Beaujolais Day: 'It's Swansea's Christmas Day'

It's the third Thursday in November, which - depending on who you ask - can mean only one thing: Beaujolais Day.

Traditionally celebrated across France with fireworks, music and other festivities, the day marks the arrival of the first bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau wine.

Events across the UK, including Cardiff, are held to mark the day - but travel 40 miles west of the M4, and you will find that the people of Swansea take it very seriously.

"It's Swansea's Christmas Day," said Jennifer Parmenter, whose beauty salon The Empire has more than 80 clients booked in for Beaujolais Day makeup.

She and her business co-founder Aimee Davies said they would be opening their salon to clients at 06:00 GMT on Beaujolais Day - but some had requested to come in even earlier.

"Beaujolais Day is our busiest time of year, we book months in advance ," said Ms Davies.

"We've had to hire an extra make up artist to come in for the day due to demand, which means we have seven make up artists in total working," Ms Davies added.

"But the preparations start weeks before, which include aesthetics, hair and nails appointments."

Ms Parmenter described Beaujolais Day as "Swansea's Christmas Day".

"We've even had clients ask if we can open earlier [than 06:00], or if they can have their make up done the night before and sleep sat up, it's bonkers.

"There's a real party feel in the salon, hours before we even end up on Wind Street."

Morgans Hotel in Swansea is known locally for its annual Beaujolais Day events.

Kate Bowen, general manager of the hotel, said there would be 1,000 people attending on Thursday.

"It's our biggest day in terms of revenue, however the cost of putting on the event itself gets higher every year," she said.

"It's a really good day for the team, we all work the event itself. It's a great day for businesses in Swansea."

She said using local caterers to supply the event was important.

"We are using local suppliers which include Castell Howell and Au Vodka, it's a great way for businesses to network as well," she added.

Beaujolais Nouveau wine gets its name from the sub-region of Burgundy in France.

Beaujolais Day marks the arrival of the first bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau, which are released at 00:01 on the third Thursday of November under French law.

In the 1970s, an idea for a race to get the first bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau across the Channel from France to London was thought up by two wine writers - dubbed the Beaujolais Run.

To this day people still take part in the race, which raises millions of pounds for The Royal Airforce Benevolent Fund.

Rob Bellinger, director of the Beaujolais Run, said it was a "mad British tradition" which takes a lot of planning.

"To ensure road safety, competitors transport it via the shortest route rather than in the shortest time," he said.

The wine tastes better than ever these days, according to Mr Bellinger, as global warming has changed how the wine develops.

"In the old days really it was like drinking vinegar," he said.

Historian Peter Stead told the BBC in 2016 that he believed Beaujolais Day "fitted the Swansea zeitgeist".

"This was a community trying to find its feet as a city - looking to gentrify and intellectualise itself - and Beaujolais Day seemed to capture perfectly the spirit," said Mr Stead.

The city's No Sign Wine Bar, which was run by former Wales International Clem Thomas, was one of the first bars to hold a Beaujolais Day event in the 1980s.

Mr Thomas' son, Chris, said his dad would be "thrilled to bits" to see the event still drawing big crowds.

"In a city like Swansea, it's great to see it's still such an important social calendar," he added.

"It was pivotal day for the November takings, it was a great excuse to liven up a dreary Thursday in November.

"Back then we would be taking around £5,000 a week - but takings on Beaujolais could range from £12,000 to £15,000 for that single day."

Insp Neal Connolly from South Wales Police said last year's Beaujolais Day in Swansea was "extremely busy", and urged those heading out to "enjoy themselves, and to do so responsibly".

"Please ensure that you have planned your journey home ahead of time, ideally alongside a friend or family member," he added.