A fresh milkshake vending machine business that made UK-wide headlines for innovation during the pandemic has set up in Swansea city centre.
Hendy-based Llaeth Beynon Dairy has set up the vending machines in the area of the former St David's Shopping Centre, close to the bottom of the new bridge over Oystermouth Road.
Swansea Council has let the site to the business, pending the area's regeneration in the longer term. Customers can buy either milk or 12 flavours of milkshake, which can be poured in free takeaway cups or reusable glass bottles. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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It's the third vending machine site for Llaeth Beynon Dairy, following-on from units at Tal Y Clun in Hendy and Foundry Road in Ammanford. The company also now has a portable vending machine for use at events. First launched in 2020, the vending machine idea generated positive media coverage in publications like The Daily Telegraph.
Ifan Beynon-Thomas, of Llaeth Beynon Dairy, said: "We'd always wanted to supply direct to the public, although the pandemic sped up our thinking because loss of business in the hospitality sector meant we were pouring thousands of gallons of milk away. Our vending machine sites in Hendy and Ammanford have done very well so far, but we always wanted a unit in Swansea too as it's the closest city to us. There's also so much positive redevelopment work happening in Swansea and we wanted to be a part of it.
"Swansea Council couldn't have been more helpful. Our location is up and coming, so it's a great place to be. We'd also be interested in exploring potential longer-term locations in the city centre once the redevelopment of the former St David's Shopping Centre area is under way."
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council's cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said: "The £1bn, ongoing transformation of Swansea city centre is creating jobs and world-class new facilities for local people, but it's also important we give local businesses opportunities to set-up or expand.
"We're delighted to welcome Llaeth Beynon Dairy to the city centre, which is an example of a business that showed so much innovation and resilience during an extremely challenging time."
The former St David's Shopping Centre is among a number of sites due to be redeveloped by award-winning regeneration specialists Urban Splash in the coming years. Other sites include the Civic Centre on the seafront.
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