Friars Walk, Newport
51°35′09″N 2°59′33″W / 51.5859°N 2.9926°W
 | |
| Location | Newport, South Wales |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 12 November 2015 |
| Developer | Queensberry Real Estate |
| Owner | Queensberry Real Estate |
| Total retail floor area | 390,000 sq. ft. |
| No. of floors | 3 |
| Website | http://friarswalknewport.co.uk/ |
Friars Walk is a partially under-cover shopping centre and leisure complex in Newport city centre, South Wales. It has several levels and includes a range of high street shops, eateries and a cinema. The complex is linked by the redeveloped John Frost Square to the Kingsway Shopping Centre, Newport Museum, Art Gallery and Central Library and Newport bus station. The complex is a short walk from the high street shops of Commercial Street and High Street. Newport railway station is also a short walk away.
The Friars Walk car park holds 350 cars and over 1000 spaces are available in the adjacent Kingsway multi-storey car park, both accessed from the A4042 Kingsway.
Chartist Steps
The steps connecting Usk Plaza to John Frost Square are inscribed with the six points of the People's Charter to commemorate the Chartist movement and the Newport Rising of 1839 led by John Frost.
List of tenants
Shops
- Debenhams anchor store (opened by designer Julien MacDonald) [1]
- The Body Shop
- Crafted
- Coffee #1
- EE
- Greggs
- Hawkin's Bazaar
- Holland & Barrett
- H&M [1]
- Jack & Jones
- Jeffries Jewellers
- JD Sports
- Krispy Kreme
- Marks & Spencer Food Hall
- Mothercare
- Muffin Break
- Next [1]
- New Look
- Occasions
- Pandora
- River Island [1]
- Schuh
- Sketchers
- SpecSavers
- The Entertainer
- Tiger
- Topshop [1]
- Vodafone
- Yankee Candle
Leisure
- Cineworld cinema [1]
- Superbowl UK: ten-pin bowling lanes, Crazy Club soft play centre, Laser Quest arena, amusement arcade, retro diner and boutique bar.[2]
Restaurants
- Chiquito
- Drago Lounge
- Frankie & Benny's
- Gourmet Burger Kitchen
- Las Iguanas
- Le Bistrot Pierre
- Nando's
- Prezzo
- TGI Friday's
- Wagamama
- Zizzi
Development
The original plans by Modus Corovest were scrapped in 2009 because of the recession[3] but revived in a downsized £100 million scheme by Queensberry Real Estate in 2012. Plans included a six-screen cinema, ten pin bowling alley, eight restaurants and a 350 space carpark.[4] A new bus station was also included, with finance coming from a £90 million loan from Newport City Council.[5]
The new design was by Leslie Jones Architecture.[1] Construction began in April 2014. The scheme opened on 12 November 2015, raising Newport from 200th to 77th in the UK's retail rankings and heralded as a "lifeline for Newport".[1] The total cost came to £117 million.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Karen Price (12 November 2015). "Newport's Friars Walk offers a real lifeline for the city so let's hope locals support it". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ^ Superbowl UK
- ^ "City's £200m shops plan scrapped". BBC Wales News. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ "Newport's Friars Walk shopping plan approved". BBC Wales News. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ Ruth Mansfield (1 October 2014). "Newport Friars Walk is taking shape". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 1 December 2014.