SWANSEA: Brangwyn Hall named one of the UK’s top 10 micro wedding venues

Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall has been named one of the UK’s top ten most popular venues for micro weddings — the only Welsh venue to make a national ranking dominated by London locations.

The Grade I listed hall, part of Swansea’s Guildhall complex and licensed for civil ceremonies, tied for ninth place in a ranking compiled by luxury chauffeur service SIXT ride.

The company analysed TikTok searches, Instagram posts and Google searches to identify the venues generating most buzz among couples planning intimate weddings in 2026.

Brangwyn Hall scored 19.8 out of 100, level with Sheffield Town Hall, based on 5,200 TikTok searches, 1,000 Instagram posts and 8,100 Google searches in the past year. The top spot went to Chelsea Old Town Hall in London, which scored 86.8 — a reflection of the capital’s dominance of the micro wedding scene, with four of the top five venues located in London.

The ranking reflects a growing national trend towards smaller, more intimate weddings. Searches for “how much is a registry office wedding UK” have grown 1,200% in the past year, while searches for “registry office wedding package” are up 967%.

The trend has been driven partly by high-profile celebrity weddings including that of singer Charli XCX and Made in Chelsea stars Sophie Habboo and Jamie Laing.

Brangwyn Hall is one of Wales’ most distinctive event venues — and one with a history that goes well beyond weddings. Built as part of Swansea’s Guildhall and opened in 1934, the hall was originally designed to house the British Empire Panels: sixteen large paintings by artist Sir Frank Brangwyn, commissioned in 1924 for the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords to commemorate the First World War.

The House of Lords rejected them — reportedly because they were considered too colourful and spirited — and Swansea Council acquired them instead. The panels now line the walls of the hall, making it one of the most visually striking wedding backdrops in Wales.

The venue offers spaces ranging from the intimate Lord Mayor’s Room to the grand main hall, with capacity for between 20 and 500 guests.

The Guildhall complex has also served as a backdrop for some major screen productions. The building’s imposing neoclassical exterior and Art Deco interior have made it a favourite with film and TV producers.

Most notably, the complex featured in the Netflix blockbuster Havoc, starring Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker, which used both the Guildhall exterior and the Brangwyn Hall interior for key scenes. Described as the largest feature film ever shot entirely in Wales, Havoc transformed the building into an American police precinct. The Guildhall has also featured in the BBC’s Sherlock and multiple episodes of Doctor Who.

The hall’s profile as a wedding venue may be about to grow further. Swansea’s register office is currently housed at the Civic Centre on the waterfront — one of the last council services still operating from the brutalist building.

The Civic Centre is earmarked for a major redevelopment as a new City Waterfront district with apartments, an aquarium and a lido. It is understood that as the Civic Centre moves closer to redevelopment, the register office could relocate to the Guildhall complex — which would make the Grade I listed building the official home of Swansea’s civil ceremonies as well as one of the city’s most sought-after wedding venues.

The full top ten, according to SIXT ride’s analysis, is: Chelsea Old Town Hall, The Old Marylebone Town Hall, Islington Town Hall, Manchester Town Hall, Hackney Town Hall, Cheltenham Town Hall, Oxford Town Hall, Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham, and jointly in ninth place, Sheffield Town Hall and Brangwyn Hall.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Flats, aquarium and lido: Swansea’s Civic Centre plans move closer as cabinet gives green light
The redevelopment plans that could see the register office leave the Civic Centre.

Y Storfa opens in Swansea city centre as council services move from Civic
The register office is one of the last services still operating from the Civic Centre.

Swansea Bay’s best businesses scoop top gongs at packed Brangwyn Hall awards
One of many major events the venue hosts each year.

SWANSEA: MP calls emergency public meeting on social media ban for under-16s — and says the issue tops his postbag

Swansea West MP Torsten Bell has called an emergency public meeting to discuss whether children under 16 should be banned from social media, as the UK Government’s landmark consultation on protecting young people online enters its final weeks.

The meeting will be held from 7pm to 8.30pm on Thursday 14 May at Swansea’s Guildhall, and is open to parents, children and community members from across the city. Those wishing to attend have been asked to reserve a seat by emailing [email protected] with their name and postcode, as significant interest is expected.

The event will be one of the last opportunities for people in Swansea to feed into the national debate before the UK Government’s consultation closes on Friday 26 May. Attendees can expect to hear from community leaders, campaigners and teachers, and will have the chance to share their own experiences and concerns about children’s online safety.

The social media ban debate has generated more correspondence to Bell’s office than any other policy issue since the start of 2026, with nearly a quarter of all policy-related letters and emails focusing on the subject — a striking measure of how deeply the issue is resonating with families across Swansea West.

Bell said: “As a father to young children, I am deeply concerned about the impact of social media and delighted that the UK Government is taking the issue so seriously. Many of us know how much we’d have missed out on as a teenager if the time and attention sink of social media had got in the way.”

He added: “No issue is more important than the safety of our children. As the consensus grows that more needs to be done, I’m hosting this meeting to make sure people in Swansea have their voice heard and are at the forefront of shaping what happens next.”

The Government’s consultation — which has dedicated versions for young people and for parents and carers — is exploring a range of potential measures beyond an outright ban. These include whether platforms should be forced to switch off addictive features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay, and whether mandatory overnight curfews on social media use could help children get better sleep.

The idea of an Australia-style ban on under-16s using social media has attracted growing cross-party support at Westminster. As Swansea Bay News has previously reported, more than 60 Labour MPs — including Gower’s Tonia Antoniazzi and Mid and South Pembrokeshire’s Henry Tufnell — have already backed calls for such a ban.

In Llanelli, Dame Nia Griffith has urged families to respond to the consultation, saying she would personally support a ban but that any legislation would need to be carefully thought through and enforceable. She described the issue as one of the defining challenges facing parents today.

The concerns are not abstract. In Bridgend, one school warned pupils could face expulsion over abusive TikTok posts. And experts have cautioned that many parents remain completely unaware of the hidden meanings behind popular emojis routinely used by young people to discuss drugs, self-harm and other sensitive topics in plain sight.

Research published on Safer Internet Day earlier this year found that half of parents in Britain had never had a single conversation with their child about harmful online content — even though most 11-year-olds now own a smartphone. The findings helped galvanise support for tougher government action.

The consultation is exploring not just whether to ban under-16s from social media entirely, but a broader package of protections. Among the measures under consideration are requirements for platforms to make safety settings more prominent, limits on the data companies can collect from young users, and stronger age verification requirements.

Whether any measures ultimately become law will depend in part on the responses gathered during the consultation period — which is why Bell’s meeting at the Guildhall on 14 May represents a genuine opportunity for Swansea residents to influence the outcome, not just observe it.

For Bell, who has spoken openly about his concerns as a parent, the issue cuts through the usual political divides. The volume of correspondence his office has received suggests many of his constituents feel the same way — and that the question of when, and whether, to hand a child a smartphone has become one of the most contested parenting decisions of the current generation.

The UK Government’s consultation is open to all at gov.uk and closes on 26 May. Those wishing to attend Bell’s Guildhall meeting on 14 May should email [email protected] with their name and postcode to reserve a place.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Should under-16s be banned from social media? Llanelli MP’s urgent plea as parents warned of kids’ secret online lives
Dame Nia Griffith MP urges Llanelli families to have their say on the UK Government’s landmark consultation.

Tonia Antoniazzi and Henry Tufnell among 60 Labour MPs to back call for banning social media for under-16s
Growing cross-party support at Westminster for an Australia-style social media ban for children.

Half of parents have never spoken to their kids about harmful content as calls grow to ban social media for under-16s
Stark findings published on Safer Internet Day as the debate over children’s online safety intensifies.

Bridgend school warns pupils could face expulsion over abusive TikTok posts
One local school’s response to the growing problem of harmful social media content among young people.

SWANSEA: Barges needed to build new £8m riverside cycle and walking path linking city centre to Swansea.com Stadium

A new walking and cycling route along the River Tawe has been given the green light by Swansea Council — with the project set to become one of the most ambitious pieces of active travel infrastructure the city has seen.

The path will run for a mile along the west bank of the Tawe, from a point north of the Tawe bridges through to the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks area — linking the city centre with the copperworks, Swansea.com Stadium and Morfa Retail Park for cyclists and pedestrians. It will be built in three phases and is expected to take three years to complete.

The total cost of the scheme, including design and project management, is £8.25 million. That will be funded through a combination of £6.6 million from the Welsh Government’s regional transport fund, £1.4 million from the UK Government, and a £250,000 developer contribution linked to a separate planning permission.

The council has confirmed the project will be a complex engineering undertaking. A new revetment — a reinforced structure to support the walkway along the riverbank — will need to be constructed, and sections of the work will have to be carried out from barges because of access restrictions along parts of the river corridor.

Once complete, the new path will connect with an existing stretch of shared-use path near the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks — an area undergoing a major heritage restoration that has attracted significant investment in recent years, including the arrival of Penderyn Distillery at the site. The new route will add to the 85 miles of shared-use paths already available across Swansea.

For cyclists and pedestrians, the route will offer a traffic-free connection between the city centre and a cluster of major destinations to the north — including Swansea.com Stadium, home of Swansea City AFC, and the growing Morfa Retail Park. The Hafod-Morfa Copperworks, one of Wales’ most significant industrial heritage sites, sits at the northern end of the route.

The three-phase approach to construction reflects both the engineering complexity of the project and the need to keep disruption manageable along a stretch of riverside that already attracts walkers and recreational users.

The Tawe path forms the headline project in a wider programme of cycling and walking investment confirmed for Swansea in 2026/27. Also included in the settlement is a £700,000 shared-use path linking Ffordd Beck in Gowerton to Pont Y Cob Road — a route that would finally deliver a safe connection between the two communities that has been in planning since 2022. At the moment there is no footpath between the two locations and the only provision for cyclists is a painted advisory route on a narrow main road.

A £500,000 upgrade of the existing shared-use path between Dunvant and Gowerton is also confirmed, widening the route to improve safety and capacity. Gowerton has been the focus of active travel investment in recent years — a new cycling and walking link to Gowerton station opened after significant delays, and the latest round of funding continues to build on that network.

Taken together, the three cycling and walking schemes represent a significant step forward for active travel connectivity across the western side of Swansea — connecting the city centre to the river corridor, and linking Gowerton more effectively to both Dunvant and Loughor.

Stuart Davies, Head of Service for Transport and Highways at Swansea Council, said the funding would enable the council to deliver “a wide range of transport related projects that will benefit motorists, public transport users as well as pedestrians and cyclists.”

The broader transport package for 2026/27 also includes a £750,000 e-bike hire scheme with up to 500 bikes to be made available for short trips across Swansea, further strengthening the active travel offer alongside the new infrastructure. Locations for the e-bike hire points have yet to be confirmed.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

New walking and cycling route proposed between Gowerton and Loughor
The long-planned Pont Y Cob Road route between Gowerton and Loughor — now funded for construction.

Gowerton’s long-awaited cycle and walking link to station finally opens after delays
The most recent active travel milestone in Gowerton, which the new investment builds on.

Penderyn Distillery handed keys to new Morfa Copperworks site in Swansea
One of the major regeneration projects at the northern end of the new Tawe riverside path.

New images show how heritage sites at Swansea’s Strand, Hafod Copperworks and museum could be transformed
The wider regeneration vision for the area at the northern end of the new Tawe path.

#SilentSunday 3
We are about to head off in a westerly direction to go and see #MontyDon at the #Swansea arena, talking about his new book and all sorts of other deep and meaningful soliloquies.

We do love some quality #Montague on a sunny afternoon.

#MontyDonsBritishGardens

SWANSEA: Community champion sought to help shape how £20 million is spent on Gateway Communities regeneration

Community leaders in Swansea are being urged to apply for a new independent role that will sit at the heart of one of the most significant regeneration programmes the city has seen in years.

The position — Independent Chair of the Neighbourhood Board — will provide strategic leadership over how £20 million of Pride in Place funding is invested in Swansea’s Gateway Communities. The area covers a cluster of neighbourhoods north of Swansea railway station, including Brynmelyn, Waun Wen, North Hill, Dyfatty and Hafod — communities that have long been identified as among the most overlooked in the city despite being passed through daily by thousands of commuters and visitors.

The Chair’s role will be to act as a champion for those communities, ensuring the Neighbourhood Board is genuinely community-led, inclusive and rooted in local needs rather than top-down priorities. The money can be used on a wide range of projects — from saving threatened pubs or libraries and improving community safety, to revitalising local high streets or restoring green spaces.

Swansea West MP Torsten Bell, who secured the funding through the Pride in Place programme, is calling on community leaders to put themselves forward.

Bell said: “The Pride in Place scheme is all about handing power back to people — this role is a fantastic opportunity for a community champion to have a lasting impact, working with a Swansea neighbourhood whose residents have too often felt overlooked.”

He added: “I fought for this funding because it gives us the chance to show that no part of Swansea can be written off. If you care deeply about these neighbourhoods and want to help make that vision a reality, I would strongly encourage you to apply.”

The Pride in Place scheme is part of a wider £214 million investment across south west Wales, designed to give communities a direct say in tackling long-standing problems in their areas. The Swansea allocation is one of the largest individual awards in the region and is intended to be spent over a decade, with decisions made in phases as priorities are identified.

Bell has previously set out his own vision for how the money should be used, but has been clear that the decisions must ultimately be driven by residents — not politicians or officials. The Independent Chair role is central to that ambition, providing a community-rooted voice at the top of the board rather than a council or government appointee.

The area covered by the funding has been in the spotlight in recent months for a range of reasons. South Wales Police has been running a targeted crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in Dyfatty, which has already produced significant early results — with crime falling 12% and anti-social behaviour down 69%. The regeneration investment offers a longer-term complement to that enforcement work, addressing the underlying conditions that can fuel deprivation and disorder.

The Neighbourhood Board will be responsible for overseeing how the money is prioritised and spent, and the Independent Chair will play a key role in making sure that process is transparent, community-led and genuinely responsive to the needs of residents in the affected areas.

Full details of the role and the application process are available on the Swansea Council website at swansea.gov.uk/prideinplacechair.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Swansea neighbourhood handed £20m boost as MP urges residents to shape decade of investment
The announcement of the Pride in Place funding for Swansea’s Gateway Communities.

Opinion: Torsten Bell MP — how Swansea should spend its Pride in Place funding
The MP sets out his priorities for the decade-long regeneration investment.

Crime down 12% and anti-social behaviour down 69% as Dyfatty crackdown delivers early results
South Wales Police’s targeted enforcement in the same area is already showing significant results.

South West Wales to share in £214m Pride in Place investment for local projects
The wider regional context for the funding that is now being put to work in Swansea.

SWANSEA: Scandinavian homeware brand to open city centre store in former Zara unit on Princess Way

A large vacant unit in the heart of Swansea city centre is set to come back to life, with a Danish homeware and lifestyle brand confirmed as the new occupant of the former Zara store on Princess Way.

Søstrene Grene — pronounced “Sœstre-ne Greh-ne” and meaning “the Grene sisters” in Danish — already has a Welsh presence through its Cardiff store, which opened in 2024. The Swansea opening will be its second store in Wales, and an official opening date is expected to be confirmed shortly.

The brand is known for a distinctive Scandinavian aesthetic, selling a mix of design-led homewares, craft and hobby supplies, kitchenware, candles, stationery and seasonal decorations — typically at accessible price points. At the heart of its identity is the Danish concept of “hygge” — a word that roughly translates as a feeling of warmth, comfort and togetherness.

Mikkel Grene, Group CEO and co-owner of Søstrene Grene, said the Swansea opening marked an important moment for the brand’s UK expansion. “Designed to be a welcoming and inspiring space, the Swansea store will invite customers to immerse themselves in the essence of Scandinavian living,” he said. “Visitors will also be introduced to the Danish concept of ‘hygge’, a feeling of comfort, warmth and togetherness that sits at the heart of the brand.”

The Princess Way unit has been empty since Zara vacated at the end of 2024 following the expiry of its lease. The building — known as Castle Quays — was acquired by St Mary’s Square Developments, a Swansea-based property company, at the start of 2025. Work has already been under way inside the former Zara unit to prepare it for a new tenant, and scaffolding on the building has been coming down in recent months as the refurbishment progresses.

Peter Loosmore, director of St Mary’s Square Developments, said: “When we were made aware of the interest from Søstrene Grene we felt they would be a fantastic fit for the development and would bring their quality retail offering to Swansea city centre. We are excited to see them opening soon alongside our existing tenants.”

The Castle Quays building sits at one of the busiest points in the city centre, with aspects over both Princess Way and Castle Square. It is directly opposite the council’s new Y Storfa hub — the one-stop shop for public services that opened in the former BHS store — and looks out over Castle Square, which is currently undergoing a major multimillion-pound revamp to create a greener and more welcoming public space.

County managers Norma Jacob and Richard Power, who operate Søstrene Grene stores across Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, also welcomed the news. Ms Jacob said the opening marked “an exciting new chapter” for the brand in Wales, adding: “We are delighted to bring our affordable, thoughtfully curated homewares to this vibrant and dynamic city.”

Mr Power said Princess Way was “a prime city centre destination” and that the team looked forward to welcoming customers to experience the brand’s “unique Scandinavian atmosphere.”

The arrival of Søstrene Grene is a rare piece of good news for Swansea’s city centre retail scene at a difficult time. The nearby Marks & Spencer store on Oxford Street is due to close later this year, prompting criticism from local politicians and shoppers who fear the loss of one of the high street’s last remaining anchor tenants. The M&S closure sparked calls for action on both sides of the political debate, with Swansea’s MP Torsten Bell demanding staff support and a replacement store for the city.

As Swansea Bay News has previously reported on the future of retail in the city, the question of what kind of brands and businesses can genuinely make the city centre thrive again is one of the biggest conversations Swansea is having with itself right now — and opinions differ sharply.

Against that backdrop, the Søstrene Grene announcement adds to a run of positive retail news in recent months. Greggs, Skechers and Boyes have all opened in the city, alongside Holland & Barrett’s new flagship in the Quadrant and Rituals opening nearby. The former Debenhams building is also being transformed as part of a major revamp of that part of the city centre.

The Castle Quays building itself is at the centre of wider change beyond just its ground floor retail units. St Mary’s Square Developments has submitted a planning application to add ten new flats to the upper floor of the building, as part of the broader push to bring more residents back into the heart of the city — a long-standing goal for planners and business groups who argue that a growing city centre population is essential to making the retail and hospitality offer sustainable.

It is a vision that has been gaining momentum. Across the immediate area, new residential conversions are taking shape, Castle Square is being transformed, and the Y Storfa hub is drawing people into the city centre who might previously have had little reason to visit. Søstrene Grene’s arrival on Princess Way adds another piece to that picture.

Søstrene Grene’s opening date on Princess Way is yet to be confirmed. More information about the brand is available at sostrenegrene.com.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Ten new flats planned for top of Princess Way building overlooking Castle Square
St Mary’s Square Developments — the same company bringing Søstrene Grene to Swansea — has applied to add ten apartments to the upper floor of the Castle Quays building.

M&S to close its 69-year-old Swansea store in huge shock to the council
The nearby Marks & Spencer on Oxford Street is set to shut later this year, dealing a significant blow to the city centre’s retail offer.

Swansea’s new Y Storfa hub draws praise as visitors embrace city centre one-stop shop
The council’s new public services hub in the former BHS store sits directly opposite the new Søstrene Grene site.

The future of retail in Swansea: the shops you want, the brands we asked, and what comes next
Our in-depth look at the big questions facing Swansea’s city centre — and what readers said they wanted to see.

Artist helps celebrate green future of Castle Square as major revamp gets underway
The square directly outside the new store is undergoing a major transformation to make it greener and more welcoming.

‘I told them she was nine months pregnant and she might die’ — Swansea mum gives birth in A&E during cardiac emergency

Alanna Rooke was almost 40 weeks pregnant when she suffered a seizure at her home in Mount Pleasant, Swansea. Her husband Simon called 999 but, fearing she couldn’t wait for an ambulance, drove her straight to Morriston himself.

When she arrived at the emergency department, Alanna was found to be experiencing supraventricular tachycardia — a condition that causes the heart to beat dangerously fast. Her heart was beating at over 200 times a minute, more than twice the normal rate, while her oxygen levels had plummeted to just 80%, well below the safe threshold.

Simon described the terrifying journey to hospital. “I called 999 and probably lost my cool a little bit. I was asked if I could take her pulse but she was shaking so much I couldn’t,” he said. “I told them she was nine months pregnant and she might die. She was on the floor being sick. I was thinking ‘this can’t be happening?’”

Two midwives were urgently summoned from Neath Port Talbot Hospital to assist the ED team. It quickly became clear that Alanna was not only critically ill — she was also in labour.

Community midwife Amanda Morgan described the moment they realised the full scale of what they were dealing with. “She was very clammy and disorientated and she was acutely unwell,” she said. “We were concerned she would arrest because the heart is under the most strain when the mother is in labour.”

Despite the extraordinary circumstances, baby Franklyn arrived safely, weighing a healthy 8lb 2oz. Community midwife manager Claire Itzstein, who helped deliver him, said it was one of the most challenging situations she had encountered in years of practice. “It was very surreal to be delivering a baby next to a defibrillator,” she said. “We were definitely out of our comfort zone.”

Alanna was treated for the SVT during and after the birth. She says she has no doubt she owes her life to the staff who cared for her. “I didn’t realise how bad I was until I was seen by the doctors,” she said. “I don’t think I would be here without them or the midwives. They were all so professional.”

Babies have not been routinely born at Morriston Hospital for more than 30 years — maternity services moved to Singleton Hospital in 1991. Since then there have been just two unexpected births at Morriston since 2014, with the last one also taking place in the ED eight years ago.

Franklyn was later transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit at Singleton Hospital, where he spent six days before being allowed home with his relieved family.

Director of Midwifery Kathryn Greaves said the birth was a testament to the teamwork between ED and maternity staff. “I will be forever grateful of how the ED staff allowed us to take over and support this wonderful family,” she said. “It made my day to be beside Claire and Amanda who were incredible.”

Alanna has said she had no history of serious heart problems before the episode. “I’d never had any issues with my heart before, apart from the odd palpitation I put down to exercise,” she said. “I blacked out in the car so I don’t remember much, but I was sick and in pain in the house, and my chest was tight.”

More from Swansea Bay News

More health and care news
The latest stories from across the Swansea Bay health board area.

Swansea’s only independent cinema to close this summer after 10 years on Castle Street

The venue — which opened in 2016 — is far more than a cinema. It has operated as a fully licensed café bar, art gallery, live music venue and community hub throughout its ten years, carving out a distinctive identity as one of the most characterful independent spaces in the city centre.

In a statement posted to social media, Redfern was candid about the reasons for the closure. “The reality of trying to run a principled, independent space in the current climate has become unsustainable — not just financially, but personally, creatively and emotionally too,” she said. “Rather than compromise what this place stands for, we are choosing to end it on our own terms. This is not a failure. This is a co.nclusion.”

In a longer personal post, she described the toll that running the space has taken over the years. “Running an independent space today means wearing every hat, holding everything together, and constantly fighting to keep something special alive,” she wrote. “And over time, that takes its toll. Not just on the business — but on the person behind it.”

Redfern acknowledged that the closure of Cinema & Co. was part of a much wider pattern affecting independent venues across the country. “You’re seeing it everywhere,” she wrote. “Independent spaces are disappearing — not because people don’t care, but because the conditions to sustain them are becoming impossible.”

The venue has never shied away from controversy. In 2021, Cinema & Co. refused to enforce the Welsh Government’s Covid pass scheme, with Redfern describing the measures as “discriminatory and unlawful.” The decision made national headlines and turned the Castle Street venue into a focal point for debate about Covid restrictions.

Swansea Council bolted the shutters after the venue defied closure orders and repeatedly reopened — including after a court order. The cinema opened on December 1, 2, 3 and 5 following a court order for it to close, and Redfern sent a letter to the council stating she would not comply with the closure notice.

Redfern was subsequently given a 28-day suspended sentence at Swansea Magistrates Court, fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £9,000 in council costs after pleading guilty to contempt of court, criminal damage and failing to comply with enforcement officers. District Judge Neale Thomas said: “Ms Redfern makes choices and she ignores the law and expects the law to treat her with special dispensation.”

The Covid controversy also drew the venue into a wider political row over its associations. Stand Up To Racism wrote an open letter — signed by more than 180 people including Lord Peter Hain, Geraint Davies MP, poet Patrick Jones and musician Helen Love — calling on Redfern to publicly distance herself from Voice of Wales, a group the letter accused of antisemitism, homophobia and links to figures including Tommy Robinson and the Proud Boys.

Voice of Wales had been a vocal supporter of Cinema & Co.’s anti-Covid pass stance, and members of the Stand Up To Racism group reported regular sightings of its members at the venue. Voice of Wales strongly denied the allegations, describing Stand Up To Racism as a far-left organisation spreading lies about them.

Redfern also rejected any connection to far-right groups. “I absolutely reject any claims that I am in any way connected to far-right groups, far-left groups or any form of racism,” she said. A crowdfunder set up by former Brexit Party and Abolish the Welsh Assembly candidate Richard Taylor raised more than £60,000 in support of the venue during the period.

The closure will leave Swansea city centre without an independent cinema. The venue’s ten years have encompassed film screenings, late-night events, community gatherings, art exhibitions, live music and the kind of relaxed café culture that larger commercial chains have rarely managed to replicate in the city.

Cinema & Co. built up a loyal following over the course of its decade on Castle Street, with its programming and atmosphere drawing a creative and community-minded crowd. Its loss will be keenly felt by many in the city who saw it as one of the few genuinely independent cultural spaces in Swansea’s city centre.

No specific closing date has been confirmed beyond “this summer.” Redfern urged those with fond memories of the venue to visit while they still can. “We have a few months left,” she said. “If Cinema & Co. has ever meant something to you — come and be part of it while you still can.”

The three images posted by Cinema & Co. to mark the announcement capture the venue’s characteristic flair — a “That’s all Folks!” graphic styled as a vintage film ending card, dated 2016–2026, alongside a message inviting regulars to be part of its final chapter before “the end credits roll.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Suspended sentence and £15k fine for Cinema & Co. owner
Redfern pleaded guilty to contempt of court after repeatedly defying closure orders during the Covid period.

Anti-racism group writes open letter to Cinema & Co. owner
Over 180 signatories called on Redfern to distance herself from Voice of Wales.

All our Cinema & Co. coverage
Our full archive of stories from the venue over the years.

SWANSEA: Maritime Quarter flats evacuated after fire fills properties with smoke

Smoke filled a flats complex in Swansea as a fire prompted an evacuation of the property. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended Burrows Chambers in the Maritime Quarter of Swansea on Saturday morning.

The building was evacuated and the fire service spent just over an over at the scene bringing it under control using four hose reel jets among other specialist equipment.

It is unknown what the cause of the fire was.

A spokesman for the fire service said:

“At 7.44am on Saturday, April 11, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Swansea Central, Swansea West, Port Talbot and Morriston fire stations were called to an incident at Maritime Quarter in Swansea.

“The crews responded to a fire within a ground floor flat. Crews utilised four breathing apparatus sets, four hose reel jets and four thermal imaging cameras to extinguish the fire.

“All occupants from the building were evacuated, with smoke affecting some neighbouring flats. Crews left the scene at 8.50am.”

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has said it is “committed to delivering the best possible service for communities.”

“If you live in mid and west Wales, we offer the opportunity to have a Safe and Well Visit in your home. They are completely free and available to everyone. Visit here to see the full list of our Fire Stations and the area we cover.

“A Safe and Well Visit includes all the contents of the home fire safety checks but will also include other safety messages that may be relevant to the people living in the property.

“The five main additional topics will cover smoking cessation, home security, falls prevention, scamming awareness, and tackling loneliness and isolation.

“For more information and to book a free Safe and Well visit, please visit here or call 0800 169 1234.”

[Lead image: Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service]