Iconic theatre reopens after £10 million-plus restoration
Swansea’s iconic Palace Theatre is to reopen its doors in six weeks’ time following a major restoration.
One of the city’s most recognisable buildings, it had been shut for many years while in the hands of a private owner before Swansea Council acquired and gave it a new lease of life.
The Palace Theatre will be a business hub operated by a company called Tramshed Tech when it opens on November 7. It’ll also have a coffee shop which will be open to the public.
Tramshed Tech runs business spaces in Newport, Cardiff and Barry. It also provides support for start-up companies and those looking to scale up, and business skills training.
Landmark
Tramshed Tech chief executive Louise Harris said it was honoured to be part of the Palace Theatre’s next chapter. “This historic landmark is treasured by the local community and has been a landmark in Swansea for over a century,” she said.
“We’ve worked closely with local partners to ensure that the building’s history is respected, and it’s legacy preserved while adapting it for the future.”
Set over six floors the 136-year-old Palace Theatre will have flexible workspace including meeting rooms and studios. The theatre stage will be an event space and larger co-working area with Da – Tramshed Tech’s coffee shop – on the ground floor. Some of the grade two-listed building’s features, such as the iron balcony and floor tiles, have been retained and the exterior is largely as it was in its pomp.
Built in 1888 for just under £10,000, the High Street building began life as a music hall before various incarnations including a bingo hall and nightclub.
One of the new tenants is the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub Wales. Mike McMahon, senior enterprise manager, said: “Access-wise it’s perfect. It’s two minutes from the train station and close to the M4. And it’s such a grand theatre. It’s beautiful – the renovation they have done is incredible, keeping some of the original features. It’s really exciting to be moving there.”
The academy’s Enterpise Hub has a head office in London and liases with investors who can help engineering companies and projects expand. Mr McMahon, who currently works out of Swansea University, said he felt High Street and the area around the train station had changed significantly for the better. “You’ve got new student accommodation, and buildings seem to be more utilised now,” he said. “I think people are moving slowly back into the city centre.”
Delighted
Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said: “We’re delighted that Tramshed Tech have announced an opening date at the Palace – and to have them on board to run this beautiful building that we’re saving for future generations.
“Our work – and Tramshed Tech’s expertise – will breathe new life into the Palace; I’m looking forward to it reopening as a base for local people running businesses there. It’ll be a catalyst to help regenerate the city centre and its High Street area which has seen tens of millions of pounds of investment in recent years, bringing new opportunities, homes and improved commercial premises across the city centre.”
The £10 million-plus restoration has been funded by the council, backed by a £4.9 million Welsh Government grant. The work was carried out by construction company R&M Williams Ltd and GWP Architecture.
Original bricks
The flat-iron building needed a new roof, while specialist contractors were brought in for things like lead work and lime plastering. Thousands of original bricks were saved, and iron pillars were restored. Around 60 workers have been on site at peak times since the work got under way three years ago.
Earlier this month another formerly neglected building in Swansea, the Albert Hall, reopened as a food hall and bar, offices and visitor accommodation. A new high-tech office building on the nearby Kingsway is also due to open this year.
Jayne Bryant, the Welsh Government’s cabinet secretary for housing and local Government, said it was great to see how its Transforming Towns funding programme was benefiting projects.
“The redevelopment of the iconic and prominent Palace Theatre building serves as a crucial catalyst to help regenerate Swansea’s High Street and I can’t wait to see how this project will benefit both businesses and the local community,” she said.
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The building cost £10,000 in 1888. In today’s values that equates to just over £1.6m. The council has just spent £10m plus renovating it. They could have built 6 new ones for that cost!!
£1.6 million would get you just over three new 4 bed detached in Parc Ceirw Village development in Morriston. Not all inflation is equal.
It’s a renovation not a new build!! Cosmetic work mainly.
It;s heartening that iconic and historic buildings such as these not only survive, but have a new lease of life.
The Palace Theatre was built by the Swansea Improvements and Tramways Company in an early example of business diversification.
Many music hall artists appeared on its stage, including Charlie Chaplin with – it is believed – a rare appearance with his father.
One artist brough an elephant to the stage, we can only guess at the reaction of the audience.
The Albert Hall’s claim to fame is that it hosted the very first meeting of the (British) Trades Union Congress.
Wales has so many ‘iconic’ buildings from the Victorian Age. They lose their original purpose and go on the slide. The structure goes beyond the point of economic repair based on normal business – because Wales doesn’t have much normal business. The Council has or ends up with the freehold, has no ability to run buildings like the Palace/ But they have a formula. The answer will include a coffee-shop, a Regus-style operation which, except for Regus itself, has a poor sector record since Covid. And Labour Government backing. We know Tramshed from Cardiff (see https://jacothenorth.net/blog/the-tramshed-the-loans-the-leases-the-lord/). This will not end… Read more »
It’s great to see the building being restored. Swansea Council has left so many of its iconic buildings and other things (Mumbles Railway, The Castle) go to ruin without any hesitation. Our history is crucial to understanding where we are today. Swansea Council, however, has now started turning these buildings into replicas (re: Albert Hall). All mixed purpose, all food based, all ending up looking like each other.
I worked on this project for a while early on, what a mess the place was in.