THE successor to popular artisan coffee shop, Caffe Isola, opened at former gift and cookware store, Beavis, in Newport, this week.

The new venture, Caffe Isola and the Chapel Street Roastery, in Nodehill, opened on Monday.

Dan Burgess, who owns Caffe Isola and the Isle of Wight Espresso Company, which supplies commercial coffee machines and produces Island Roasted coffee, has high hopes for the cafe in Upper St James' Street, which specialises in Island-produced food and beverages.

Dan said he had invested heavily to create a modern, spacious cafe, serving coffee imported from Italy.

"I'm very excited about it. The feedback we've had has been very encouraging," said Ventnor-born Dan, who established Caffe Isola in 2006.

"I had been looking for a new site for about five years. The new cafe took us 18 months to refurbish - paying great attention to detail and preserving a lot of its natural features to make it a comfortable and cosy experience with a relaxing ambience.

"I think it will put the Isle of Wight on the coffee lovers' map. It is a long term project which I hope will continue as a family business."