Wessex Garages has opened its new Renault and Dacia dealership in Newport.

On the night VIP attendees were entertained by male voice choir Only Men Aloud and a magician, as well as enjoying a champagne reception and French-themed canapés at the new showroom on Newport Retail Park.

Dale Richardson, operations director at Wessex Garages, said: “Our new £500,000 refurbished, hi-tech dealership looks absolutely fantastic.

“It is modern and fully interactive, catering to customer’s needs and enhancing their experience.

“People will be able to watch videos about the cars and services available and can make use of a digital lounge, including free Wi-Fi, to help them select their perfect motor.

“Renault and Dacia’s range of cars is the best it has ever been and there are lots more exciting models to come in the future.”

Special guests also attended from Newport County AFC, Newport Gwent Dragons and the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team.

The new dealership stocks Renault and Dacia’s full range of cars as well as Renault’s electric vehicles, such as the Renault Zoe, Twizy and Kangoo Z.E.

It also has a new electric charge point.

The new dealership will be an official wholesaler of Renault and Dacia parts.

Darren Payne, sales director at Renault Group UK, said: “Wessex Garages have a fantastic reputation and over 30 years’ experience of successful automotive retailing, so we’re very pleased to now have them as part of the Renault Group UK network and that our brand has a significantly stronger presence in South Wales.

“As more and more customers continue to be attracted to Renault and Dacia, now’s a really exciting time for Renault Group in the UK and we’re looking forward to even more dealerships being established as a core component of our GO5+ strategy for sustainable growth.”

Wessex Garages is a privately owned company that has outlets in Bristol, Cardiff, Gloucester and Newport. It specialises in new and used car sales across South Wales and the South West.

> Pictures: guests and entertainers at the opening night