'Looks like the inside of a Crunchie': Swansea's new Copr Bay bridge compared to popular chocolate bar
Swansea's new golden bridge has become a major talking point with some calling it "The Crunchie" because it resembles the honeycomb chocolate bar.The 49-meter long bridge that opened at the weekend sits over Oystermouth Road and has caught the eye of drivers.
Swansea Council said it wanted to make a statement with the Copr Bay bridge featuring over 2,500 laser-cut holes, designed by local artist Marc Rees.
After Swansea Council announced the bridge was put in place, there was a mixed reaction to the innovative design of the bridge.
One local, John Thomas wrote: "The speckles looks like the inside of a Crunchie."
The bridge was compared to other gold-coloured foods such as a crispy pancake, a pasty and even a taco.
One Twitter user however referred to the bridge as "40 karat gold" and said it looked "class".
Among those who praised the unique design, Adam Watkins thought it was "distinctive."
"Yes it’s a bit ‘out there’ but I think that’s part of the regeneration idea. I’ve never seen a bridge like this before so it’s distinctive to Swansea. It’ll all tie in together when the project is complete and give Swansea the 21st-century facelift it needs," Adam said.
Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart described it as a "bold design" and "striking façade" which will help the bridge become a new landmark for the city.
Designed by local artist Marc Rees who laser cut 2,756 shapes into the side panels, the bridge will forge a link between the city centre and the new £135 million indoor arena.
Mr Rees said: "It’s been a difficult time recently, especially for the cultural sector, so the bridge installation is timely as we need a positive and aspirational symbol."
The bridge was installed in Swansea City centre as part of the city's £1 billion regeneration scheme.