Good morning, Swansea! This is the Swansea Scoop. The local newsletter that’s celebrating its first birthday! 🥳

Unbelievably, this is the 52nd Sunday edition of the Swansea Scoop!

In that time, we’ve grown to over 6,000 newsletter subscribers, 30,000+ social media followers, and reached millions more with stories about the city’s history… and Swansea memes! 🤭

More importantly, I hope we’ve built something fun you look forward to landing in your inbox every week; helped you to discover something new, and shown, for all its flaws, that Swansea is a really great place to live.

As we head into year two, we’re hoping to make the Scoop even better!

That means the usual big round-up of things to do for the week ahead every Sunday, plus more mid-week stories from the past and present.

On that note, if you or someone you know is doing something fun, interesting, or quirky in Swansea, we’d love the chance to feature your story in the Scoop. Reply to this e-mail with a few details and we’ll be in touch.

Whether you’ve been with us from the start or this is your first edition, thanks for reading and I’ll catch you on Wednesday!

Andrew.

P.S. Can I ask you to do one thing? 🙏 If you enjoy the Scoop and want to help us grow, please share it with a Swansea friend today and ask them to subscribe (free)! You can forward this email, use the referral link below for a birthday shout-out, orask them to visit swanseascoop.com/subscribe

WEDNESDAY'S SCOOP (ICYMI) 🦢

What had 205 people calling South Wales Police in just 15 minutes on a Saturday afternoon in 2018? I’ll give you a second… It was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake whose epicentre was just 9 miles from the centre of Swansea.

This week, discover Swansea's surprisingly dramatic seismic history - from the most recent tremor to the 1906 "big one" that rocked Mumbles lighthouse and had people jumping in terror from upstairs windows.

Read The Swansea Earthquake of 1906.

P.S. I forgot to include the previous Wednesday’s Scoop in last Sunday’s newsletter (oops!). It was a short history of Swansea train station to celebrate its 175th anniversary - including the tale of an attack from a very upset swan.

MISSION: ACCEPTED

Mission Gallery in the Maritime Quarter invited us down this weekend to take part in one of its family workshops, inspired by the work of ceramic artist Lowri Davies and poet Elinor Gwynn and their exhibition, Merched ar Lestri.

The show celebrates the lives of seven women, all with a profound connection to Wales and from various regions, ages, and backgrounds. It’s on now, free to enter and well worth a look!

Guided by Lowri, we decorated glazed white plates and tiles with an array of patterned and colour decals in whatever design we liked, which will be fired and ready to collect in a couple of weeks.

I’ll be the first to admit that I have all the artistic flair of an Excel spreadsheet, but this is our third family workshop at Mission in the past year, and I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a more relaxing and welcoming space than its first-floor art studio - and great screen-free fun for the children and grown-ups.

And at just £10 per family for today’s workshop (others are similarly priced), the events are really affordable too.

Mission Gallery regularly hosts workshops for all ages - Lowri’s next, for adults only, is in a couple of weeks. Keep an eye on their website and socials for all their upcoming events.

📍 Mission Gallery, Gloucester Place, SA1 1TY
📲 instagram.com/missiongalleryswansea

THE DIGEST 📰

🍺 The Britannia Inn in Llanmadoc, Swansea has been named Wales Pub & Bar of the Year at the National Pub & Bar Awards 2025.

🌳 Woodland in Gower where 12 football fields' worth of trees were illegally felled in 2019 is to become a nature reserve after the Gower Society purchased the site.

🚌 Swansea Council is bringing back its free bus initiative, offering free travel within the city limits every weekend during the summer holidays (July 19-August 31).

🎬 Swansea's Sol Cinema, the world's smallest solar-powered cinema converted from a 50-year-old caravan, is performing at this year's Glastonbury Festival.

🏙️ Work on transforming Swansea's Castle Square is set to begin in July as 8-foot-tall hoardings go up around the site. The multi-million pound project scheduled for completion by late 2026..

🎾 Swansea-born Mimi Xu, 17, has secured a wild card into the main draw at this year's Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first Welsh main draw singles player in 20 years.

🛹 Children's charity Cerebra has unveiled a world-first skateboarding harness system at Exist Skatepark in Swansea, inspired by 12-year-old Ollie who has Down Syndrome, allowing children with reduced mobility to skate.

SWANSEA FOOD & DRINK 🍴

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

🍽️ Papi's Pizzeria has permanently added Lasagna Pizza to the menu following customer demand, featuring a combination of cheese, meat and sauce baked onto their signature base.

🍽️ Slim Chickens opened at the bottom of Wind Street this week, serving buttermilk chicken tenders and burgers, including - for a limited time - a Jurassic Crunch sandwich.

🍽️ MAG Restaurants has opened a new street food outlet in Parc Tawe (in the old Dirty Fries unit), serving burgers, tacos, and more.

🍽️ The Storyteller has made a name for itself with its cocktail menu, and now they’re two for £12.

🍽️ Peppermint Bar has had a revamp of its venue and now it's menu has new items to choose from, from pan-Asian classics to artisan sourdough pizzas.

@SWANSEA.SCOOP 📱

Have you ever spotted a mysterious column of old bricks wedged between two buildings near the bottom end of Wind Street? This week, we uncovered the mystery in a “No one in Swansea notices this…” reel.

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 over 14,500 followers!

Find us at @swansea.scoop

SWANSEA ARTIST’S DEBUT NOVEL

Swansea-based artist and writer Zoe James-Williams has been in touch to tell us about her debut YA fantasy novel Dancing with Fire.

The story is inspired by her backstage work with leading opera and dance companies. Zoe was recently invited to document the Welsh National Opera's return to Swansea Grand Theatre after a decade away, and that experience helped shape the atmosphere for the book’s finale.

Dancing with Fire follows Silva, a ballerina caught in a world of secrets, sabotage and political intrigue, featuring a cover by renowned illustrator Cliff Nielsen (Narnia, Star Wars).

Zoe is well known in South Wales for her figurative artwork, regular exhibitions, and popular art classes both in Mumbles and online.

The book is available now at local bookshop Cover to Cover and online. You can find Zoe on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @artclasswithzoe or visit www.dancingwithfire.com

WHAT’S ON

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

Monday June 30th

📽️ 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 July 1st

🎻 Gower Festival: Enjoy internationally acclaimed musicians performing in ancient churches around Gower during the first two weeks of July. Featuring a variety of artists and ensembles.
July 1 - 12, 2025

Wednesday July 2nd

👶 Parent & Toddler Arts Collective Workshop: Free arts and crafts workshop at Swansea Arena with music, storytelling, and imaginative play for ages 0-5 and their parents/carers. Limited to 20 spaces, booking required.
11 AM - 12.30 PM | Free

🚴‍♂️ Carlton Kirby's True Tales of the Tour De France: Join Carlton Kirby, the 'Voice of Cycling,' for captivating stories after 25 years of covering the Tour de France, at the Taliesin Arts Centre.
7:30 PM | £15.00

Codi'r To / Raise the Roof: Experience a heartwarming night of music and community spirit at All Saints Church, Oystermouth, featuring performances by Dunvant Male Choir, Liam J Edwards, and Llwynderw School Choir.
6 PM | Free

Thursday July 3rd

🤣 Rogues' Gallery Comedy Club feat Harriet Dyer & Mel Owen: Two top comedians, Harriet Dyer and Mel Owen, headline at Elysium’s comedy night.
7:00 PM | £8

🐦 Swifts at Sunset in Clydach: Join the celebration of swifts in Clydach, discovering the Saving Swansea's Swifts project, and enjoy a sunset walk to spot these endangered birds.
8:30 PM | Free

🔍 Mark Ellis in Conversation with Philip Gwynne Jones: Crime fiction authors Mark Ellis and Philip Gwynne Jones discuss their latest novels at Waterstones, offering insights into captivating storytelling and character development.
6:00 PM | £3 - £22

Friday July 4th

🦅 Swifts at Sunset in Morriston: Join a sunset walk in Morriston Park to celebrate and learn about swifts, part of the Saving Swansea's Swifts project.
4 July, 8:30 PM | Free

Saturday July 5th

🛩️ Wales Airshow 2025: Witness top pilots showcase aerial acrobatics over Swansea Bay - including the Red Arrows. Enjoy ground displays, food trucks, live music, family activities, and more.
Saturday and Sunday | Free

🍰 Coffee and Cake for Cats: Enjoy coffee, cake, and fundraising in support of Swansea Cats and Kittens. Find sweet treats, DVDs, and more for a good cause.
11 AM

🛍️ The Market Hut - Summer Event: Enjoy the Market Hut’s Summer Event with 40+ traders offering local food and crafts Penllergaer Sports & Social Club.
10 AM - 4 PM

🛍️ PopUp Y Bont: A pop-up market for local food and crafts at The Circle, Tesco car park in Pontarddulais, featuring brilliant local small businesses.
10 AM - 2 PM

Gower Peninsula Mighty Hike: Join 35,000 fellow hikers across the UK to raise life-changing funds for people living with cancer, hosted by Macmillan. Trek through the picturesque Gower Peninsula on a challenging 26-mile full marathon or 15-mile half marathon.
8 AM - 8 PM

🎵 Summer Concert of Film Music!: Join the ChromaMusic Community Orchestra and Choir for an afternoon of film music and singalong shows at St Catherine's Church, Gorseinon.
3 PM - 5 PM | Free - £7

🎨 Friends of the Glynn Vivian Talk: Join Dr. Hadi Baghaei-Abchooyeh for a fascinating talk on Sir William Jones, exploring the India-Wales connection and his contributions to linguistics and cultural understanding.
12.30 PM | Free, suggested donation £3

Sunday July 6th

🌿 The Green Gathering: Enjoy a diverse range of activities like yoga, workshops, music, and more at Glantawe Riverside Park, Pontardawe, with multiple sessions throughout the day.
10 AM - 4 PM

SWANSEA PROPERTY

This 4-bed semi-detached house in trendy Uplands comes with sea views from the balcony, and it’s just a short stroll from the home of the Mega Beast to scoff whenever you fancy. £350,000.

LIVE MUSIC 🎸

Monday June 30th
The Uplands Tavern | Open Mic | 7.30 PM
Noah’s Yard | Jazz Club | 8.30 PM


Tuesday July 1st
The Bayview | Open Mic | 8 PM

Wednesday July 2nd
Cu Mumbles | B.D. Lenz Trio | 8 PM
Swansea Grand Theatre | The Simon Garfunkel Story | 7 PM

Thursday July 3rd
Gin & Juice | Live Lounge Thursdays | 7.30 PM
Altitude28 | Jazz Thursday | 8 PM
Hippos | Adrian and Meredith | 7 PM

Friday July 4th
The Albert Hall | Live Music Friday | 7 PM
Swansea Grand Theatre | Rumours of Fleetwood Mac | 7 PM
Elysium | Kikker + Big Red Car + Luminol | 7 PM
Swansea Arena | Coffee Shop Sessions | 12 PM
Bar Saint James | Hermione Wild | 7.30 PM
Gower Inn | James Rees | 6.30 PM


Saturday July 5th
Swansea Grand Theatre | Thank You For the Music | 7 PM
Elysium | Disco Panther + Chaperone | 7 PM
The Welfare Ystradgynlais | Atreyee | 5.30 PM
The Bunkhouse | Swansea Metal Collective | 6 PM
The Swigg | Swigg Fest | 3 PM
Altitude28 | Ellie Jones & Gary Philips | 6 PM

Sunday July 6th
Waterloo Stores | Live Music Sundays | 8 PM
The Swigg | Sunday Sessions | 5 PM

THANKS 😊

Thanks for reading the Swansea Scoop. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend who would find it useful as well.

Catch you on Wednesday!

Andrew.

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