Local hospitality group to operate restaurant at £135m Swansea Copr Bay development

Swansea Council has signed the Secret Hospitality Group to operate the landmark restaurant at the city's £135m Copr Bay development.

The leisure-led Copr Bay phase one development is the first stage of the £1b regeneration of the city. The 1,400 sq ft pizzeria and café is set to open towards the end of the year with around 60 covers plus outside seating. The Secret Hospitality Group is owned and run by Ryan and Lucy Hole, who also own the Secret Beach Bar & Kitchen and the Optimist Bar & Kitchen, both in Swansea.

Ryan Hole said: “While it might seem an odd decision to commit to a new restaurant during the pandemic, we did not think twice when this opportunity came knocking. Swansea Council’s £1b transformation of the city is a vote of confidence in the future of the area and will offer opportunities to people like us and businesses like ours. Our latest restaurant will be a new landmark for Swansea, part of a brand new destination for residents and visitors to enjoy great food and drink, and just a stone’s throw away from the Arena and our stunning coastline. We’re thrilled to be a part of the transformation of our city and to play a part in it.”

The restaurant has been designed by Pinelog using materials from sustainable sources and local provenance, as well as focusing on renewable energy to lower carbon emissions such as solar panels. Copr Bay phase one is being delivered by the council working alongside development manager RivingtonHark.

Cllr Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea Council, said: “This new restaurant will be a great community asset and landmark in our wonderful new Coastal Park. I’m sure that, together with the arena and other new developments, it will make Swansea even more of an attraction for our residents and the millions of tourists who visit us and our magnificent coastline every year.”

Spencer Winter, projects director of RivingtonHark, added: “The pandemic has shaken up our society and we now have the opportunity to decide in which order we put the pieces back together. Even before Covid, town and city centres across the UK were changing; post-pandemic, they have to. Swansea is a pioneering example of what an ambitious local authority can do when it has a vision for improving its city for its community and for those who may consider making it their home.

“Copr Bay Phase One, with its focus on the things that bring us moments of relaxation like the park to those that bring us unforgettable experiences like the arena, will show that our high streets can be reimagined and that the pieces will fit, for the benefit of everyone.”