BAKERY giant Greggs will open its first drive-thru store in Wales later this year.

The new outlet will open in Swansea in the summer after a handful of successful pilots in England.

Cooke & Arkwright's Retail and Leisure agency have agreed terms and have exchanged contracts on a new-build site on Fabian Way and construction work is underway.

The new store is expected to open in July.

A new Greggs is also planned for Cross Hands Business Park as part of a development near the Home Bargains store.

Steve Jones, estate surveyor at Greggs, said: “We anticipate that our drive-thru sites will become popular with busy families and people on the go.

"It is a resilient formula in general and has proven to be especially convenient for people during the pandemic restrictions.

"We are delighted to be bringing drive-through’s to our customers in Wales with the first scheduled to open in Swansea in July.”

Huw Thomas, director of retail and leisure at Cooke & Arkwright said that and in addition to Fabian Way, Swansea, Greggs have exchanged on two other locations in Wales.

Mr Thomas said: “The drive-through model is quickly becoming part of Greggs’ continuing expansion plan in Wales.

"We have been sourcing highly visible plots with good accessibility in prominent roadside locations as well as on established retail, business and industrial parks.

"We are pleased to confirm that we have secured the first three drive-thru sites in Wales with more in the pipeline.

“In addition to the new drive through’s, we have also exchanged on several new shop openings for both 2021 and 2022 at Cross Hands Business Park; Brynmawr Retail Park; Mariner Street, Swansea; Cymmer Road, Porth; and Newport Retail Park, with many more currently in solicitors’ hands.”

Cooke & Arkwright secured new shop openings for Greggs in 2020, most of which were on non-high street locations in Cardiff, Barry, Pengam, Cwmbran, Pontyclun, Merthyr, Mumbles and Chepstow.

Greggs now occupies high streets, retail parks, shopping centres, industrial estates office and business parks, shops in travel hubs, motorway services, Universities, and busy roadside locations with parking.