HUNDREDS of firms are considering a move to Newport now it has received city status, the Argus can reveal.

A record number of inquiries were received from firms interested in Newport by the council in the year 2001 to 2002 - 514 compared to 385 last year and 237 the year before.

And Newport council's Economic Development Unit has received 230 inquiries alone since the city status campaign began last autumn.

It could see more than 2,000 jobs created as a result of the city status campaign. Councillor John Jenkins, Cabinet member for employment and development, told the Argus: "Since the announcement of city status, a number of people have approached staff in the economic regeneration division, seeking advice on investment in Newport. "That in itself is not unusual; part of the role of the division is advising on the availability of commercial property and of grants.

"What is unusual is that at least four of these stated that they felt that Newport had a strong future, and that that was why they were prepared to invest their own money now. "The beauty of this sort of reaction, of course, is that it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy: the more people want to invest, the more property values rise, and the more investment becomes worthwhile, generating jobs and improvements in property and the environment along the way."

Mike Lynham, president of Newport Chamber of Commerce and plant manager of chemicals firm Solutia, said he was optimistic about inward investment coming to Newport on the back of its city status.

He said: "I think we have excellent opportunities in this area. I think it's enhanced by city status. That was what was found in Sunderland when the same thing happened there." Mr Lynham said investors were also attracted by the skills and flexibility of people to adapt to new roles and tasks.

But he added he believed many of the jobs that could come will be in the service industries rather than manufacturing.

He said: "In manufacturing there's been a downturn, but as a country unemployment hasn't increased significantly because jobs have been taken up by the service industry."

PICTURE: Newport city centre