Key Points
- The Rake and Riddle in Penclawdd, Swansea is set to close again and will be reimagined as Casa, a wellness resort.
- The owner, Refining Dining Co also known as Redefining Dining Co says Casa is expected to open in 2027.
- The venue had previously closed suddenly in January 2025. It was then bought by Refining Dining Co. Reopened with three separate dining concepts under one roof: The Welsh House, Cattle & Co Smokehouse and Salvatore’s Pizzeria.
- The new project, Casa will feature a range of wellness activities. These include yoga, Pilates, indoor and outdoor fitness classes, a private gym, personal training sessions, a sauna, cold plunge baths, guided walks, cooking classes, retreat experiences and glamping.
- Casa will also have camping options and apartments. There will be a café and a restaurant where guests can enjoy both non-alcoholic drinks.
- Refining Dining Co says the idea for Casa was developed over the year in collaboration with Andrew Tyrell. He is a rambler and personal trainer with more than 30 years of experience.
- The company says it has officially partnered with Mr Tyrell. It also plans to develop three sites across South Wales.
- Work on renovating the property and the surrounding grounds is scheduled to start in the coming weeks. However the company has not revealed the amount of money being invested.
- Refining Dining Co says every member of the team from The Rake and Riddle has been offered a position at one of its locations.
- The company has not yet announced the date for the last service, at The Rake and Riddle.
Swansea (Wales Times) November 04, 2026 — The Rake and Riddle restaurant is to close for a second time in two years before being converted into Casa, a wellness resort planned by its owner, Refining Dining Co, for launch in early 2027. As reported by WalesOnline, RDC says the Penclawdd venue will become its new wellness concept and flagship resort, combining fitness, recovery, food, hospitality and overnight accommodation.
The announcement marks another major change for the established Penclawdd site. WalesOnline reported that The Rake and Riddle closed with “immediate effect” in January 2025, before RDC acquired the business and relaunched it as three concepts under one roof: The Welsh House, Cattle & Co Smokehouse and Salvatore’s Pizzeria.
uk/local/swansea/">Swansea Bay News reported that the building, formerly the Berthlwyd Inn, will now return as a wellness retreat featuring a sauna, cold plunge baths, glamping and phone-free Sundays. The outlet stated that RDC says work on the building and grounds will begin in the coming weeks.
Why Is the Restaurant Closing Again?
RDC says the closure is part of a planned transformation rather than an announcement of financial difficulty. In a statement reported by WalesOnline, the company said: “RDC is transforming The Rake and Riddle into Casa, its new wellness concept and flagship resort, planned to launch in early 2027.”
The company said Casa will bring together “fitness, recovery, food, hospitality and overnight stays”, creating a place for guests to “recharge, explore and enjoy at your own pace”. It added that the Gower coastal path is on the site’s doorstep and will form part of the wider visitor experience.
Swansea Bay News reported that RDC has not said when The Rake and Riddle will serve its final meal, nor how much the refurbishment will cost. The company has, however, said that “significant investment” will support a full refurbishment of the property and surrounding grounds.
What Will Casa Offer Visitors?
Casa is planned to offer a broad wellness and hospitality programme. According to RDC’s statement, reported by WalesOnline, the resort will provide sunrise yoga, Pilates and indoor and outdoor fitness classes designed to suit different interests and abilities.
The planned facilities also include a private gym with personal training sessions, a sauna and cold plunge baths. RDC described these additions as bringing “hot and cold recovery” into the Casa experience.
Visitors are also expected to be able to take part in guided walks and coastal adventures along the neighbouring Gower coastal path. The company said the site will include a café and restaurant intended to bridge “the gap between health and hospitality”, with varied cuisines and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Overnight Stays and Retreats
The development will include glamping, camping and apartments within the property. RDC said these options will offer “different ways to stay, from a night close to nature to a longer break with the comforts of home”.
The company also outlined plans for cooking classes, shared food experiences, “Switch Off Sundays” and retreat experiences combining sunrise movement, guided walks, shared meals and sound baths. It said guests will also have time to read, journal or relax.
Swansea Bay News similarly reported that the proposed offer would run from sunrise yoga and Pilates to a private gym, sauna, cold plunge baths, guided coastal walks, cooking classes and sound baths.
Who Is Behind the Casa Project?
RDC says it developed the Casa concept over the past year alongside Andrew Tyrell, whom it describes as a local rambler and personal trainer with more than 30 years’ experience.
The company said Redefining Dining Co and Mr Tyrell have agreed a formal partnership. It added that three sites have already been earmarked across South Wales, although it did not identify those locations in the statement reported by WalesOnline.
Swansea Bay News reported the same partnership details, stating that the concept has been developed with Mr Tyrell and that three further sites have been earmarked across South Wales.
What Happens to Staff?
RDC says every member of The Rake and Riddle team has been offered a role at one of its other venues. In its statement, reported by WalesOnline, the company said this would keep staff experience and the venue’s “familiar welcome” within its wider business.
The company also thanked people who had been part of The Rake and Riddle’s story, saying it was “proud of the memories made here” and excited to welcome visitors to “this next chapter”.
Swansea Bay News reported the same staff commitment, noting that RDC says every team member has been offered employment at one of its other venues.
What Was The Rake and Riddle Before?
The Rake and Riddle takes its name from traditional cockle-gathering tools used in Penclawdd for more than a century, according to Tourism Swansea Bay.
Swansea Bay News reported that the site spent years as the Sea Garden Chinese restaurant before reopening as The Rake and Riddle in 2017. It said the venue was named after the tools of the village’s cockle industry.
The venue later became a three-restaurant site under RDC. WalesOnline reported that the business was transformed into The Welsh House, Cattle & Co Smokehouse and Salvatore’s Pizzeria after its 2025 closure and acquisition by RDC.
Background of the Development
The Rake and Riddle is located in Penclawdd, a village on the edge of the Gower Peninsula, an area known for its coastal landscape and walking routes. Tourism Swansea Bay describes the venue as a casual dining establishment and notes the historical connection between its name and Penclawdd’s cockle-gathering tradition.
The latest announcement follows a period of repeated change at the site. WalesOnline reported that The Rake and Riddle closed in January 2025 with immediate effect, before RDC acquired it and reopened it as a multi-concept dining destination. That arrangement brought The Welsh House, Cattle & Co Smokehouse and Salvatore’s Pizzeria together under one roof.
The proposed Casa development now represents a shift from that restaurant-led model towards wellness tourism and overnight stays. RDC says the transformation will involve a full refurbishment of both the building and surrounding grounds, beginning in the coming weeks, with an early-2027 launch planned.
Prediction: How This May Affect Local Residents and Visitors
For Penclawdd residents, the development could change the character of a familiar local dining venue. The Rake and Riddle has operated as a restaurant and social destination, while Casa is intended to attract visitors for fitness, recovery, retreats and overnight accommodation.
For visitors and wellness travellers, the project may add a new base near the Gower coastal path, with activities ranging from guided walks and yoga to sauna and cold-plunge recovery. RDC says the resort is designed to let guests shape their own experience, whether attending a class, having coffee, joining a recovery session or staying for a weekend.
For local hospitality workers, the company’s statement indicates that existing Rake and Riddle staff will be offered roles elsewhere within RDC, rather than facing an immediate loss of employment. The wider effect on Penclawdd’s visitor economy will depend on the final launch date, the scale of investment and how the planned accommodation and wellness facilities are delivered.
