Retail Destination
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    Twitter
    Retail Destination
    • News
      • Acquisitions
      • Appointments
      • Facilities
      • F&B
      • Footfall
      • Marketing
      • Store opening
      • Store signing
      • Technology
    • Development
      • Construction
      • Investment
      • Leasing
      • Planning
    • Products & Services
    • Sponsored Content
    • Events
      • Sceptre Awards 2024
      • Retail Destination Live 2025
    • Digital Editions Archive
    Twitter
    Retail Destination
    Features

    Swansea Regeneration

    Iain HoeyBy Iain HoeyOctober 14, 20216 Mins Read
    LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    Creating a post-pandemic city centre

    The regeneration of Swansea city centre is one of the largest urban transformations currently being delivered in the UK. Over £1 billion is being invested across the city, with a view to raise the profile of the Welsh city to become one of the most vibrant places to live, work, visit and study in the UK.

    With the pandemic having emphasised the importance of mixed-use high streets, including the increased need for leisure and public spaces for the entire community to enjoy, the first phase of Swansea’s Copr Bay project, driven by the Council’s vision, aims to show the way forward for town and city centres across the UK in a post-pandemic world.

    The leisure-led, £135 million Copr Bay phase one is the first stage of the reimagining of the city, centred around a new arena run by a world leading operator of live entertainment venues. Cllr Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea Council, says that Copr Bay has been a major catalyst for change since the works began.

    “The leisure and F&B-led scheme is anchored around a 3,500-capacity live performance arena and conference centre, operated by The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG),” tells Stewart. “It includes a striking new pedestrian and cyclist bridge that better connects the city to its sweeping coastline; a landscaped coastal part with a 1,500 sq ft café and pizzeria; and over 8,000 sq ft of other F&B space encompassing a range of independent cafés, restaurants and shops.”

    The ‘game-changing’ Swansea Arena is expected to host 160 performances across music, comedy, theatre, esports and conference events for an estimated 230,000 visitors each year.

    The space has been designed so that it can host a broad range of live performance and entertainment, bringing new audiences to the city whilst providing local people with global entertainment on their doorstep. And around 60 of the events will be exhibitions, conferences, graduations, and other business-led events.

    Phase one is scheduled to open later this autumn, and is creating around 1,260 construction jobs, with hundreds more long-term jobs will come when it’s operational and which Stewart says will add tens of millions of pounds to the local economy every year. 

    Eat out to help out

    In a recent step towards its community-focused ambitions, Swansea Council announced that local family-owned restaurant group The Secret Hospitality Group will run a day-to-night service at the 1,400 sq ft restaurant and café. The venue has dubbed itself as an environmentally friendly and architecturally eye-catching venue where residents and visitors will enjoy a relaxed café by day and a buzzing pizzeria by night.

    The Secret Hospitality Group’s newest restaurant is due to open towards the end of the year and has full capacity for 60 covers plus outside seating. The family-run and locally-based restaurant group is owned and run by Ryan and Lucy Hole, who also own The Secret Beach Bar & Kitchen and The Optimist Bar & Kitchen, both in Swansea. The newest restaurant in the group will join the others by having its produce supplied by local businesses, further supporting the Swansea economy.

    Sustainability is at the heart of the restaurant, which has been designed by Pinelog, a member of the Green Register, to feature materials from sustainable sources and local provenance. The restaurant’s design is focused on renewable energy to lower carbon emissions and uses solar panels to contribute to the power requirements, to minimise its environmental footprint.

    Owner Ryan Hole says that whilst it might seem an odd decision to commit to a new restaurant during the pandemic, they did not think twice when this opportunity came knocking. “Swansea Council’s £1 billion transformation of the city is a vote of confidence in the future of the area and will offer opportunities to people like us and businesses like ours,” he explains.

    “Our latest restaurant will be a new landmark for Swansea, part of a brand new destination for residents and visitors to enjoy great food and drink, and just a stone’s throw away from the Arena and our stunning coastline. We’re thrilled to be a part of the transformation of our city and to play a part in it.”

    Sustainable future

    The regeneration was announced back in 2019, but rather than causing a complete rethink of what a post-pandemic city centre should be, it vindicated the vision for the city the council had already been planning, which Stewart says has become more significant than ever.

    “Our vision for the regeneration, and Copr Bay phase one in particular, has been one that is leisure-led, sustainability-focused, and local-first,” says Stewart. “Each part of this is so important in creating vibrant city centres, places where people want to live, study, work, shop and visit in a post-pandemic world and is vital if we want to build back better and create investment in our communities.”

    Copr Bay phase one, which is being delivered by the Council working alongside development manager RivingtonHark, the town and city centre regeneration specialists, has community at its heart. It has previously announced that the 33 new homes being built as part of the scheme, in an enviable location near the arena and the coastal park, will be run by Wales’ largest social housing provider, Pobl Group.

    Future phases will be driven by Swansea Council, with Copr Bay phase two and further regeneration projects across the city, set to kick off in the near future. Stewart says that Copr Bay phase one has focused on creating a new leisure district for the city, helping better connect the city to the sea and building new affordable homes. The next phase in the wider regeneration will look at further F&B, retail, housing and workspaces.

    “We want to show that there’s a bright post-pandemic future for high streets across the UK – and that Swansea will emerge as a wonderful, modern, attractive, 21st century destination,” Stewart adds.

    “The council-led regeneration of Swansea is about much more than the bricks and mortar; it’s about jobs, opportunities and securing a positive future. It’s about creating a unique and memorable place to live, work and enjoy – to the benefit of the people and businesses of our city and those who plan to visit us or make Swansea their home.”

    This was first published in Retail Destination Fortnightly. Click here to subscribe.

    Previous ArticleThe Little Yellow Door to open Soho restaurant
    Next Article Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein upsize at LDO
    Iain Hoey

    Read Similar Stories

    Looking ahead to 2023

    January 23, 2023

    Will poor parking ruin the customer journey this Christmas?

    December 8, 2022

    Hybridisation of retail

    September 28, 2022
    Latest News

    Xscape Milton Keynes celebrates 25 years

    May 20, 2025

    SPYSCAPE to open in Covent Garden

    May 20, 2025

    Leading brands recommit to Manchester Arndale

    May 20, 2025
    Sponsored Content

    Why Destination Retail is Charging the Way Forward for the UK’s EV Infrastructure

    May 1, 2025

    Powering retail growth: charging ahead towards net zero

    October 1, 2024

    Twin Benefits

    May 30, 2024
    © 2022 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
    Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

    Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • Retail Destination Live
    • Sceptre Awards

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT ALL”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsREJECT ALLAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Analytics" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category .
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to store the user consent for cookies in the category "Others".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to store the user consent for cookies in the category "Performance".
    PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    CookieDurationDescription
    _ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
    _gat_gtag_UA_31822138_191 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
    _gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    CookieDurationDescription
    OAID1 yearThis cookie is set when an AdsWizz website visitor have opted out the collection of information by AdsWizz service or opted to disable the targeted ads by AdsWizz.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo