WE ARE sometimes accused in some quarters of focussing too much on the negative.

We would argue very much that that is not a true reflection and today we are more than happy to concentrate coverage on the fantastic weekend event that was Newport's Food Festival.

Visitors to the city, and they arrived in their droves, were treated to a real feast.

Lots of activities, some off the wall but really fun entertainment and a fabulous array of stalls selling everything from flapjacks and chutneys to real ale, cupcakes and even snacks for dogs.

The positioning of the stalls at one end of town around the market, worked really well.

It also helped draw crowds into Newport's indoor market, currently undergoing a refurbishment and beginning to reveal a refreshing and attractive new look.

this is an event which we feel has real potential for the city. It started off quite small but is growing every year and the quality of the vendors illustrates its worth to them.

Some of them were local, which was great to see, but there were also many who had travelled quite some way for the chance to be part of the city's festival and that augurs very well for the future.

So well done to all those involved for creating an event which brought a real buzz to Saturday shopping in Newport and which was undoubtedly good news for existing businesses in the city.