Shops we gained and lost in Newport city centre in 2023

Plenty happened locally, nationally, and globally throughout 2023 – both positive and negative – with Newport welcoming new businesses (and saying goodbye to other businesses).

Here are some of the businesses Newport city centre gained and lost during 2023…

Newport Market has seen a lot of changes since reopening in 2022 – and this year was no exception with plenty of traders coming and going throughout the year.

A sweet shop, Sugar, opened at the market in the summer but also closed its doors earlier this month (December).

Posting the sad news on Facebook, the couple who ran the business wrote: “Our business has some highly valued customers, who brighten our day, sadly it just wasn’t enough to sustain our little enterprise.”

Pie Royale opened in December 2022 and lasted five months at Newport Market; it has since been replaced by Craft Masala.

Newport Market also saw the arrival of Newport Trading Card Shop and numerous food venues, including:

• The Pancake Man;
• The Italian Job (which replaced Dirty Gnocchi);
• Ostuni;
• Cairo Corner;
• Granchies.

Reflecting the interest in trading cards, Brown Bears Games also opened at Newport Arcade with Pokémon enthusiast Richard Evans – who owns the shop with his wife Caitlin – describing it as his “dream job”.Newport Arcade also gained Mythos Tattoo Studio, which was opened by friends Jax Jones and Jay Maybry, and is based above Nuthouse Hair Salon.

Plus, established business Kriminal Records relocated from Market Arcade to Newport Arcade

Further afield in Newport city centre, New Pastures Home relocated from Friars Walk to a bigger unit on Commercial Street, allowing the business to expand and offer the city’s first candle bar.

A new tapas bar, The Tickled Trout, also opened its doors in the former Trout Vaults on Market Street, while a coffee and wine bar, Coffee at 26, opened at 26 Bridge Street after much anticipation for the new addition.

A new cocktail bar, Madame JoJos, was also introduced to High Street while Legacy Lounge – offering cocktails and karaoke – was unveiled on Cambrian Road. Kings Sports Bar also opened its doors after four years, with the venue overlooking Newport Railway Station.

Cosmo’s Cocktail Bar also launched at Usk Plaza in Friars Walk – replacing Karen’s Diner which both arrived in Newport and left Newport within 2023. Independent restaurant Smokd, which was based at Friars Walk, also closed suddenly this year while clothes store Damaged Society announced a closing down sale.

Newport also lost some big names in 2023, including Wilko and B&M Bargains which were previously based at Kingsway shopping centre. Wilko remains empty, while B&M Bargains was replaced with MaxiDeals. Poundland scrapped its two Newport city centre shops to open a unit at Friars Walk – with One Beyond taking over the former Poundland unit in Kingsway shopping centre.

Fanny’s Rest Stop Café, on Alexandra Road in Pill, closed its doors after 11 years as the owner was struggling with operating costs (although she hopes to find a new location for the business).

Newport city centre also said goodbye to:

• Shopmobility Newport (reportedly due to lack of funding);
• Greyhound Nightclub (reportedly due to financial pressures);
• Costa Coffee on Commercial Street.

Plus, Castle Farm announced with “great sadness” that they will be closing their shops – the farm, Kingsway and Newport Market – while GAME relocated from its own unit on Commercial Street to create a base in Sports Direct (also on Commercial Street).