A new doughnut shop has opened in Swansea boasting to be "the best" with its traditional American-style sweet treats.
The Dough Works in Castle Arcade is a doughnut speciality shop that creates flavours and glazes "from start to finish" with their own take on the popular snack.
The shop was opened earlier this month after the owner decided to start baking doughnuts over the pandemic, in an attempt to bring the taste of America to south Wales.
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Lewis Hayward started baking doughnuts from his own kitchen last January after wanting to recreate the taste of America he loved.
"We were in the middle of lockdown and I just started making doughnuts in the house, it didn't work out too well initially as they are quite hard to make. I had to virtually learn to bake with dough and it's incredibly hard to get it right."
"I started giving them out to friends and family and I just got really into it. It was all very trial and error though" the 30-year-old laughed.
Having dreamt about owning and creating his own business, the self-confessed doughnut fanatic argued there was a real gap in Swansea for an authentic snack using batter.
"I wanted to emulate an american doughnut shop, I love doughnuts and the country and wanted to bring that over to here" he said.
Acknowledging that the city has a "number of good choices" when it comes to rival doughnut shops like The Crazy Baker and Nonna's Deliciously Different, the owner believes they have their "own take" to set them apart.
"A lot of Swansea's great doughnuts are yeast based and quite different to what you would find in America. We invested into equipment found in American shops with a Belshaw fryer so you get an authentic taste.
"We use a cake batter mix too, it's a different texture and taste compared to the others on offer in the city and isn't heavy on the stomach.
"We want to create our own flavours and our own takes on things, a lot of times now doughnuts are a conventional chocolate bar or a spread and it's not really your own creation then", said Lewis.
The Swansea resident who currently lives in the Copper Quarter hopes that the lighter texture will help push them into the lunch-time trade.
With neighbours that include an award-winning cheese toastie shop and the popular milkshake and smoothie stop 'The Mad Cow', Lewis believes Castle Arcade has become a unique "food hub" for the city.
Joined by friend Adam Williams, the local pair "wanted to try something completely different" and create a product "from the ground up" using their own glazes and flavours.
"It isn't something either of us have done before and coming out of lockdown, I think we both wanted a change and get stuck into something else" he said.
Both transitioning into new roles as star bakers, Lewis was previously an environmental health and safety engineer with Adam having a history in customer service.
Operating temporarily on Friday and Saturdays, the current plans are to take a step back from their main jobs and devote more time into the shop after January.
"It's the same with a lot of people at the moment, a lot of people are looking for different avenues to explore and turn their hobbies into their professions.
"I've always had a passion and desire to own a business and just wanted to take the plunge with Adam, we're excited to see where it goes," Lewis said.
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