Councillor calls for stronger council action to revitalize Newport city center and attract new businesses.
Carmel specifically asked about closed stores like Debenhams and Cineworld. Their future remains uncertain. The council currently helps Friars Walk with money, paying up to £500,000 yearly to support the shopping center.
The council leader, Dimitri Batrouni, responded by saying they meet with Friars Walk’s owners regularly. They are actively trying to find new businesses to fill the empty spaces, and some businesses have expressed interest although he can’t give further details.
Dimitri is hopeful about the future of Newport. He mentioned that city center foot traffic has increased, rising by 2.6% compared to last year. He is optimistic that there will be good news soon regarding new businesses.
The council doesn’t always pay the full amount of £500,000 to Friars Walk. The deal started in 2017. Even with full payments, the council argues that they still benefit because they gained £8 million from the deal initially, and they could earn more in rent later.
Carmel is glad foot traffic increased a little. She noted that Dimitri didn’t share Newport’s plans in January. He said the council supports business and hinted at plans coming this summer.