Breathing new life into Swansea’s Albert Hall

Shufflebottom is pleased to announce that on the 17th October, we started work at the prestigious redevelopment of The Albert Hall, in Swansea’s city centre which has lain empty since 2007.

We have been commissioned as a contractor in the supply chain by RNF a high quality construction company who were commissioned by the project lead, award-winning Cardiff property developer, Loft Co, regarded as experts in the regeneration of historic buildings and landmarks into mixed multi-use facilities. Their portfolio includes the transformation of the iconic Tramshed in Cardiff, and the J-shed in Swansea’s SA1 development.

The one hundred and fifty seven-year-old Albert Hall has been used for a variety of purposes since its opening as a Public Assembly and Concert Venue in 1864, then known as The Music Hall with a capacity of 2,500. It became the Albert Hall in 1882, and was the venue for many famous historical figures to give speeches and performances, among them Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, David Lloyd George and opera singer, Adelina Patti. Over the years it morphed into a silent movie cinema in 1922, and cinema for talkies in 1929, and latterly, a bingo venue before it finally closed its doors, fifteen years ago.

Now new life will be breathed into this building that has well-loved place in the memories of Swansea people. The new development will see an 800 capacity entertainment venue, Depot Swansea, as well as new spaces for lifestyle businesses and offices who will have special tenanted access to use of the wonderful new roof terrace.

Our input is considerable, manufacturing and erecting 140-tonnes of hot-rolled steel-work  that will form floors within the building and steelwork at the roof level which is a sympathetic coming together of heritage and modernity. As you can imagine, we are justifiably proud to be working with Loft Co to bring this development to completion and to be part of Swansea city’s £1 billion regeneration.