A Swansea city centre businessman is praising the on-going transformation of Wind Street into a more family-friendly destination.
Bruno Nunes, Chief Executive of the Creative Hospitality Group, says the quality of the outdoor spaces now being created there will soon benefit the city centre as a whole.
His company runs three businesses on Wind Street – Peppermint, Bambu and BrewDog – as well as BrewStone in the Uplands area of Swansea.
The £3 million Wind Street improvement project being led by Swansea Council includes the introduction of new paving, seating and greenery, with dedicated outdoor spaces for hospitality dining areas.
Wind Street will also become more accessible as part of the scheme, which is due for completion in coming months. Clear, accessible routes for pedestrians of all abilities are being introduced and the street will all be one level to provide a flexible space for events and other activities.
The Swansea Council scheme follows consultation with residents and businesses.
Mr Nunes said: “The transformation of Wind Street into a more family-friendly ‘café quarter’ is to be very much welcomed, so I appreciate the Swansea Council investment which is being matched by the private sector.
“About 60% of the businesses on Wind Street offer food, so there’s a real potential for Wind Street to become known as a vibrant dining district that benefits from a thriving daytime and night-time offer for people of all ages.
“Having quality outdoor spaces is key to this. By improving the way Wind Street looks and encouraging more dining, it will lead to more activity there during the day and after work, while helping attract even more investment.
“The outdoor trading environment will also be a catalyst to further transforming perceptions of Wind Street, which have already improved so much in recent years thanks to the hard work of local businesses, Swansea Council and other partners.”
Mr Nunes also says other council-led regeneration schemes like the £135m Copr Bay phase one development are giving the local business community confidence that Swansea city centre has a bright future.
He said: “The city centre is heading in the right direction. The council is very committed to the growth and improvement of the city centre, and is listening to businesses and keeping us up to date.
“Projects like Copr Bay are generating a feel-good factor that will make Swansea a better place to live, work, study and visit.
“Nothing would give me greater pleasure than the people of Swansea believing in the city centre. I am excited about the future.”
