk together and be there for each other.”

Young volunteer makes daily journey to welcome newcomers

17‑year‑old David Uche Iyamu, also from the African Community Centre, was runner‑up in the Young Volunteer of the Year category. Despite living 12 miles away, he makes a daily round trip to Swansea to welcome newcomers — often asylum seekers and refugees — with empathy and warmth.

He said:

“Being nominated is an incredible honour. Regardless of the outcome, it’s a win to be recognised among such talented peers.”

A centre at the heart of Swansea’s multicultural story

Founded in 2003 by Mrs Uzo Iwobi OBE, the African Community Centre has grown from a grassroots idea into a registered charity serving communities across Wales. While rooted in supporting African and African Caribbean people, it has become a place where people of all cultures can find a welcome and a listening ear.

The centre runs English classes, youth projects, cultural workshops, volunteering opportunities and even a unique Asylum Seekers Community Transport scheme. It describes itself as “a major force in making Swansea the wonderfully diverse multicultural city which it is today.”

National leaders praise volunteers’ impact

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Jane Hutt praised the “extraordinary dedication and impact” of volunteers across Wales, while WCVA Chief Executive Lindsay Cordery‑Bruce described the winners as “the people holding our nation together, with kindness, volunteering, inclusion and unwavering helpfulness.”

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#asylumSeekers #AsylumSeekersCommunityTransport #BAME #Charity #Fitness #FoodBank #isolation #StHelensRoad #Swansea #SwanseaAfricanCommunityCentre #UzoIwobiOBE #women #Zumba