When you think of Swansea the title ‘ Fun capital of the UK’ doesn’t spring to mind.
The gateway to the stunning Gower Peninsula Swansea is set to undergo a massive transformation according to one ambitious British businessman.
Multi-millionaire Damien Aspinall who owns the country’s newest casino boasted that the Welsh city would become the country’s number one leisure destination within a year.
Ambitious Aspinall is planning a string of glitzy gambling outlets across Britain and made the claim yesterday as he viewed work on the new Swansea casino, which opens this September.
Mr. Aspinall was destined to be in the spotlight from an early age. He is the son of the famous casino, club owner and conservationist John Aspinall whose name will go down in history as the founder of the UK’s very first large-scale casino, the Clermont Club in London’s Mayfair.
As well as being part of the international jet set and friend of Lord Lucan and millionaire businessman James Goldsmith, John Aspinall also devoted much time and money into establishing two private zoos at two of his stately homes in Kent.
Since his death six years ago his Millfield School-educated son, Damien – married to actress and presenter Donna Air – has taken over his father’s casino empire.
The first of his planned new upmarket chain of Aspers casinos opened in Newcastle 18 months ago and has been a major success.
Aspinall said yesterday, “We attract 10,000 people a week to the Newcastle Aspers and it is not just locals. People come down from Scotland and up from places like Manchester and Liverpool.”
He said, “With the success of the Newcastle casino I predict our Swansea centre will be the number one leisure destination in Wales in 12 months’ time.
“It will help the hotel, restaurant and general tourism trade because it will give Swansea that bit extra to offer visitors.”
Recruiting for the new Swansea Aspers begins this week with 200 staff being sought.
Mr. Aspinall has joined forces in setting up the new casino chain with James Packer, son of the late Kerry Packer, the Australian casino tycoon and entrepreneur whose “cricket circus” in the 1970s revolutionised the game.
