A business owner from Newport has converted a long-vacant city centre space into a new independent coffee and cake shop, bucking the trend of empty storefronts that has plagued the struggling retail area.

Joanna Iwanowicz has launched Cakes and Cream on the ground floor of Chartist Tower along Upper Dock Street, taking over premises that had remained unused for approximately six years. The venture represents her second commercial enterprise within the city.

Having always enjoyed patronising coffee shops, Iwanowicz grew tired of encountering the same restricted choices across different locations. Her establishment aims to provide customers with an extensive selection of baked goods, accommodating those following vegan, vegetarian or lactose-free diets, complemented by specialty coffee sourced from a family-operated roastery that cultivates its own beans and carries out roasting operations in Gloucestershire.

The venue offers patrons a laid-back environment stocked with an array of cakes, pastries, brownies and blondies, alongside a savoury selection of toasties and paninis designed to attract the midday lunch crowd. Current promotional offers include a bundle of three brownies or blondies priced at £9.99, as well as a Wednesday special combining coffee and cake to allow customers to sample more items for their expenditure.

Cakes and Cream commenced trading on 2 April following a brief social media marketing campaign spanning just several days, yet has already garnered encouraging responses from visitors who have highlighted the diverse cake selection, excellent coffee quality and welcoming interior décor. Future plans include expanding the plant-based and vegetarian offerings, with potential introduction of afternoon tea services during the summer months should interest continue to build.

The opening occurs against a backdrop of ongoing challenges facing Newport’s city centre, which continues to grapple with elevated vacancy levels and a reputation for shuttered commercial properties despite recent initiatives aimed at attracting independent traders and progressing redevelopment schemes for significant buildings including the adjacent Chartist Tower. Iwanowicz stated her ambition to convert the neglected, underutilised space into a welcoming establishment combining comfort with attentive service, providing city residents with a spot to slow down, socialise and appreciate a carefully prepared coffee alongside a slice of cake.