Newport-based M4 Property Consultants is reporting increased demand for shops in Newport.

Newport city centre is currently undergoing a transformation with the new £90m Friars Walk shopping centre now due to open in November.

It appears that the nearer to the opening of Friars Walk we get, the more interest being shown by other retailers interesting in opening in the city.

Dan Smith, of M4 Property Consultants, said: “We have been very pleasantly surprised recently in the amount of enquiries we have been receiving for retail units in the city centre. We have recently been appointed to let at a unit on Commercial Street at a quoting rent of £35,000 pa and have, in just a few weeks, had an excellent number of interested parties make enquiries about the unit.

"In addition we have a number of interested parties in units we are marketing on Emlyn Walk on the edge of the Kingsway Shopping Centre. These units are attracting interest from national, regional and local retailers looking to secure a unit in the city. The majority of these parties have cited the imminent opening of Friars Walk as a reason why Newport is now a location they are considering.”

In addition to the Friars Walk, there are numerous other developments in Newport city centre which will help to revitalise the city. These include the redevelopment of the former Kings Hotel into flats offices and retail accommodation, the development of a Premier Inn Hotel on Cambrian Road, the conversion of Olympia House to shops and flats and the development of Station Quarter to provide retail and food outlets together with a new gym.

Newport City Council is also investing nearly £15m through Vibrant and Viable Places and Newport Now, Newport’s business improvement district, is already making good progress with a number of initiatives aimed at improving the city centre for those living, working, visiting and spending their leisure time in the city.

Dan said: “There is definitely a much more positive vibe around Newport at the moment as is demonstrated by the demand for shops. It is vital that Newport takes advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the city centre and attract people back into it.”