Newport's Davies Florist celebrates 80th anniversary

Davies Florist, in Upper Dock Street, celebrated the impressive landmark this month with a special appearance from The X Factor finalist Russell Jones Jr and other events to thank customers.

The 2017 finalist put on a performance while customers were treated to a variety of floral demonstrations, a raffle, discounts and complimentary glasses of Champagne.

Johanna Davies, who took over running the business from her mother in 2000, said she was delighted to have hit the landmark. 

“Newport has changed over the past few years, and we have watched many shops come and go," she said.

“You couldn’t take a sack truck in the market because there were too many people around.

“But it's great to see people from afar visit and if it there was time to open a new shop, this would be it as the city is on the rise.”

The business was opened in 1942 by Rose Hannah Beatrice as a stall in Newport Market. The shop has now moved to Upper Dock Street in the city centre.

It has been passed down for three generations, with Ms Davies opening the new shop during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the past two year has been difficult with the pandemic, the new store opened in March 2020 and was one of the busiest periods they had ever seen.

Ms Davies said: “We opened in March and the pandemic was one of our busiest years ever. I had never seen a Mother’s Day like it.

“As people couldn’t go out, they relied on us for deliveries and people ordered a lot of flowers.”

The shop has also catered for many important events, including for the Queen, Prince Charles, and NATO when the organisation held its conference in Newport in 2014.

However, the cost of living crisis is having an impact.

Ms Davies said: “We have been quiet since the cost of living crisis began, but I understand that this is a luxury. But people need cheering up and by coming to us they are getting better advice.

“As we are not here to rip you off, we are here to advise in what is such a difficult time at the moment.

“I am honest with people as honesty is the best policy and probably why we have been in business over 80 years.”

That is why, Ms Davies said, she wanted to say thank you to loyal customers with their anniversary event.

“There was about 60 people in here, we had cake and the wine was flowing," she said. "We had demonstrations and give aways and the things we made we put into a raffle.

“The money raised from the raffle went to Mind in Newport as it is a great charity, as people suffered with their mental health throughout covid. So it was a brilliant charity to send the money to.

“By doing the event we wanted to give back to the people of Newport, who have supported our business for 80 years and give something to them.”