A furniture store has committed to staying in a Wiltshire town that’s “on the up” for the next five years.

Sofa Brands Factory Outlet first opened the doors of its Chippenham store on New Road six months ago and bosses have been “delighted” with the branch’s sales since then.

The sofa store is one of several businesses to open on New Road, between the town centre and the railway viaduct, over the last year and businesses say there is now “a real buzz” to the area.

Craig Lyus, group marketing director at Sofa Brands International, said the popularity of the store had “exceeded expectations.”

He added: “We’re delighted that our initial six months of trading exceeded expectations, in what is a very challenging market for sofas and furniture at the moment.

“The fact that we’re able to offer our major brands like G Plan and Parker Knoll at a fraction of the RRP has clearly struck a chord in the current economic climate.”

The decision has been welcomed by Mark Williams, owner of Coffee on the Corner opposite the store, who believes New Road is benefitting from increased footfall.

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He added: “The Sofa Brands Factory Outlet are very good neighbours to us.

“We have certainly served many of their visitors, and on more than one occasion we’ve recommended that our customers look for a bargain at Sofa Brands.

“We’re really pleased that they’re staying – this area of town is definitely on the up. Lots of people pass by and there’s real buzz here.”

The Factory Outlet offers brand like G Plan, Duresta and the Lounge Co at discounted prices and Mr Lyus believes the store will continue to grow next year.

He said: “Given the distance they (customers) travel they tend to make a day of it in Chippenham, which has also benefitted a lot of our neighbouring businesses – particularly Coffee on the Corner over the road.

“Word of mouth continues to grow around Wiltshire and we anticipate strong growth as we move into 2025.”

Bath property company HPH, which owns and manages 55 New Road, was pleased to secure Sofa Brands’ continued presence in the unit.

“This is exciting news,” said managing director Lindsay Holdoway.

“Not only has a prestigious retail brand chosen Chippenham, but it has experienced a better return on its investment than anticipated.

“This demonstrates that the town itself, as well as the area around it, is an important market for quality brands. People are very happy to travel to Chippenham for key purchases.”