Internal stripping-out works on-going at Oceana

Internal stripping-out works at Swansea’s former Oceana nightclub building are on-going.
Oceana ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Current work includes the removal of carpets, partition walls, suspended ceilings and other fixtures and fittings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council has appointed Cuddy Group to carry out the work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Kingsway building, spread over five levels, is made up of approximately 10,000 square metres of floor space – that’s the equivalent to about two and a half football pitches in size. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

External demolition work will start towards the end of March. Scaffolding will go up and expert demolition equipment will arrive a few weeks beforehand. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The project, earmarked for completion in the early summer, is being funded by the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places Swansea City Centre regeneration programme that was awarded in June, 2014. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Vibrant and Viable Places (VVP) is a three-year programme (2014-2017) through which Swansea Council has been awarded £8.53 million to target key regeneration projects in the city centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The demolition of the former Oceana nightclub building is important because it will kick-start our plans to transform Kingsway into a business district that employs thousands of people and generates more footfall and spending in the city centre. Subject to funding, a new office development will be constructed on the site in future as we continue to make progress on breathing new life into the city centre as whole. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve already announced the winning regeneration bids for the St David’s and Civic Centre sites, but many other parts of the city centre will soon benefit from regeneration as well. We want to develop a thriving city centre that combines a top quality retail offer with homes, offices, leisure, recreational opportunities and strong links to a world class seafront. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re committed to delivering on our plans, not just because it’s what the people of Swansea deserve, but also because the prosperity of the city centre has a key role to play at the heart of the Swansea Bay City Region economy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It won’t be long until the former Oceana building starts disappearing from the cityscape as Swansea city centre starts to undergo its biggest transformation in many decades.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rivington Land has been appointed to manage the development of the St David’s site. Their winning ideas for the site include a new indoor arena, a state-of-the-art cinema and a new retail street stretching from Whitewalls to Oystermouth Road. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Trebor Developments will manage the regeneration of the Civic Centre site. Their winning ideas include new apartments, town houses, hotels and a public space giving better access than ever to the city waterfront. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The former Oceana building on Kingsway, originally constructed by the Rank Organisation in 1967 for a cinema, has accommodated a number of bars and nightclubs over the years, including Ritzy and Icon, Time and Envy, and, most recently, Oceana. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​