A Neath-based building firm has scooped two top awards for its work on a £10 million project to transform the derelict Palace Theatre in Swansea into an office and events space.
R & M Williams Limited was crowned Overall Master Builder of the Year 2025, as well as National Winner for the Commercial or Public Sector Project, sponsored by Bibby Financial Services, at the Federation of Master Builders’ 2025 Master Builder Awards.
The awards recognise the firm's work on the landmark building, which was part of Swansea's £1 billion regeneration programme. The building's collaborative office and events space is now managed by Tramshed Tech.
Run by the UK’s largest trade body for SME construction, the Master Builder Awards are regarded as the highest accolade in the industry.
The judges praised the Palace Theatre project as “a spectacular achievement that turned two decades of decay into something truly beautiful”.
The project retained the theatre’s character – from iron balustrades to reinstated canopies and proscenium detailing – while delivering modern performance, access and safety so the building can work as an office today and still revert to theatre use in future.
The Federation of Master Builders said the overall win recognised not only the quality of craft but also the wider impact of the project – from conserving a key part of Swansea’s heritage to delivering social value through jobs, training and a largely Welsh supply chain.
The FMB’s latest State of Trade Survey shows workloads and enquiries are rising strongly in Wales, with 53% of builders reporting higher workloads and 56% seeing more enquiries in the first half of 2025. Demand is particularly strong for home improvement and major works, creating early signs of recovery.
But serious challenges remain. 76% of firms report struggling to recruit skilled tradespeople, leading to delays and cancellations, while 87% face higher material costs and over 70% have raised wages. The FMB warns that without urgent reform of training and SME support, the recovery could falter.
Working with Cadw and a specialist conservation architect, the team catalogued and reused salvageable fixtures including Ebbw Vale bricks, stage equipment, gas lamps, cast iron balustrades and sympathetically reinstated lost elements including the conical roof and door canopies, honouring historic photographs.
With hidden wells, blocked doors and a staircase discovered mid-works, design was finalised in parallel with construction. Bespoke passive fire protection addressed ~400mm walls; modern ventilation was routed without new penetrations on decorative elevations; and filler-joist floors demanded delicate demolition, extensive propping and creative insertions.
A confined site required top-hat scaffolding, crane logistics and Highways liaison to land steels onto prepared padstones. Environmental management delivered 93% diversion from landfill, while offsite welfare reduced local impact.
Under NEC3 Option C, Swansea Council, the design team and R & M Williams collaborated through clear protocols, early warnings and transparent cost control, including a Project Bank Account for prompt payment. 87% Welsh supply-chain spend and 787 person-weeks of training, recruitment and traineeships were delivered with the council’s Beyond Bricks and Mortar team.
Ifan Glyn, FMB Cymru Director, said:
“R & M Williams’ restoration of Swansea’s Palace Theatre is a landmark for Welsh building, protecting heritage whilst delivering modern spaces for community benefit. It shows the best of what Welsh builders are capable of when given the chance: not just saving historic buildings but creating new assets for future generations.
“This win comes against a backdrop of rising workloads and persistent sector challenges: labour shortages, spiralling costs, and late payment issues. Without decisive reform in training, apprenticeships, and support for the building sector, these gains may be short-lived. Welsh builders are ready to deliver. The Welsh Government must now give them the tools to do so.”
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said:
“R & M Williams have not only brought a historic theatre back to life but have redefined what an SME builder can achieve. Their project combined engineering, craftsmanship and community impact on an extraordinary scale. To take on such a challenging, high-profile build and succeed in every respect makes them worthy winners of the Overall Master Builder title.”
