The former Iceland food store on Swansea’s High Street is set to become a new hub for the community thanks to Coastal Housing.
The ground floor will be available for use by the community for small scale events, exhibitions and classes.
Part of the space will also be designated for an indoor market aimed at small businesses and new start-ups.
The Iceland store has been empty for a number of years and was recently purchased by Coastal Housing Group as part of its strategy for the regeneration of High Street.
Helen Jones, Coastal Housing’s Commercial Coordinator said, “The Iceland store has lain empty for years so we’re pleased to find an alternative use for it once again.
“We hope by opening up the building for community use we will breathe some new life back into the building and High Street itself.
“We’re looking to engage with all types of community and arts groups and envisage the space being used in a number of varied and interesting ways.
“The indoor market will give new start-ups and small ‘arts & craft’ type businesses, which may not have the facilities, space in the city centre which they can utilise to showcase what they have to offer.”
The community space is being made available right away with the indoor market due to open in the autumn.
In addition to versatile community spaces, the building will also feature an exciting rehearsal and events space that will be home to Volcano Theatre Company.
Claudine Conway, marketing & communications manager for Volcano Theatre Company, said, “Volcano has been based in the High Street since 2011, in what used to be the Littlewoods Catalogue Bargain Store, after Coastal invited us to perform a site-specific version of a show called 1977 and we took a shine to the space.”
“We are now looking forward to moving into the Iceland building. Its blank-canvas and susceptibility to transformation will offer all kinds of possibilities, as well as an answer to our own pressing need for space to rehearse and develop our work.
“It will be another fantastic opportunity for Volcano, which has been making world-class theatre in Swansea for over 25 years, to sustain its presence at the heart of the city and to work with Coastal Housing and our other partners to contribute to and transform the area in which we work.
“We hope to use the space to attract major national and international artists and arts companies to the city. There will also be a theatre space that will host a programme of touring companies as well as in-house productions and films.”
Coastal’s community space scheme is the latest step in attempts to regenerate and reinvigorate the High Street and follows the recent launch of Volcano Theatre Company’s ‘From the Station to the Sea’ project, part of the Arts Council of Wales’ Ideas, People, Places initiative which aims to embed the arts in regeneration projects and inspire communities to re-imagine their environment in a creative and empowered way.
Anyone wishing to enquire about the community space in Iceland should contact Helen Jones on 01792 619300.
