WE wholeheartedly support any move to restore Newport's Westgate Hotel to its former glory.

In 1839, the Commercial Street building was at the centre of the Chartist uprising, a momentous time in the city's history.

Today, the building's entrance porch is littered with rubbish and the walls are covered in graffiti.

It is arguably Newport's most historic intact building and has a pivotal place in the hearts of so many.

Until a few years it was still a hotel and after that it was a nightlclub.

If you walk past it now, it looks run down and shabby - hardly befitting a building of such historical importance.

We believe in a regenerated city and want the Westgate to play a part in this important transformation.

Restoring it to a prestigious hotel will take a tremendous leap of faith but one that is worth taking.

While it may not have the parking facilities so many modern hotels rely on, we do not believe that would be a hindrance to any restoration project.

Many cities have hotels in their centres without parking, so we hope this is not something that will be used as a smokescreen against future development.

We are sure the hotel would attract enough guests simply on its historic value alone.

We call on the current owners of the building to make their intentions clear on what they plan for it and we urge the council to do everything in their power to ensure the Westgate - just like the Art College - is not left to rot.