Originally built in 1888 as a traditional music hall, The Palace Theatre Swansea has played host to a plethora of famous names including Charlie Chaplin and Sir Anthony Hopkins who made his professional stage debut there.
The Grade II-listed building changed its use several times over the years and in 2007 the doors of the privately owned theatre appeared to shut for good and the building decayed to an alarming level.
However, after a period of campaigning by local and national groups keen to prevent the venue from literally falling down, in 2020, the council took possession of it and took on the herculean task of returning it to its former glory, a project Plexus FS was extremely proud to be involved in.
“As a Swansea-based company, we are only too familiar with the rich history of the Victorian venue,” said Jamie Grey of Plexus, “and were over the moon when Whitehead Building Service appointed us the fire and safety company to work on the project.”
Working in tandem with the Whitehead Building Service team, Plexus FS was required to oversee the installation of the following systems:
- Fire Alarm
- Disabled Refuge
- Intruder Alarm
- Access Control
- CCTV
“We were coming to the end of a project to install similar systems at the city’s newest entertainment venue, Swansea Arena,” Jamie reflected, “so to begin work on one the oldest venues in the city was a significant moment for us.”
A council-led design team and leaseholders Tramshed Tech were keen to preserve as much of the original architecture and Victorian features as possible, knowledge and experience of working on a listed building was vital, as Jamie explained.
“We have worked on a huge range of listed buildings over the years,” said Jamie, “so understand the delicate environment in which we are operating and the need for specific methods of installing systems to keep people safe, but in a manner that is non-destructive and maintains a set aesthetic.”
The Palace Theatre building is now due to reopen as a base for businesses and will feature a publicly accessible coffee shop.
It’s being brought back to life, thanks to funding from Swansea Council and £4.9m from the Welsh Government.
Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “We’re delighted that local businesses such as Plexus were brought on board to help bring exciting new life to this beautiful building that we’re saving for future generations.
“It’ll be a catalyst to help regenerate the city centre and its High Street area which has seen tens of millions of pounds of investment in recent years, bringing new opportunities, homes and improved commercial premises across the city centre. I thank all those who have worked on the fantastic Palace project.”
For more information on the services listed here, especially if you are planning a project that involves a heritage property, get in touch with our team by contacting:
► 01792 561333
