Newport foodstore bid attracts warm welcome

Plans to transform a Newport garden centre into a major foodstore were today welcomed by town bosses.

Developer David Brierley, of Growing Enterprises Ltd, hopes to change Mere Park Garden Centre, off the A41, into a Tesco or Morrisons store, creating about 200 jobs.

The garden centre, which has a 20,000sq ft sales floor, would then move to another location on the same site.

Chamber of Commerce chairman Patrick Beech said the move would be better for the town than either of the other two supermarkets proposed.

Mr Beech said: "I think this is a good thing and will deter the others."