AN ESTABLISHED Newport business has taken space at the £90m Friars Walk development in the city centre and has launched a new company to fill it.

Paul Gray, managing director of Beechwood Bed Centre Ltd, on Chepstow Road, said the new city centre shop will be run by his new company, The Candle Company (Newport), but will be trading as Yankee Candle.

Beechwood Beds has been established for 38 years and currently employs six staff. It is the biggest independent bed specialist in Newport, with more than 50 beds on show. It is also the largest Yankee Candle stockist in the city.

Mr Gray said: "There is a big demand for the market-leading Yankee Candle in Newport and Friars Walk offers a great opportunity to service customers from the west side of the city."

The new store will be 300 sq ft and will be selling the whole Yankee Candle range, including candles, reed diffusers and car fresheners. It will create six new jobs, with a mix of full and part-time roles.

Mr Gray said: "It's a very exciting time to be part of the Newport community as a whole but its thrilling for me personally to be part of the regeneration of our city.

"I well remember the vibrant 'town' centre of my younger days and I am sure that Friars Walk will not only recapture vitality of those days but surpass them."

Mr Gray said he expected to start fitting out the new store on September, ready for opening on November 12 along with the rest of the retail and leisure scheme.

Friars Walk has attracted big name retailers including Debenhams, Next, Schuh and H&M. Restaurants set to open at the development include Cosmo, Nandos, Frankie and Bennies and Las Iguanas. There will also be a Cineworld cinema.

It is being developed by Queensberry Real Estate and built by Bower and Kirkland.

Mr Gray's Yankee Candle business is the first local business to be announced as taking space in the development.