PROPERTY
MOVE TO
MUMBLES
Swansea Bay’s upwardly mobile property hotspot is a mix of sandy beaches, seafood and celebrity, writes Lesley Gillilan
S
wansea’s charming seaside suburb is not just for the weekend; it’s a great place to live too. In fact, Mumbles (or the Mumbles, as they say here) took first place in 2018’s Sunday Times guide to the best places to live in Wales. On a thumb-like headland jutting from the Gower Peninsula into Swansea Bay, the place certainly gets 10 out of 10 for location. Add points for sandy beaches, surfing and great seafood among a long list of attractions. And then give it top marks for re-invention: what was once an old-fashioned resort popular with Welsh Valley miners has now become an up-market seaside village with a reputation for oysters and A-list celebrities (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bonnie Tyler and Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page are regulars). According to Carwyn Thomas, owner of Mumbles’ Langland Cove Guesthouse, it’s always 4 2 co as t magazin e.co.uk
been the ‘jewel in the crown of Swansea Bay’. And some things never change – like the seafront’s Italian-style ice cream parlours, the majestic ruins of Oystermouth Castle, or the great views from the Victorian pier to Mumbles Lighthouse. But the little town, he says, has a new energy. The legendary ‘Mumbles Mile’, once the haunt of Swansea pub crawlers, now has a ‘Café Quarter’. Oyster Wharf, a smart new retail development which opened on the waterfront in 2017, has helped build its reputation as a Swansea Bay food hub. And the high street in ‘Mumbles Village’ is a buzzy community of boutique shops and independent restaurants. ‘It’s become a place that attracts young families,’ says Carwyn, whose sons Maelo and Rowan were part of his move-to-Mumbles plan. ‘And it has a really positive vibe.’
WHERE TO BUY
For waterfront properties, the best
options are Mumbles’ Promenade Terrace or, a mile to the west, posh Langland Bay. In and around the town, look for colour-washed terraces of tall Victorian houses (some with sea views and verdant gardens), particularly around Overland Road and Church Park. Narrow lanes of smaller terraced cottages sit in the back streets off the main shopping street on Newton Road. Castle Road offers a leafy line of 1930s semis close to Oystermouth Castle. And for a quieter, more rural life, head deeper into Gower: Caswell Bay, Oxwich or Rhossili.
HOW MUCH
Expect to pay a lot more than most of South Wales – and 100% more than most of Swansea. The optimum price is between £300,000 and £500,000: ranging from a two-bedroom new-build apartment at the lower end of the price range, up to a five-bedroom townhouse at the upper
