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Hydrock appointed to conservation team for historic Swansea theatre

23rd Apr 2020

The historic Palace Theatre in Swansea is set to undergo a major conservation and restoration project, with Swansea Council appointing our Cardiff office to the design team tasked with making this project a reality.

Once a venue that hosted Charlie Chaplin, and the site of Sir Anthony Hopkins’ first stage performance, The Palace Theatre on Swansea’s High Street was the centre of entertainment in the city, and is now set to be redeveloped by Swansea Council.

Hydrock has been appointed to provide structural, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, fire engineering and transport planning services for the restoration and refurbishment project, in a team led by GWP Architecture.

The appointment continues Hydrock’s work on landmark conservation projects in the city and across South Wales, following our work on the Hafod Morfa Copperworks, Port Talbot Plaza (also with GWP Architecture) and the YMCA in Merthyr Tydfil.

Originally built as a traditional music hall in 1888, the Grade II listed venue is Wales’ oldest surviving theatre, with the wedge-shaped building surviving the blitz when most of Swansea was destroyed.

After years of neglect, mis-use, vandalism and disrepair, Swansea Council bought the building with an aim to bringing it back to life with a modern commercial focus, and this project is part of their continuing work on redeveloping the High Street and Swansea City Centre as a whole.

The project is due to be completed in 2022.