WITH jars full of sweets and pink candy cane-striped walls, when you step into Sweets and Celebrations on Commercial Street in Pontypool, you could be mistaken for thinking you'd stepped back in time.

And this is exactly the experience owners Wayne and Kathy Jones want for their customers.

The shop opened on Commercial Street in Pontypool, opposite Principality Building society, on January 18, having previously been housed in the town's Indoor Market.

Mr Jones said he felt it was the perfect opportunity to bring a traditional feel back to the town centre.

READ MORE:

"We have found that Pontypool is the perfect place for us," said Mr Jones. "It’s what we are all about, bringing that tradition back in to the high street.

"We have a lot of older customers, as they come in and say that it brings back memories of going in to sweet shops when they were younger.

"Our retro sweets, like cherry lips, are very popular. You can buy sweets straight out of the jar.

"But we also have a lot of younger customers too, and we have started to do an American range too to cater for their tastes.

"We try to create a personal shopping experience which you don’t really get at bigger stores.

"It's about being more than just a sweet shop."

South Wales Argus:

Sweets and Celebrations aims to offer a personal service

Mrs Jones said: "It’s not just about selling sweets, it’s about making our customers happy. That's what's most important for us.

"I think however much or however little a customer is spending, making sure they are happy is the most important thing," agreed Mr Jones.

The business is still relatively new, having only been established in 2018.

South Wales Argus:

Wayne Jones, owner of Sweets and Celebrations

"I was working in sales for 20 years," said Mr Jones. "With the money I had saved I left my job and set up my dream business.

"When we started in 2018, we started out just doing events - with our sweet carts and selling candyfloss and popcorn.

"After that proved popular, we were able to move in to Pontypool Indoor Market. But we have now outgrown the market and moved into our own shop on the high street.

"People seem to appreciate and recognise when you put your all in to something."

Mr Jones said offering help to small businesses with their business rates is one way to resurrect the high street.

South Wales Argus:

Sweets and Celebrations in Commercial Street in Pontypool

"With the decline of shops in the high street, I think the town needs more and more small, local businesses," he said.

"At the same time we moved in, there is also the pet shop next door, which also moved in from the market.

"The Welsh Government have helped us with the relief on business rates," he said.

"Without that, we couldn’t have moved in to our own shop.

"That is what has always stopped us from even thinking about it in the past.

"We’ve had lots of people come in and say with us and the pet shop moving in, it has brightened up this part of town.

"That’s what we need, more and more stores moving in to the high street.

"And because we are local people, we have a passion for seeing local businesses succeeding in Pontypool."