Thirty new jobs are expected to be created in Llanbadarn by the end of the year, after a furniture retailer received the green light from planners to take over the former Cambrian Printers building.

Hafren Furnishers, which has been trading for more than 55 years from its hometown of Llanidloes, said it has been “keen to better serve the Aberystwyth and Ceredigion market“ with the opening of a second store – bucking the trend of shop closures amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it has searched for more than a decade for a “suitable location” and considered the former Cambrian Printers site to be “the perfect location at which to expand the business”.

Hafren Furnishers said the new store, given the go-ahead by planners this week, would create around 30 new jobs and “anticipate the premises would open for trade during 2021”.

The company said the new store would “offer choice and value for customers in the local area and beyond”.

Hafren said that it is “anticipated” that the new store will “create between 24 and 35 new jobs”, and will be able to open quickly with no major alterations planned.

A separate application for change of signage is due to be submitted.

Cambrian Printers, which was once part of the Cambrian News, shut its Aberystwyth office last year with the loss of dozens of jobs after a 160-year connection with the town.

Pensord, which bought the family firm in 2017, moved the manufacturing part of the business to South Wales, leaving the Llanbadarn building empty.

Hafren Furnishers agreed a price to buy the building - a deal which will now go ahead now that planning permission has been granted.

A planning report for the company said: “Hafren Furnishers’ interest in the site presents an opportunity to inject new life into the Llanbadarn area, bringing the prospect of employment to the immediate area while avoiding the potential risk of decay and dereliction at a prominent location.

“The development will result in a series of economic benefits.

“Indeed, the proposal will give rise to the creation of 30 full-time-equivalent jobs.

“Given that Hafren Furnishers is a local business, all staff are to be locally based and benefit from a training and employment programme.”

The company said that the opening of the new store is “not speculative”, despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on businesses, and estimates a turnover of more than £1m a year.

The company’s store in Llanidloes will continue to trade, documents say, while the existing book binding site based at the 3,800 sq ft building will “also be offered the opportunity to continue to trade on the site”.

The change of use application was given the green light subject to conditions by council planners under delegated powers on 8 July.

Officers welcomed the move, saying there is a “distinct lack” of large-scale furniture sellers in Aberystwyth, and that the move would make use of a “prominent empty building”.