GUEST COLUMN:
Jessica Morden
MP for Newport East
All the time in the House of Commons, we have debates and questions about what’s happening with high streets across the UK.
It is a well worn conversation; the way we shop in the UK, and the way we consume, has been changed beyond all recognition by the internet. That change is now embedded in almost every household, and it will only continue to grow.
Recent ONS statistics show that internet sales accounted for almost 29% of total retail sales in March 2026. By comparison, at the peak of the pandemic lockdowns, internet sales reached 37.8%, and pre Christmas 2025 they stood at 32%. Twenty years ago, internet retail accounted for just 2.8% of all sales.
Even against this backdrop, the recent closure of the Friars Walk branch of River Island and then news of the forthcoming closure of M&S still came as a blow.
Commercial decisions like this are never specific to Newport. They reflect wider national restructuring by retailers seeking to manage costs and assets in a retail environment that is changing across every town and city centre in the country.
And it’s not just young people driving this. Last year, the UK’s e-commerce penetration rate stood at 85%, meaning that almost all internet users of all ages now shop online, and with continued growth expected, it raises a more fundamental question about how we understand and plan for Newport city centre.
Now, contrary to social media chatter, the city centre is not facing a bleak and inevitable decline – but it is already changing. Nearly 70% of businesses are independent, offering unique shopping experiences that cannot be matched online or by the high street chain.
Our city centre creative scene is thriving with live music venues, creative spaces and more opening all the time, while the refurbished market continues to attract people from far and wide.
Beyond retail, the city centre’s role is also starting to broaden again. Hedyn is relocating a workforce of several hundred staff to Mill Street, and Coleg Gwent is progressing plans to move its Nash Campus into the city centre in the coming years, bringing thousands of students with it.
A growing programme of city centre events, increased occupancy in Kingsway (and a planned weekend market in the mall), and the opening of the CIRCLE venue all point to a transition to a centre that is supporting a wider mix of activity than traditional retail alone.
I should also add that I’m not blind to the other ongoing issues in the city centre and I also understand how some residents feel excluded by the way the high street has evolved. While we cannot reverse these systemic changes in retail, we can all work together to influence how the city centre develops over the next few years.
Last year, the UK Government announced a £20 million Pride in Place funding allocation over the next 10 years for Newport. This funding will support investment in the city centre and surrounding areas.
Best of all, how this money is spent will be decided by residents on a soon-to-be established Neighbourhood Board, which will be chaired by an independent person, and made up of a group of residents and community stakeholders.
Along with Newport City Council, I am inviting applications from residents to join the board either as a member or for the role of Chair. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone with a real passion for the city centre, Maindee or Pill to get involved and play a part in and be a part of the change they want to see.
The Board will meet for the first time in July and get straight to work – and I look forward to getting stuck in with them.
For more information, keep an eye on my social media channels, or head to jessicamorden.com
