MORE NEW NAMES HEADING TO CWMBRAN CENTRE

Three new occupiers are to open stores at Cwmbran Centre – just days after the Lounge group announced it is bringing its brand to the retail destination.

Treats N Play will open at 19-25 The Parade, after local businesswoman Jemma Cantelo signed a 10-year deal for the 2,528 sq ft unit with national commercial property and investment company LCP, which owns and manages the centre.

It is expected to open next month and will include a children’s soft play centre, mini role-playing village, gaming room, sensory room, party room and café.

She said:  “I’m so excited to be given the opportunity to open my new business venture in my home town where I grew up. Cwmbran Shopping Centre is transforming and seeing so many new businesses given a chance is fantastic. I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Another local entrepreneur is opening Plump Cakes Retro Tearooms at 4, The Arcade. Emma Plumpton, who has agreed a five-year lease, said the six-year-old family business is transferring from Market Village so that it can sell a wider range of bakes, including cupcakes, brownies and old school sponge, as well as other foods and drinks. 

“Cwmbran is our local shopping centre and we have always liked to wander around the great shops here. We are looking forward to now being one of those shops,” she said.

Fit out is under way and Emma hopes to open in a few weeks’ time.

The final tenant is Rugby Heaven, which has signed a five-year lease for 8-10 Monmouth Walk and will upsize from a previous unit to one larger flagship Cwmbran store.

The announcement comes less than a week after The Loungers group, which also operates Cosy Club, said it is to open the Carro Lounge in the former Square Inn, Gwent Square, which was last occupied in 2012. It has agreed a 15-year lease for the 4700 sq ft unit.

Last month, LCP revealed that four new tenants, including Geek Retreat, had signed leases to open at the centre. All are fitting out their respective stores, ready to open to the public in the next few weeks.

Alex Williams, LCP asset manager, said: “This is an exciting time for the Cwmbran Centre and we’re pleased to welcome another three new tenants.  We are committed to investing in the centre to ensure it remains a premier retail destination for years to come.

“We are keen to continue to work with regional businesses requiring physical retail space to allow local entrepreneurship to flourish. Each of these new tenants adds to the diverse offering, which is vital for the town’s continued success.”

Cwmbran Centre has 180 retail units over 740,000 sq ft and is anchored by Asda and Primark. Other leading brands include JD Sports, River Island, Superdrug, New Look and Deichmann and there are 3,000 free car parking spaces and a dedicated bus station.

Agents KLM and EJ Hales acted on LCP’s behalf.