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Wales Online
Wales Online
Entertainment
Rhodri Harrison

The new Swansea restaurant people have been queuing for up to an hour to dine at

People have been queuing out the door of a new restaurant in Swansea following its opening last month.

Long lines of people have become a common sight outside the branch of Wagamama near City Gates on the corner of Wind Street and Victoria Road, with one person saying, "it has been the same every night for weeks".

Pick up and delivery options are being offered as the Asian restaurant is apparently full most nights. You can read more Swansea stories by clicking here.

Read more: Swansea cafe which closed because there aren't 'enough people in town anymore' brings its popular old menu back in Uplands

The restaurant opened in early December replacing a former Frankie & Benny's which closed several of its sites across Wales following complications due to the coronavirus outbreak.

It has been operating at a reduced capacity of up to 60 covers, in order to comply with Welsh government guidelines of two metre social distancing.

However, from Friday, January 28 - these rules are subject to change with the removal of social distancing, the rule of six and table service. This will enable the restaurant to return to its full capacity, seating 136 diners on it's well-known benches and booths.

A photo showing queues outside the restaurant (Ed Manwaring)

That may do something to reduce the queues which have been seen in photos shared online, with some people reporting hour-long waits for a table.

Ed Manwaring has been in Swansea since May to work on the LEDs at the new Swansea Arena, and spotted the queues. He said he and a colleague had been wondering why the chain was so popular. "Neither of us can see what all the fuss is about and there was still a massive queue every night for the past few weeks," he said.

He admitted, however, that from his accommodation just across the road from Wind Street, he had witnessed some surprising sights, including a particular Beaujolais Day party-goer "fighting with the seagulls that were pinching her chips".

This photo was taken this week as customers queued for the popular chain (WalesOnline)

Wagamamas acknowledged the success of its Swansea branch and commented that the city had been asking for the chain to open there for a long time.

A spokesman added that the queues were expected to die down as the venue returned to full capacity.

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