NEWPORT'S newly refurbished indoor market is all set for a grand opening next month.

The Grade II-listed Victorian building has been given a makeover costing around £4 million, and the refurbished bits can be seen by the public for the first time on Friday, November 19.

It will be a jam-packed day, with a local radio station broadcasting live from the market in the morning. In the afternoon there will be a fashion show by Gwent designers and the crowds will be entertained by Newport-based bands.

The refurbishment has been paid for by Newport council and by Europe's Objective 2 fund.

There will be new lifts to allow the disabled to access all areas, opaque glass floors and a stained-glass window reputed to be the largest of its kind in South Wales.

There will also be many new stalls on the upper level, including a hairdressing salon, a nail bar, a caf and a designer clothes stall.

In addition to conventional market opportunities, offices will be available to enable young entrepreneurs to start up their own business. Those interested will be able to rent office space for as little as £40 a week.

However, it hasn't all been plain sailing. The refurbishment has taken much longer than was originally anticipated, and the disruption has led to a temporary fall in trade for some of the stallholders.

Hilary Semmens, owner of Bibs & Bobs baby wear stall, said: "We are hoping things will improve when the upstairs is opened."

Terry Gay, owner of the Negative Zone comic stall, said: "Things have gone down during the improvements because of the disruption with noise and dust and access via the doors.

"We're just hoping that when it's open eventually things will improve.

"We hope that people will come in out of curiosity."

Sue Carpenter, owner of Sue's caf for the last 12 years, said: "Business is quieter since the improvements because of the work being done. They're taking their time."

Jackie Vincent, who has worked on the Rae Barton fruit and veg stall for 20 years, said: "The alterations are nice but they just need to get them complete now so we can have the market properly open."

Ms Vincent believes that trade has fallen because some of the doors have been closed during the refurbishment. She said that she was told that the work was only going to take eight weeks, when in reality it has taken about 20.

But not all the stallholders feel this way. Alison Plank, owner of Alison's ladies clothing stall, thinks things have definitely improved. She said:

"Over the last few years it has just gone from strength to strength. We still haven't got the footfall we need in the market, but with the vast improvements they've made, trade can only get better.

"You can't fault the place, they've put a lot of effort into this market over the last few years. I'm very happy with it."

Ms Plank also said that the market is getting a lot of visitors from Cardiff. She said: "People come back all the time."

Dean Cueto is a butcher, and also a member of the market management board. He said: "We went through a quiet phase but we've come out the other side and I don't think it's done us any harm.

"We've got a cleaner environment to work in, which is what everyone wants. It's a nice atmosphere."

His sentiments were echoed by Andy Oram, commercial manager for New-port market.

He said: "I would imagine that some stallholders may have had a slight downturn in trade, but on the whole I would say that the majority are looking forward to an increase in business once the new refurbishment is done and we're open."

Regarding the amount of time that it has taken to complete the renovations, he said: "It's a Grade II-listed building, and when you start work on such a project you find that things are not quite as you expected.

Some aspects of the work have taken a bit longer; other aspects of the work have been done really quickly."

Mr Oram claimed New-port market would be "a Covent Garden experience for Wales.

"It's not just a shopping space; people will come to be entertained."

He said there would be at least one event held in the market each week up until Christmas, and then a minimum of two events per week afterwards.