Welsh whisky giant Penderyn has been handed the keys to its new distillery buildings in Swansea following its completion. The site, located at the former Hafod-Morfa Copperworks near the Swansea.com stadium, is Penderyn's third distillery and visitor attraction.
The distiller opened its second site in Llandudno in 2021, with its first distillery located in the Brecon Beacons. The new buildings at Swansea include a visitor centre linked to the site's historic rolling mill via a new walkway where the distillery has a barrel store.
There is also a shop, tasting bar, exhibition space, offices and VIP bar in the grade two listed building. Penderyn Distillery is now installing equipment ahead of opening the operational distillery and visitor attraction. In a previous interview with BusinessLive, chief executive Stephen Davies said he hopes the Swansea site will get over 80,000 visitors a year due to its close proximity to the M4 and Swansea to London railway line.
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In terms of production capacity, the Swansea site will produce the same amount of alcohol as its flagship Brecon distillery, doubling the brand’s output.
Mr Davies said: “We make 400,000 litres of pure alcohol in Brecon, and we’re going to be making the same amount of alcohol in Swansea. 400,000 litres is the equivalent of just over a million bottles a year.”
The former Hafod Morfa Copperworks site has been under redevelopment for the past three years by Swansea Council via local firm John Weaver Contractors.
The project was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, created by Swansea Council in partnership with Penderyn Distillery and Swansea University, which provided grant funding of £4m. The project also received £500k from Welsh Government Economy and Transport funding.
The council will continue to regenerate the copperworks and the surrounding lower Swansea Valley area with the help of £20m funding from the UK Government's levelling-up programme. The council is also continuing its city centre regeneration.
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Investment and Tourism, said: "This is another key marker in our on-going £1bn regeneration programme to make Swansea a great place in which to live, work, study and spend great leisure time."
Penderyn Distillery's Chief Operating Officer Neil Quigley said: "There's so much history to the Hafod Morfa Copperworks site, so we're delighted to be part of that piece of history moving forward and as each week passes, it's exciting to see the site coming back to life once again. We're proud to be opening our third distillery in Wales, on one of Swansea's greatest heritage sites and we're looking forward to welcoming visitors, once our doors are open."
Welsh Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: "I'm delighted the Welsh Government has been able to support this development. It's another exciting regeneration project which further develops Swansea as a vibrant city destination. It complements other regeneration projects in the area as well as supporting economic growth and all year-round jobs, which is enabling broader private sector development and investment. We look forward to working with Penderyn, a leading Welsh company which exports globally, on this new distillery and visitor experience."
Dr Alex Langlands, an associate professor in history at heritage and project partner Swansea University, said: "Thanks to the whisky stills of Penderyn, copper will once again be central to the vibrancy of the Lower Swansea Valley. These are exciting times as a new chapter opens on the globally significant copperworking site, paving the way for further cultural and economic regeneration in the region."
The redevelopment of the Copperworks is part of a number of regeneration projects around Swansea. These include the 3,500-capacity Swansea Arena, the transformation of The Kingsway and Wind Street, and ongoing work to create the 71/72 Kingsway high-tech work hub. Both the Swansea Arena and 71/72 Kingsway projects are being part-funded the Swansea Bay City Deal. Work is also underway to save and bring new life to other heritage gems including the Palace Theatre building and the Albert Hall.
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