Café And Tea Room Plan For Swansea’s Swiss Cottage

Visitors to Swansea’s Singleton Park could soon be enjoying a cup of tea and a scone at the attraction’s iconic Swiss Cottage. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council is now working on the legal details of a plan to lease the Alpine-style building to Swansea University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as refurbishing the inside of the cottage to provide a tea room and a café, the university is also looking into the possible introduction of a visitor centre and cycle hire facilities there in future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council carried out external refurbishment at the cottage after the attraction was badly damaged by fire in 2010. A new roof was installed, as well as the replacing of windows, doors and stairs on a like-for-like basis. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Approval was granted by Cadw for the type of materials used because of the cottage’s status as a listed building. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “We’re delighted to be working so closely alongside our partners at Swansea University to bring Singleton Park’s iconic Swiss Cottage back into sustainable use. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Although final legal agreement is still needed for the terms of the lease we’re proposing, significant progress has been made behind the scenes as we continue to work together to benefit Swansea residents and visitors to the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Complex are doing a terrific job in raising money for the extension of the Botanical Gardens and the introduction of wildflower beds, pathways and seating there. Their development is within a stone’s throw of the Swiss Cottage, so a new team room and café would also cater for the many thousands of visitors the gardens attract every year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gez Watt, Commercial Project Manager at Swansea University, said: “We are delighted to be working with Swansea Council on the regeneration of the Swiss Cottage and potential development of further facilities at Singleton Park. This will provide exciting opportunities for the residents of Swansea to enjoy the park, adding to the great work carried out by the Council and Friends of the Botanical Complex.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Built in 1826, Singleton Park’s Swiss Cottage was designed by Peter Frederick Robinson – the man who also designed nearby Sketty Hall for the Vivian family in the early part of the 19th century. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Robinson had visited Switzerland and been impressed by the country’s timber-built houses with balconies and external stairs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​