Monday, November 25, 2013

southwalesargus.co.uk

Friars Walk funding

NEWS IN BRIEF
Teenagers tree climb goes wrong
TWO teenage boys had to be helped down from a tree by fire crews in Duffryn, Newport, after getting stuck. A seven-metre ladder was used by firefighters to guide the youngsters down after they had climbed up a 20 foot-high tree in Sandpiper Way at around 2pm on Saturday . They had no injuries.

Free tax advice

FREE tax help is available for people aged over 60 or who are recently retired. Advice is provided by a qualified tax adviser at the tax surgeries which are run by the charity TaxHelp for Older People at the Newport Citizens Advice Bureau. The next surgery will be on November 28 from 9.30am until noon. To make an appointment call 0845 601 3321.

Scouts craft fair

Why back scheme when no-one else will take risk?

Against the proposal David McLean, independent public relations consultant who previously worked as a journalist for a national magazine on independent retail
NEWPORT does not need Friars Walk. The last thing we need at the moment are more ways to send money out of the city via the tills of multinational retailers to be distributed among shareholders in far-flung corners of the world. Newport needs more business and industry that can sell to the world and bring money into the city. If we can achieve that, Newport will be wealthier and retail will once again thrive on the back of that wealth. Thats how retail works. We need to get wealthier as a city, which will help to get retail back into rude health, and then perhaps we can look at building a new shopping centre when the need for more capacity dictates. Newport is not in good health. Its been reported recently that professional occupations make up just 16 per cent of jobs, where the national average is 20 per cent, while full-time salaries are 13 per cent lower than the national average. These are figures that multinational retailers, developers and the financial world will be aware of. They know that Newport does not have much money to spend, and this awareness is very likely whats behind the apparent reluctance of retailers and backers to commit to Friars Walk. In its current state, Newport is a gamble. Yet here we are; a city that is seriously considering taking out a loan of 90 million to underwrite a project that nobody else is apparently willing to take a risk on. If the people of Newport are worried about taking out this loan, they have every right to be. The buzzwords progress and regeneration have been applied repeatedly to Friars Walk, but the proposed development is anything but. Weve seen the list of big names that have so far committed to Friars Walk and its pretty much the standard recipe for a clone-town development the same retailers you will find in any retail centre anywhere in the country. The argument for Friars Walk suggests that the development niceness. But that in itself is a problem because it will simply drag trade away from the rest of the city centre and we will see an accelerated number of businesses closing in Commercial Street. The population of Newport doesnt have the spending power to support both. The idea of the city borrowing 90 million to underwrite this venture is wrong on every level. Its certainly strategically wrong to take out a loan to lend to somebody else (on very dubious terms) so they can build something that will make us all poorer. If we are going to go into hock for such an amount, lets at least spend it wisely. Lets own something that generates revenue for the city; perhaps build and own a city centre business centre that will enable businesses to set up or relocate here, paying rent to the city and creating real jobs and wealth to be spent at retail. Retail doesnt create wealth. It grows on the back of wealth. We need to get those in the right order. That we are seriously considering taking out a loan of 90 million based on a failure to understand this relationship is more than just folly, it is the ultimate expression of turkeys voting for Christmas.

VISION: An artists impres-

sion of Friars Walk

A CRAFT fair will be held in Cwmbran next weekend with profits being donated to Glen Llwyd scout group. The fair will be held at Our Lady of the Angels Hall, Victoria Street, on Sunday from 1pm until 4pm.

Auction in aid of

starts 6pm

Are you good enough to get onto the leaderboard?

Take the racing challenge at the grand opening of our new auction house.

Wednesday November 27th

(Ring to reserve your grid place)

Live racing starts from 10am - 6pm

Call the team on 01633 26 26 26

AGAINST: David McLean

will bring people into the city. But ask yourself, if you were from Bristol or Cardiff, why would you travel to Friars Walk when you have the same retailers in your own city? The generic list of retailers is the very reason why Friars Walk will not attract people from outside Newport. There is no doubt that Friars Walk would be a well-designed and well-managed development. It will stand as an oasis of retail

Bring this advert with you for a free hot drink!

www.newportauctions.co.uk

Auction starts @ 6pm 100s of cars all makes and models

Newport Auctions Auction House Usk Way Newport NP20 2BX