Cooking up great views over city
IT will have the best view of any kitchen in the UK.
A £2.5 million deal has been struck for what will be Swansea's most exclusive restaurant — The Penthouse.
The restaurant will allow diners to gaze over the city from the top of the £100 million Meridian Quay tower development.
Floors 27, 28 and 29 will be taken up by the plush restaurant in the marina, which is scheduled to open next summer.
The deal has been signed by Swansea-born, London-based businessman Peter Way for a 290-cover restaurant. Mr Way employs more than 1,000 people, and supplies catering staff to Wembley Stadium, White Hart Lane — the home of Tottenham Hotspur football club — and the Emirates, where Arsenal play.
He said: "I have a top London chef, but I can't name him yet because he's under contract. But he is quite famous."
Mr Way's pedigree suggests the restaurant will be top flight.
He said: "I have a multi-million pound company in London in the catering industry, providing staff to hotels and restaurants.
"I have been in the industry for 20 years and the only thing I haven't done is own my own business outright, in terms of restaurants.
"But this is going to be the best restaurant in Wales."
He added: "It's going to be a great working environment for the chefs. I believe it is the best view of any kitchen in the UK."
He aims to employ 60 to 70 staff at the up-market restaurant, which will feature a piano and several "top secret" ingredients.
Brad Wood, of Earthquake, the company behind the Meridian Quay development, said: "With the restaurant up there, I think it is going to be a major boost for tourism.
"People will want to come into Swansea to experience what the Meridian Quay will have to offer."
Mr Wood said the Meridian Quay development "will put more than £100 million into the local economy."
He added: "The restaurant will certainly enhance the development.
"It will have a 24-hour feel to it and will have a licence until 1am."
28 Comments
View all
by Mike Thomas, Swansea
Sunday, August 31 2008, 7:38PM
“I have lived in Swansea for almost thirty five years and I have never seen the place so forward-looking and attractive as it does today. This development is a fantastic flagship enterprise for a Swansea that has sat in the doldrums for years because of poor planning and weak leadership.
Every time I go into the city now I am amazed at the growth and development I see. The market is better than ever, the entertainment inventive and plentiful, the educational opportunities immense and the opportunities for eating out matches anything in any city in the UK. And I used to be one of the moaners and complainers!”
by Simon Jarvis, Uplands
Sunday, August 31 2008, 4:16PM
“This is really good news. Thank goodness the Post is giving us something good to think about for our city. Reports of a gloomy economy and a dull future, soaring prices, and a bad house market, at least we are getting some good news for a change... I can't wait to try this restaurant and well done to the developer - this is an amazing achievement. I also can't wait for future updates on progress.”
by Joy Rees, marina
Sunday, August 31 2008, 3:59PM
“this is fantastic news for Swansea! Why can't the miserable, moaning, unsupportive, negative people who don't see what this will do for the city - go live somewhere else where they can enjoy Macdonald's! As a city we should be supporting this initiative and promoting this as somewhere that people should stop to experience. I live on the marina and if a bit more traffic is all that we will experience because of this development then the positives way outway the negatives! Interesting that most of the people who have left negative comments don't live in Swansea!”
by Sian Griffiths, Clydach
Saturday, August 30 2008, 8:15PM
“Well Well Well.
I have just heard that Cardiff have a resturant in a 30-storey building.
If that happens I am sure that all the morons that have commented how bad this would be if Swansea have one, would soon be saying: "Why cant we have a restaurtant like that?"
I echo everyone that says we are a city of moaners. Wake up! We travel all over Europe envying things like this. When we start showcasing our city as the UK's number one outdoor activity location, this restaurant will be the icing on the cake.
It was a brave decison by the developer and the council to go for this restaurant, It was an even braver decision by Mr Way to buy it. That said, I am sure I would rather be the owner of this restaurant, rather than some of the other mediocre and over priced restaurants in Swansea,
Good luck to you Mr Way. I am sure the idiots who have commented here will be more than happy to dine with you.”
by Jon, Morriston
Thursday, August 28 2008, 10:33PM
“This development will:
(a) create jobs;
(b) offer locals and tourists a new amenity; and
(c) improve the image of the Marina and the city as a whole.
Yet we STILL have people carping and complaining. Unbelievable.”