CHOCOLATE “pizzas” have gone on sale in Swindon for the first time.

The mouth-watering treats have been brought to the town by sweet-toothed Paul Dunn.

The 53-year-old from Haydon Wick opened The Choc Shop in town centre Theatre Square on Saturday morning.

The shop is a departure for computer programmer Paul, who has never run a retail business before.

He was inspired to open the new shop, which is yards from Regent Circus, after tasting a chocolate pizza last Autumn – then finding that he couldn’t buy one in his home town.

Paul, whose favourite chocolate is the humble Galaxy bar, said: “A friend sent me a chocolate pizza for my birthday. Being a chocolate lover, it didn’t last long. I thought it would be a good gift for others but found I couldn’t buy one in Swindon.”

At around the same time, he read a call for would-be shopkeepers to open up in empty town centre shops as part of a council-backed scheme.

The shop has been a year in the make for Paul. He has a six-month lease, with hopes that if it proves successful The Choc Shop will become a more permanent feature in Theatre Square.

As well as Belgian chocolate and familiar brands, the shop will sell a range of pizzas by the Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Company – with most priced at around £11.

Life-long chocolate lover Paul said: “I think the pizzas are what will attract people to the shop, but they’ll find all these other things.

“Chocolate is a kind of drug. It’s something you can get hooked on – and it’s legal."

He hopes the chocolate pizzas will prove popular among those hunting for gifts for sweet-toothed relatives. Paul said: “It’s something different, rather than another bar of Dairy Milk.”

Friend Barbara Aftelak, 55, of Old Town, helped Paul decorate the new shop. She said: “Knowing how much he likes chocolate, I was kind of concerned if he’s left in here on his own there wouldn’t be any stock left.”

The Choc Shop is the first unit opened as part of the Flashshop scheme, which is backed by the council, Forward Swindon and town centre association InSwindon.

Mayor Coun Maureen Penny, who opened the new shop, said: “It’s rejuvenating the area – and it needs rejuvenating. It’s in a really good area, because there are a lot of people from the offices across the road who walk by at lunchtime.”

She added of the Flashshop scheme: “It’s really let small business owners do what they’ve dreamed of. I think it’s a brilliant idea.”

It is hoped that the Choc Shop will be the first of a wave of independent retailers coming into the town centre.

Di Powell, chief executive of InSwindon, said: “We are all delighted that this is the first signed lease agreement as a direct success for the vacant unit project.

“The team have engaged with a large number of interested parties and we are hopeful that this will result in more independent retailers setting up business in the town centre.”