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Tawe Trails, LEGO Fest, Cluedo IRL, Strictly Dancer, LivComedy Podcast, Paul Young

Tawe Trails, LEGO Fest, Cluedo IRL, Strictly Dancer, LivComedy Podcast, Paul Young

Plus: Gluten Free Fayre, New French Bakery, Bing's Birthday, Swansea Triathlon

Andrew M
May 18, 2025

Good morning, Swansea! This is the Swansea Scoop. The local newsletter that’s counting down the days to the bank holiday weekend!

A quick question: do you fancy an adventure? 😊

We were invited to the launch of Swansea Council’s Tawe Trails app this week (available to download free), and it sounded like something many of you would enjoy.

Tawe Trails is a fun way to explore six local nature and heritage spots like the Hafod Copperworks and Clydach Canal, with interactive maps and audio to guide you along the way.

It’s perfect excuse to nosy around parts of Swansea you've driven past a thousand times but never actually visited (and to develop an inexplicable urge to lecture friends about historic smelting techniques 😄).

Let us know how you get on (tag us in your selfies!), and I’ll catch you on Wednesday.

Andrew.

WEDNESDAY'S SCOOP (ICYMI) 🦢

A boat shaped like a giant wooden clog sailing into Swansea Bay. The city's Lord Mayor being publicly weighed in wheels of cheese. It sounds like a fever dream, but it really did happen. Read all about it in The Great Swansea Cheese Invasion 🧀

THE DIGEST 📰

Caswell Bay (Image Credit: Swansea Council)

🏰 Council leader, Rob Stewart, has revealed that work on the redevelopment of Castle Square will begin in a few weeks. It will include more greenery, retail units, and a play fountain.

🏖️ Four of Swansea's beaches have been recognised in the Wales Coast Awards 2025 - with Caswell Bay, Langland Bay and Port Eynon retaining Blue Flag status, while Bracelet Bay earned a Green Coast Award.

🌍 Swansea University has unveiled a new Global Lounge at Fulton House on Singleton Campus, funded by Hong Kong alumnus Andrew Shin.

🚢 Swansea's growing profile as a cruise destination received a boost when the MV Hamburg docked in the city, with passengers exploring local museums and the Marina Market while being welcomed by the Phoenix Choir.

🏗️ Swansea Council is selling the "prime riverside" Pipehouse Wharf property, currently used as a vehicle services depot, with the site expected to attract significant interest from developers.

🏫 Bishop Vaughan Catholic School in Clase is set to relocate to a new £416 million facility for 1,400 pupils on the former Daniel James Community School site in Mynyddbach.

SWANSEA FOOD & DRINK 🍴

Credit: Dosilak

Looking for some fresh spots to eat and drink in Swansea this week? Try this lot out:

🍽️ Truffle has launched a new "Dine Before Dark" promotion featuring a 2-course menu with starters like carrot & ginger soup and mains including rump steak and seabass.

🍽️ Mumbles Fine Wines is hosting an evening of Welsh whisky tasting on Friday, May 23rd - hosted by the Welsh Whisky Society.

🍽️ The National Waterfront Museum is hosting the next GRAFT Garden Supper on Friday, May 23rd - with seasonal plant-based sharing platters by Queer Flavours and The Shared Plate, featuring live music, and art.

🍽️ Dosilak has re-launched its revamped bulgogi rice bowl - one of Korea’s most iconic street food dishes, served in its own special lunchbox.

🍽️ Môr is re-launching its champagne and fruit de mer platter for two from Sunday, May 25th - featuring lobster, clams, mussels, oysters, and more.

@SWANSEA.SCOOP 📱

This week, the irresistible aroma of freshly baked croissants led us to the newly-opened Saint Hugo bakery in St. Mary’s Square in the city centre.

Owned by Ben Condé (you might recognise him from Bake Off: The Professionals), Saint Hugo serves up home-made pastries made with genuine French ingredients imported from just outside Paris - and great coffee - in a cosy and relaxed space.

Check out our video on Instagram and give Swansea Scoop a follow while you’re there for lots of content that we can’t squeeze into the newsletter. We’re now at over 11,000 followers!

Find us at @swansea.scoop

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FORMER SWANS REUNITE FOR CHARITY

Swansea Mind got in touch this week to tell us about all the fun they had at the recent Only Swans Charity Match.

The event featured former Swansea City stars including Leon Britton, Angel Rangel, and Lee Trundle facing off against each other (and local celebrities) to raise money for both Swansea Mind and Maggie’s Swansea.

The match, held at Ynys Park in Port Talbot, raised an impressive £2,724 (before shirt auctions) - split evenly between both charities. As for the game? Team Swansea Mind left with bragging rights, winning the match 8-5.

Got a local story about someone doing something cool or interesting in Swansea? Reply and tell us all about it - we might just feature it here!

Back the Scoop 🦢

If you've ever read the Swansea Scoop and thought "that saved me from missing something fun this weekend" or “I’m so glad this exists!,” you can now become a monthly member for just £2 (less than the price of a coffee) as a way to support our work.

It's the best way to help us out, and honestly makes our day every time someone joins 😊

Here's the link if you fancy it.

No pressure at all - just a way to keep your local guide to all things Swansea going strong.

A huge thanks to the 19 local legends who have supported us already - including our latest member, Antony H! 🙌

Andrew

WHAT’S ON

Here comes a big round-up of everything else cool happening in Swansea this week. Ready? Let’s go!

Monday May 19th

📽️ Big Screen Sing-Along: The Albert Hall hosts sing-along screenings every Monday evening. Keep an eye on its social profiles for what's on, and get ready to belt out some favourites.
6 PM

Tuesday May 20th

🎊 Kai Widdrington - Evolution: Strictly Come Dancing's Kai Widdrington brings his a thrilling solo dance tour to the Swansea Grand Theatre, featuring versatile choreography and stunning visuals.
6 PM | £46.00 - £58.00

📅 Sounding Bombe: Enigma Project: Violinist Jack Campbell presents a 50-minute music journey blending violin and found-sound, celebrating scientific evolution and the human spirit.
7 PM | £10

📅 Tiffany Murray in Conversation with Elaine Canning: Author Tiffany Murray discusses her memoir, "My Family and Other Rock Stars," at Waterstones.
6 PM | £3 - £12.99

Wednesday May 21st

🎙️ Podcast Wednesdays: PLAN IT! Join Woodrow Coffee for a fun and informative improvised comedy podcast where the audience asks four hosts to plan something - and they do just that!
7 PM (doors), 8 PM (recording starts) | £7.50 (£6.50 concessions)

🐰 Bing's Birthday: Celebrate Bing's birthday with a live show at the Swansea Grand Theatre featuring Bing, Sula, Pando, Coco, and Flop with songs, fun, and surprises. Also Thursday.
10 AM | £14.00 - £20.00

📅 Planting & Gardening Sessions: Join The Environment Centre for free drop-in volunteering at their urban garden, welcoming gardeners of all skill levels.
2 PM | Free

Thursday May 22nd

📅 Ministry of Absurdism's Science Themed Comedy Night: Zany comedy night with a scientific twist featuring Captain Ali Hancock and a lineup of hilarious comedians at Elysium Gallery & Bar.
7 PM | £3

🍪 Route 4 by Arnold Matsena: Experience an original solo performance blending movement and dance to explore the war between land and sea at Volcano Theatre. Also Friday and Saturday, multiple times.
8 PM | £0 - £12

🐦 Theatr Iolo: Baby, Bird & Bee: Dive into a delightful garden adventure with a gardener, a bird, a bee - suitable for babies aged 6-18 months and led by baby show experts, Sarah Argent and Kevin Lewis.
11 AM, 12.30 PM, 2 PM | £5 - £15

Friday May 23rd

🖼️ ️ Tigers & Dragons: India and Wales in Britain: Explore the deep connections between the Indian Subcontinent and Wales through over 100 artworks in this new exhibition at Glynn Vivian Art Gallery.
10 AM - 4.30 PM | Free

Want to promote your event, business, class, or club to over 20,000 locals with Swansea Scoop? Prices start from £15 per feature. Reply to this e-mail or DM us @swansea.scoop on Instagram.

Saturday May 24th

🎤 An Intimate Evening with Paul Young: Paul Young shares classic hits and career stories in an acoustic, conversational show at the Brangwyn Hall.
7.30 PM | £32.00

Swansea Triathlon: Head down to the city centre to soak in the atmosphere as athletes from Swansea and around the UK swim, bike, and run in this sprint-distance triathlon. Or, sign up and take part!

📅 Swansea Brick Festival 2025: Explore all things LEGO at LC Swansea, from speed building competitions to large displays, and traders selling new and retired sets.
10 AM - 4 PM | Early Entry £13, Adults £7, Children £5

📍 Local Studies Talk - Amy Dillwyn’s Diaries: Join Kirsti Bohata at the Discovery Room in Swansea Central Library for a fascinating discussion on the diaries of Swansea’s trailblazing industrialist.
2 PM | Free

🌸 Cyanotypes and Paintings of Spring Flowers: Mission Gallery celebrates the arrival of colourful spring blooms with a children's workshop where participants aged 7+ will capture nature prints using cyanotype techniques and paint flowers from a still life arrangement. Saturday May 24th 11.00 AM - 12.30 PM | £7

Sunday May 25th

🥗 Gluten Free Vegan & Craft Fayre: Baking 'N' Without hosts its monthly gluten-free, vegan food, and crafts market at Three Crosses Community Centre - including cakes, hot food, pastries, bread, beauty products, and more.
11 AM - 3 PM | Free

📚 Cluedo: Live Experience: Step into the Manor for an immersive night of intrigue and deception at Level256. Uncover the killer in this live Cluedo event.
7 PM | £5