A POPULAR clothing retailer has announced that it will be closing one of its branches in South Wales later this year. 

Select Fashion, which has nine branches across Wales, including one in Newport, has confirmed it will be closing its Cwmbran store in early December. 

According to a post shared on social media by store manager Katie Morgan, the store, currently in the M Cwmbran Centre, will close for good on either Wednesday 4 or Thursday, 5 December. 

Revealing the sad news on Facebook on Friday, October 25, she wrote: "Heartbreaking to be writing this – but Select Cwmbran will be closing. Our last final day will be around the 4th/5th December.

"Sadly there isn’t another unit big enough for us to relocate  I’m absolutely gutted – thank you to all our customers, old and new for the continued support. 

"We will be open for business as usual everyday up until then."

The post was later then shared to the shop's official Facebook page and a number of local community groups. 

Members of the local community reacted to the news with dismay, with more than one person describing themselves as "gutted" at the news. 

One person said Select was their "favourite shop in Cwmbran", while others speculated as to what could be replacing it. 

Select has been at 9 The Mall in M Cwmbran, formerly known as the Cwmbran Centre, for a number of years, and it is believed that there will be a new tenant after the clothing store reaches the end of its lease. 

The centre has welcomed a whole host of new businesses in the last 12 months, including a new eatery in Jungle Peri Peri and Cards Direct. 

Coffi Kitoko, previously a van in the centre, has also recently moved into a permanent unit in the shopping centre. 

This is in addition to the 14 businesses that opened in the centre last year in 2023, including Dunelm, The Range and Coffee #1.