Newport prepares to mark 20 years as city

Dubbed Wales’ third city – due to its population size – Newport was officially awarded the honour on March 14, 2002, as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.

It was The Port’s third attempt at city status in a decade – having previously tried in 1994 and at the turn of the Millennium – and came off the gloomy backdrop of the announcement that more than 2,100 steel jobs had been axed in Gwent – with more than 1,000 of those going when then heavy end of the Llanwern plant was closed.

At the time, many were hopeful that city status would breathe new confidence into Newport and a belief that it could hold its own alongside the likes of Cardiff and Bristol, which it is sandwiched between.

Newport gained city status 20 years ago, in 2002.

Famous faces also got behind the campaign – with Sir Anthony Hopkins, a former Newportonian, making the case that Newport’s strong culture and economic value to Wales made it a good candidate for city status.

However, for all the support that was put behind the city status bid, plenty still hold the belief that Newport should have remained a town.

So, as we approach 20 years as a city, the Argus looks back at some of Newport’s triumphs and challenges in that time.

A new city, looking for new opportunities

It’s fair to say that when Newport joined the city-status club back in 2002, the town had been facing a lot of uncertainty.

Newport's regenerated riverfront, as part of plans to help the city cope with the loss of heavy industry.

A decline in heavy industry through the 90s – which was a huge part of Newport’s identity and economic prosperity – was difficult to ignore.

So much so, Newport Unlimited – a urban regeneration company – was set up by the city council and Welsh Government in 2003 as a means of shifting Newport away from its reliance on heavy industry, to help the city explore new economic opportunities.

In its 10-year tenure, Newport Unlimited invested £230 million of private investment in the city. In fact, the riverfront regeneration owes a lot to the company.

Money was also pumped in to boosting retail opportunities in Newport – as well as increasing housing and reclaiming derelict land in the city.

Valley trains to Cardiff bring retail blow

There’s no question that the opening of the Ebbw Valley railway line to Cardiff in 2008 hit Newport hard.

The Argus has long campaigned for trains between Ebbw Vale and Newport to resume.

Especially as plans had always been to establish a line between the former steelworks town down to Newport – in the 13 years of its existence, the railway completely by-passed the city.

It also gave communities in the Ebbw Valley a new shopping alternative – a direct train to Wales’ capital Cardiff, which was also undergoing significant retail regeneration at the time.

More than 10 years since the railway’s opening and Newport was still left waiting to be hooked up to the line.

The Argus long campaigned for the line to open and finally, services between Cross Keys and Newport were up and running in December 2021 - but these have since been placed on indefinite hiatus.

2010 Ryder Cup and 2014 NATO conference

Arguably, these two events introduced Newport to the world stage.

The Ryder Cup came to Newport in 2010.

It was the 17th time that golf’s staple competition came to Britain, but the first time it was held in Wales.

Hosted at the luxury Celtic Manor Resort – the eyes of the world were on Newport that October weekend in 2010 as Europe edged victory of the USA.

Fast forward four years and the world turned its attention to Newport once again, this time hosting the globe’s biggest political players – including President Barack Obama, who made a famous visit to Mount Pleasant primary school.

Former President Barack Obama visited a Newport primary school when NATO were in town in 2014.

And whilst these were both major international events, some might say the city has struggled to build on these triumphs.

Friars Walk breathes new life into Newport’s retail scene

When Friars Walk opened in November 2015, there was plenty of excitement.

It was the first new shopping centre in Newport since the Kingsway centre had been redeveloped in 2008, and changed the look of the city centre dramatically.

How Friars Walk looked on opening day, 2015.

Bringing with it a host of big brands, eateries, and a cinema – there was much expectation placed on its shoulders that it would overturn the city’s struggling retail sector.

And although some big names have left the complex in recent years – including the flagship Debenhams store - much of that has been largely out of Friars Walk’s control.

As high streets across the country are still coming to terms with the effects the covid pandemic has had on business, it’s encouraging to see a number of independent shops have taken up units in Friars Walk.

What’s next for Newport?

Newport – like many other cities – faces a difficult economic recovery post-pandemic.

Currently, it has the most empty shop units of any city in the UK and was also dealt a huge blow when major employer Admiral announced it would be closing its office in the city.

Newport currently has the most empty shops in the UK.

But there’s also cause for optimism.

A new indoor market is set to reopen later this week after a £12 million renovation project, and it’s historic Market Arcade has also undergone a similar revamp.

What’s more, we’re expecting a new ‘state of the art’ leisure centre to replace to current Newport Centre as regeneration efforts continue and the new Mercure Hotel is due to open. 

An artist's impression of the new leisure centre for the city.

The success of these projects will be important for Newport going forward, if the city wants to offer an alternative to its bigger neighbour, Cardiff.