AS WITH other towns and cities across the UK, Newport city centre has struggled to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, with many businesses forced to close their doors - and a lack of new traders replacing them.
In January 2022, it was we reported that Newport had more empty shops than anywhere else in the UK.
More than a year on and little seems to have changed, with around 20 boarded-up shop fronts lining Commercial Street alone.
Local businesses told the Argus the lack of free and accessible car parking is a key issue to attracting new companies to the area.
Some said they no longer felt safe on the high street, telling us about issues with anti-social behaviour and drug and alcohol misuse.
Commercial Street, Newport
Suggestions for Newport Council included painting the front of empty shops.
“There is so much potential in Newport and it’s totally overlooked,” Liam Powell, owner of Geek Retreat, said.
“Free parking is the number one thing for everyone.
“It seems like the funding is going to Cardiff and Cwmbran, and people will go there instead because there’s free parking.
“I have to pay £9.50 a day to park my car.
Liam Powell, owner of Geek Retreat
“Before we got here there was graffiti all over the shop front and it was boarded up with sterling board. We add so much more value to the high street.”
He added some don’t feel safe walking down Commercial Street, and that issues with “beggars, homelessness, and drug use” in the city centre were worsening.
Delivery vehicles can drive up pedestrianised Commercial Street between 6am and 10am.
Florin, who did not want his surname published, owns Romanian restaurant the Salt and Pepper Tavern.
“I am spending more on businesses rates than I am on rent,” Florin said.
“I have talked to people who have lived here forever, they say a long time ago it was a beautiful town.
“Now it’s just empty shops, charity shops, and franchises.
“We don’t have a nice image and that is why the number of people coming here is lower, because it looks like after a war.”
Newport Council said offering free council parking “would mean a loss of income and funding” that would have to be subsidised, potentially by increased council tax or cutting services.
A spokesperson added they are offering a discretionary business scheme, 25 per cent off, adding rates and rent are not set by the council.
“When combined with the Welsh Government’s business rates discount scheme, it means many will not pay anything for the next 12 months,” the spokesperson said.
“Using external funding, some vacant premises have been “dressed” to make them more attractive to potential tenants but as the council does not own the shops, this can only be done with the permission of the landlord.”
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