NEARLY half of the businesses which occupied units in Friars Walk on opening day in 2015 have since left the shopping centre.

In total, there were 31 retail, leisure and restaurant businesses at Friars Walk when it opened on November 12, 2015.

Of those, 13 retailers have left the site over the last seven years and, although some have been replaced with newer businesses, Newport traders throughout the city centre facing inflation and rapidly rising energy costs.

So the question remains how to best protect existing traders with Newport City Council saying they are 'doing everything in its power to support local businesses.'

Yesterday, the South Wales Argus launched a Back Our Businesses campaign, urging people to shop, eat, drink and buy local and support local traders and businesses that play an active role in the community where they can.

The message is to support businesses if you want to make sure they are still there in the future. 

Independent businesses are “the lifeblood of any town or city centre”, said Kevin Ward, manager of the Newport Now Business Improvement District, and the BID recently joined the #BusinessSOS campaign which has warned the Government of the issues the high street faces.

A changing Friars Walk

When Friars walk opened in 2015, the new stores were - H&M, Debenhams, JD Sports, Top Shop/TopMan, CL Jeffries, Mothercare, New Look, Jack & Jones, Next, Pandora, River Island, Schuh, The Candle Company, Tiger, M&S Foodhall, The Body Shop, Coffee#1, Greggs, Krispy Kreme, Coffee Corner, Occasions, Le Bistrot Pierre, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Wagamama, Prezzo, Chiquito, TGI Fridays, Nando’s, Las Iguanas, Cineworld and Drago Lounge.

Since then, 13 have left the centre - Debenhams, TopShop/TopMan, Mothercare, Jack & Jones, Schuh, The Candle Company, Tiger, The Body Shop, Krispy Kreme, Occasions, Le Bistrot Pierre, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Cineworld and Chiquito.

The most recent loss to the centre, French restaurant Bistrot Pierre, was a result of what CEO Nick White described as "significant challenges" since reopening after the coronavirus pandemic.

He also highlighted the loss of some of the Friars Walk's biggest draws such as Debenhams and Cineworld - the so-called 'anchor tenants' - as another factor in the decision.

The closure of the city's Debenhams store in May 2021 - when the firm closed down all its UK department stores - and the ongoing questions over the future of the Cineworld cinema, which has kept its Friars Walk branch closed since the first lockdown, have meant two of the biggest draws to the shopping centre were effectively wiped out.

There are seven empty units in the shopping centre, with the future of Cineworld also remaining in doubt.

There are positives to shout about too, as there have been a number of popular new additions in the meantime - such as Sin City Comics, Smiggle and DMG SCY.

MS for Newport East, John Griffiths, said it was "disappointing" that Bistrot Pierre had gone.

"Along with shopping centres throughout Wales and the UK Friars Walk faces the challenge of adapting to new shopping patterns and the cost of living crisis," he said.

"Diversifying into more leisure and public services together with local independent traders may be part of the answer. Along with more residential accommodation in the city centre generally we have been moving in that direction.

"Developments such as the Mercure Hotel and the forthcoming relocation of Coleg Gwent together with the new leisure Centre will help increase footfall in the city centre."

In the city centre this week, there was a mix of optimism and disillusionment.

One Newport resident, who did not want to be named, said: "It [Bistrot Pierre] won't be the last will it?

"It was great when this place opened [Friars Walk], but it's not that great now."

Another resident, Amelia Wilcox, was more upbeat. "This just happens sometimes," she said. "Something else will take its place. Something just as good I hope.

"Newport will be fine. We're fighters here."

A third shopper, who also wanted to not be named, said that she was a regular shopper in Friars Walk and that "that would not be changing".

She said: "I love it here. It's so clean.

"It's a shame Debenhams has gone, of course, but there are other shops still here.

"I think it will be ok. I hope it will be ok."

A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: "Friars Walk, like most of the city centre, is in private ownership.

"It has been pleasing to see a number of new businesses opening in the smaller units both in Friars Walk and across the city centre, including Newport Market, offering a good mix of independents alongside High Street chains.

"The council is doing everything in its power to support local businesses including grants to new and expanding SMEs and a unique rate relief scheme on top of the Welsh Government scheme.

"This means that many city centre business will only pay 25 per cent of their business rates this year."

Friars Walk were also contacted for comment.