Visit to explore new future for landmark Swansea building

Plans for the building include 30 new apartments and new commercial units, thanks to a project led by local non-profit Beacon Cymru in partnership with contractors Easyliving Ltd.

In the building’s main elevation facing Worcester Place and the castle, a new commercial unit over two storeys will be created for a café/restaurant type use.

A new glazed box is proposed to overlook the castle and open space.

Intended to accommodate small-scale office use, other new commercial units will include the lower part of the building that fronts on to the Strand.

As well as a cinema, the building was also home to Lazerzone for many years before its relocation to the former Iceland unit on St David’s Place.

Swansea Council says it has supported Laserzone by granting the business a temporary lease for the unit, pending the regeneration of the overall former St David’s Shopping Centre site in the longer-term.

The council is also supporting the Castle Cinema building project via Welsh Government Transforming Towns funding.

Council Leader Rob Stewart recently visited the building with Cabinet Member Cyril Anderson.

Cllr Stewart said: “Many local people will have fond memories of time spent in the former Castle Cinema building. I can remember watching Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home there in the 1980s, and I also visited in the 1990s to play Laserzone.

“The building is a Swansea landmark and this exciting scheme led by Beacon Cymru and Easyliving Ltd means it’s set for a new lease of life.

“The project will also complement our plans to transform Castle Square into a greener, more welcoming space in a further boost for the city centre.”

Luke Takeuchi, Beacon Cymru Deputy Chief Executive, said: “We’re hugely excited about the Castle Cinema building project.

“It’s a great example of collaborative working for a scheme that will make the area more vibrant, while also helping tackle the housing crisis by providing a mix of one and two-bed apartments.”

Stephanie Hughes, Operations Manager at Easyliving Ltd, said: “We’re looking to start on site in the coming weeks and expect the project to take about 27 months to complete.

“It’s a really positive time for Swansea city centre with so much regeneration happening, so we’re delighted to be part of its ongoing transformation.”

Led by Swansea Council, work to transform Castle Square will start this summer.

The scheme will include feature a substantial increase in green space, a new water feature for interactive play, new outdoor seating areas, a giant new TV screen above a bandstand facility, the retention of public use space and two new pavilion buildings for food, drink or retail businesses.

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Amazing memorabilia unearthed at former Cinema due for redevelopment

Castle Cinema, up until recently has been home to Laserzone – a live action laser game played with special effects, fog, laserbeams and pulse pumping music.

After Laserzone’s relocation to the city centre’s former Iceland store, the building has been cleared revealing evidence if its earlier life as a cinema.

Built in 1913, Castle Cinema was the only building left standing after the blitz during the Nazi’s bombing raids in World War II.

The building was modernised in 1963, however it’s long decline started in the 1970s when it became notorious for showing soft core porn films.

It had a short-lived new lease of life in 1982. The acquisition of Cardiff-based Circle Cinema saw it show Hollywood blockbusters once again.

The cinema’s days were numbered once the neighbouring UCI cinema, now Odeon, in Parc Tawe opened in 1988. The last film shown was “Doc Hollywood” with Michael J Fox in 1991.

Workers have since discovered a treasure trove of cinema memorabilia in the now-empty building, including film posters, cinema equipment and even the old loveseat!

Led by local non-profit housing association Beacon Cymru, formally known as Coastal Housing, work will soon start to give the building a new future.

In partnership with contractors Easy Living Ltd, plans include 30 new apartments and two separate areas for commercial use.

The lower part of the building that fronts on to the Strand is intended to accommodate small scale office use and – in the main elevation facing Worcester Place and the castle – a new commercial unit over two storeys is being created that anticipates a café/restaurant type use.

A new glazed box is proposed that will form part of this unit and front onto the castle and open space.

The scheme is being supported by Swansea Council via Welsh Government funding.

Developers say the scheme has been sensitively designed in recognition of its architectural and historic importance, and aims to preserve as many of the original features as possible, while identifying sustainable uses that will ensure its long-term preservation as a key building in the city.

The council say they will also soon be starting work to revamp the nearby Castle Square into a greener and more welcoming space.

Do you remember watching films at Castle Cinema? Let us know below!

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

#BeaconCymru #CastleCinema #CastleSquare #CastleSquareGardens #CastleStreet #CoastalHousing #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil