Penarth Nub News aims to support our community, promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups.

We will be profiling some of these businesses and organisations in a feature called 'Up Close in Penarth'.

Today we help unveil the annual Winter Wonderland Display at one of Penarth's most beloved businesses.

The opening of Hamptons' Winter Wonderland display has for 16 years been one of the highlights of Penarth's festive calendar.

Since co-owners Peter Knowles and Andy Bradshaw arrived here in 2005, they have annually marked the beginning of the Christmas period by turning their corner of Ludlow Lane into a festive paradise.

And although the pandemic touches all aspects of life, it hasn't stopped Hamptons from putting on yet another magical display this year - albeit a socially distanced one.

"We're renowned for doing something quite spectacular," Peter tells Nub News. "One year, for the opening event, we hired a horse-drawn carriage carrying Father and Mrs Christmas and there were literally hundreds and hundreds of people lining the streets.

"Obviously this year, that's not going to happen, which is obviously slightly disappointing. We know that it's just not feasible to do a socially distanced opening, so instead we decided to bring the opening forward. I think at the end of lockdown everyone needs something a bit sparkly and joyous."

Hamptons regulars will know that each year the display centres on a specific theme, from Narnia to the Enchanted Garden. This year, an ethereal thread runs through the shop.

"We tend to choose a theme that goes with one of the collections on display. This year we've worked with a the London company called Gisela Graham," says Peter.

"She's an Austrian lady who makes the most spectacular decorations. We're offering one of her collections this year which has a celestial theme, so this year's display provides a bit of celestial magic."

Free-standing crescent moons, glittering stars and a rotating, ceiling-hung cosmic centrepiece - it's impossible to ignore craftsmanship on show.

But given Andy's esteemed background, the movie set-like design quality should come as no surprise.

A four time BAFTA-winning theatrical and television designer, Andy possesses the vision to dream up Hamptons' sets and the technique to execute them.

"He's one of those people who can make something out of nothing," Peter says of his business partner and husband. "Andy gets to use all the skills he's built up over years and years to create our displays.

"We talk about the displays we're going to do and then he goes off, rummages in his workshop, and reappears with a new thing that he's made.

"And we'll say, 'How on earth did you do that?'"

Andy arrives just in time for Nub News to probe the source of his creativity.

"Lots of wine," he jokes. "As a production designer, you know where to source materials and you have an idea of what works and what doesn't and what will look good. Then you just sort of cobble it all together."

Perhaps we have the recent lockdown to thank for the extravagance of this year's display, as it provided more time than usual for Andy to "cobble together" the display.

"Normally we would do it over a series of evening, but because we've been closed for firebreak it's given us the opportunity to do it over two weeks, says Peter.

"This year we've launched our new food hall. We're introducing delicious and exquisite artisan food, many from local and Welsh producers, many from further afield.

"All the products are made by people passionate about food, from biscuits, confectionary, tea, coffee, bacon curing kits, garlic dressings and Welsh honey-infused gins.

"We've had the very tough job of testing all the delicious products before we sell them."

This year also sees the introduction of Hamptons' Hampers, designed to bring separated families together from afar.

"These hampers are for people who want to send gifts to friends, relatives or colleagues who they might not be able to see this time around. We will either deliver them personally if sent locally or we can post them further afield."

The success of Hamptons and our broader High Street this winter relies on residents summoning up their Christmas spirits after a difficult year.

Peter thinks bringing Christmas cheer to Penarth is more important now than ever before.

"Oh I definitely think people will get into the Christmas spirit.

"The amount of people who have walked past as we're putting in the display and tapping on the window, giving us the thumbs up and saying how excited they are… it just shows there is some joy and some magic about us.

"Also, the amount of people who have said they're doing all their Christmas shopping locally and supporting their local independent shops is amazing. It's so incredibly heartwarming to hear.

"So many people have said they're really pushing the boat out for Christmas this year. We might not be able to see all of our friends and family, but even if it's just two of us, we're going to have a hugely self-indulgent Christmas just by ourselves.

"We all need a bit of special joy and magic in our lives and if we can't have it at Christmas, when can we have it?

"We would also like to encourage people to support all local shops in our town to ensure the vibrancy of our high street continues into next week and beyond."