A former English teacher has taken a career change by opening a hairdressers in Newport city centre.

Hounds, in Bridge Street, Newport, is the brainchild of Paul Monger, who chose its location because of the 'artisan and bohemian' vibe of the new businesses opening up in the area.

Mr Monger, who grew up in Rogerstone and attended Bassaleg School, spent 16 years in the hairdressing industry after he left school on 1988.

He went on to gain a first class degree in English Literature at Cardiff University, which led him to teaching English at secondary schools in Cowbridge and Bridgend, before becoming disillusioned with teaching and moving back to Newport.

Mr Monger said: "I really like the development of businesses in Bridge Street at the moment. I'm a bit further down the road from them but this area is ideal for the demographic I'm looking to serve.

"I'm now in my third month and I started out with no clientele to speak of but everyone who has been here has been really positive about the look of the salon, the ambiance of the place and the the service they have received. The returning custom has been really positive."

He said: "I grew up in Newport in the 70s and 80s when it had a lovely shopping centre but during my adult life the town centre has become everything people say about it.

"At the moment there are certainly shoots of recovery. There is so much going on with the artisans and independent businesses in the city like the new street food market at Stow Hill and it is these I find really interesting."

Hounds is based on the ground floor of the Walter Hunter building at on the corner of Bridge Street and Caxton Place. Although it mainly caters for men, Mr Monger said Hounds was open to anyone who wanted a more informal service style.

Mr Monger said: "The facade of the building lends itself to the feel I was looking for and it's slap band in the middle of an area full of young professionals and aspirationals.

"I noticed there was a bit of a gap in the market and I wanted to provide a service which would also fit well in the centre of Cardiff, or the Clifton area of Bristol, or Shoreditch in London - that sort of vibe."

Although he is looking to employ staff in the future, currently Mr Monger is running the business himself with the help of a trainee, who is funded by Act Training, also based on Bridge Street.

Robin Hall, managing director of Kymin Financial Planners, which is also on Bridge Street, who also sits on the board of Newport Now Business Improvement District, said: "The new Hound hairdressers looks really nice and really well set out. It's a great re use of what was an accountancy practice's office.

"I'll most probably be popping down the road to the new hairdresser's soon for a haircut. It's great that Bridge Street is attracting a whole range of new, high calibre and different businesses."