A new, Spanish-themed cafe and bar is aiming to bring "a little bit" of Alicante to the Isle of Wight.

The former Retreat Cafe, on Scarrots Lane, Newport is in the process of being transformed into Valentine's — which is next to Gray's Walk.

In the day the cafe will serve "proper" English breakfasts and by night, it will turn into a bar, with acoustic music, Spanish wine and tapas. 

It is the latest venture from businessman, Jay Smith-Dowse, who recently took over the town's much-loved Bitesize — soon to be named Kenny's.

Read more: Popular Isle of Wight takeaway bids farewell to Kenny

"I've always loved the location and I used to come here myself a lot, when it was The Retreat", he told the County Press.

"I've always loved the continent, Spain and Portugal, and I love tapas and good wine so why not combine the two of them?

"I often think I don't neccessarily want a full meal but some nice little bits and tapas nibbles, a bit of acoustic music and a nice glass of wine in a Spanish-style atmosphere could be really nice."

Jay said the cafe/bar will be different to others on the Island as "it's not somewhere that is designed for you to have a full meal".

In the evening, customers will not have to order food.

He said: "You'll order your wines. Waiters will come around with large trays with little wooden boards.

"The boards will have individual tapas and you take them as they go around and then at the end of the evening your waiter will say how many you've had and the price."

Jay said he wants to install wine shelves, high seating, booth and bench seating and breakfast bars.

At the front of the cafe he plans to have terracotta walls, palm trees and seating to "make it look like the Costa Del Sol."

He hopes to employ between 10 to 15 people.

The cafe/bar's opening date has yet to be decided, but Jay is aiming for December.