NATION-WIDE fashion retailer M&Co has opened its doors to customers in Tenby.

M&Co announced it had agreed a lease with family-run T.P. Hughes to occupy its 10,000 sq ft property fronting on High Street, Upper Frog Street and St Nicholas Lane, which include the extensions into Bank Lane.

The store has created 30 new jobs with five positions being filled by former T.P. Hughes staff.

This is the third store in Wales for the fashion retailer, which ranges include women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and accessories, together with homeware products.

Advised by Cardiff-based independent commercial property specialists Cooke & Arkwright, T.P. Hughes will still operate in the town but will focus its efforts on home furnishings.

T.P. Hughes will continue to sell furniture, carpets, bedding and home furnishings from the current carpet shop location in Upper Frog Street.

Chris Hughes of T.P. Hughes said: “We’re really pleased to have signed this deal with M&Co and help them open their third store in Wales. Five of our current staff have secured jobs with the retailer and we are sure they will be very happy in their new positions.

“Having had such a long-standing presence in Wales, we always review our business strategy in line with customer demand. As a result, we are now focusing our offering on home furnishings.

Huw Thomas, director at Cooke & Arkwright, said: “T.P. Hughes has been a key part of the Tenby retail offering for over a century and it was important for us to secure a long-term lease to a company that T.P. Hughes felt would benefit and add value to the Tenby community, of which it has played and will continue to play a key part moving forward.

“Whilst we did generate interest from a number of other retailers as well as some alternative uses, it was agreed that M&Co’s broad fashion line would be the most beneficial in attracting shoppers to Tenby.

“M&Co’s complimentary trade with the existing TP Hughes furnishings business, their recruitment of some of the existing TP Hughes staff, as well as their long-term commitment to investing into the building, demonstrates how securing this agreement with M&Co was the correct course of action to take.

“We’re sure that T.P. Hughes, M&Co and their customers will benefit immensely from the new store opening.”

Steve Knott, M&Co executive chairman, said: “I think the new store looks absolutely fantastic; with help from TP Hughes we were able to turn the store around within 6 weeks of being given the keys – which is brilliant.”

“We were very keen to retain the heritage of the building and feel that we’ve done TP Hughes proud.”

“The initial reaction from customers is that they are really delighted that we’re here – so fingers crossed that we will have a long and established relationship with Tenby.”