Newport’s Friars Walk shopping complex opens!

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Newport’s multi-million pound new shopping centre has opened, in what is seen as a landmark for the city centre’s regeneration.

Friars Walk has been years in the planning and the development ground to a halt in the 2008 financial crisis.

Now it is opening with Debenhams as its anchor store and retailers such as Marks and Spencer moving back.

Newport Council lent the developers £90m in a commercial deal to ensure the centre opened on time.

Council leader Bob Bright said there had been a renaissance over the last decade and people “underestimated Newport”.

As well as 30 new shops, there will be about a dozen restaurants and an eight-screen Cineworld multiplex cinema.

Welsh fashion designer Julien Macdonald opened the Debenhams store.

Newport council leader Bob Bright said the shopping complex was part of a renaissance. Newport Council borrowed £90m at a lower rate of interest and then lent it on to the developers in a “calculated risk” to ensure the project was built. “Everything in life is risky but we were at an impasse when the developer was unable to raise the funds in the money markets because of the interest rates,” said Mr Bright.

First Minister Carwyn Jones joins council leaders for the official opening.

The complex is estimated to create 1,200 jobs within its shops and restaurants.

 

First Minister Carwyn Jones joins council leaders for the official opening

It’s that time of year again… You Better Play That Sax!

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So now that the initial intro to winter festivities such as Halloween and Bonfire night are over… It’s now that time when we’re waiting on the Christmas songs to kick in on the radio and all of the superstore giants are strategically choosing their advertising agencies to generate the most compelling of Christmas TV advertising! I for one am a bit of a lover of adam&eveDDB agency and always keen for the songs that these advertising agencies deploy to each of their emotionally weighted adverts, to beat The Xfactor to No 1!

I’m super excited as I’m writing this because I just love this time of year! Not just for Christmas and all of the magic that happens, but because it’s a time where friends and family can get together and make memories. The kind of memories that these advertising agencies always portray to the best of their creative abilities each Christmas! However, let’s not forget that there are those less fortunate too that do not have the same spirit and cheer and I think this is where John Lewis position themselves this year with their eagerly awaited… ‘Man On The Moon’.

So here they are as we kick off the start of the countdown to the Christmas battle of the advertising agencies and superstore giants!

I for one.. Love, love, LOVE them!! Enjoy 🙂