Beloved Swansea café shares emotional message after devastating fire
Amelia Jones
The team behind a beloved Swansea café have given an emotional update after a devastating fire left its future hanging in the balance.
A long-serving member of the Verdi’s team has given an emotional update after the Mumbles café was gutted by fire, saying the business is determined to “come back stronger”.
Giuseppe Cianciarolo shared a video message following the blaze, which broke out at the popular café in the early hours of Thursday 30 July.
He said he received a phone call about the fire at around 3am before making his way to the scene.
The extent of the damage means there is currently no confirmed date for the café to reopen.
He said: “My first thought went to Mr Jo Moruzzi [previous owner]. And I can hear his voice saying Giuseppe, it’s your fault. It’s not obviously but he believed in me to look after the place.”
Giuseppe said the family behind Verdi’s is working to support staff and reopen the business as soon as possible, but warned customers that the closure could continue for several months.
He said: “The boss is going to look after us and try to reopen the place as soon as possible, but it’s going to be hard to see us before the end of this year, maybe even Easter, we don’t know.”
He also used his message to thank the customers who have supported Verdi’s over the years, describing them as the “most important people” at the café.
A Swansea institution for decades, Verdi’s came under new ownership in 2023 when the Hole family took over from the Moruzzi family, who had run the café for generations. The family also owns The Secret Bar and Kitchen and The Lighthouse.
They shared the news about the fire two weeks ago thanking Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service for their swift response and professionalism
In the video said, Giuseppe who was visibly emotional saidl: “I’m just going to say my friends… most important people of Verdi’s are you, customers, that come in every day through the door, sit on table one and have a coffee, sit on table six and have a toast.”
He ended the message by promising that the team would work towards reopening.
He added: “Hopefully we’ll make a comeback better than before.”
He also confirmed that the family, which operates several venues across Swansea, is working to keep the Verdi’s team together while the Mumbles café remains closed.
He added: “We are strong. We’ve got to come back stronger. And all I can say is I miss you a lot.”
You can view the full video here.
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