Two prominent Newport card shops are used to competing for trade – but on Tuesday lunchtime the fight became physical.
Shocked shoppers stopped in their tracks as the owners of Sentiments Card Shop and Celebrations, both in High Street, wrestled in the street.
Nearby business owners, who did not want to be named, told how an altercation erupted at around 12.30pm.
The two men were left rolling around on the floor as the argument progressed. Police were called to the scene and broke up the fight.
No arrests have been made, but Telford police spokesman Chris Ammonds said enquiries were ongoing.
He said: “Police were called to an incident outside Celebrations at 12.40pm. There was a dispute between two shop keepers.
“Police spoke to all involved at the scene and an investigation is ongoing into what occurred.
“There were no specific arrests but we are liaising with both parties to see what offences, if any, took place.
“It has been recorded as an assault.”
Celebrations refused to comment.
But John Brookes, who witnessed the incident, said: “It all got a bit nasty.
“The owner from Sentiments had gone over the road to Celebrations to check his competitor’s prices. The owner of Celebrations took offence to that and chucked him out.
“The two men then proceeded to wrestle in the street in front of everyone. A crowd soon gathered before police came to sort it out.”
A fellow High Street trader said the incident was out of character for the owner of Celebrations.
He said: “He is a nice man. We share some banter across the street and I was shocked to see him pinned to the floor.
“I do not know the owner of Sentiments very much as the couple only took over about six weeks ago.”
A spokesman for Sentiments said they were unable to comment at the time of writing.
By Sean Wozencroft
