TRADERS in Pontypool have called for the town to adopt an outdoor cafe culture by introducing outdoor seating.

In light of Greggs' recent appeal to Torfaen council to allow its George Street store to have outdoor seating, a number of business people in the town have spoken in favour of the idea.

Owner of SVM record stall in Pontypool Indoor Market, Steve Harris, said: “Pontypool is in the centre of Torfaen and Gwent, unlike Cwmbran you have the open space and it’s about attracting a variety of people.

“If all the stores in the residential part of the town were allowed an outside area you could have a sort of Mediterranean area.

"Pontypool is twinned with a French and a Portuguese town and you could even tie that in with a French themed weekend.”

Pontypool Community Council has written a letter of support in favour of Greggs' appeal to Torfaen council after members spoke in favour of the town having more outdoor seating.

Cllr Gaynor James, who owns a business in the town, said: “Speaking as a trader, people should be allowed to sit outside, there is a need in every town for outside areas. Pontypool should provide that as at the moment we haven’t got one.

“We are way behind in this town as far as things like this are concerned. It would be fantastic to have a lot more outside seating, give it a continental look and none of the traders I have spoken to would disagree with it.”

The Pontypool Settlement Area regeneration project, between 2011 to 2015, saw over £10 million worth of funding invested in Pontypool and its surrounding areas.

As part of the project, Pontypool’s town centre underwent a transformation with the cobbled stones being removed and public art being installed.

Trader Mark James said: “The town does need to do something to get people in, turning George Street into a summer seating area isn’t a bad idea."

Nikola Masters, chairwoman of Pontypool Traders Association, added: “It would be lovely and would change the face of the town and get people out and about.

“The continental way in the summer would be the way to go. It would make it more attractive and make the town have a more vibrant feel.

"Anything like a street of outdoor seating would make people stay longer, get people from outside of Torfaen in and that’s a good thing.”