Sir Terry Matthews opens 'Wales’ biggest charity shop' in Newport (From South Wales Argus)
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Sir Terry Matthews opens 'Wales’ biggest charity shop' in Newport
9:21am Thursday 15th November 2012 in News
By Ruth Mansfield
WALES’ BIGGEST: Sir Terry Matthews at the opening of the St Anne’s Hospice shop in Commercial Street, Newport
HUNDREDS of people were eyeing up the bargains in the city centre yesterday at the opening of what is thought to be Wales’ biggest charity shop.
Billionaire Sir Terry Matthews, owner of the fivestar Celtic Manor Resort, opened the new store in Commercial Street which will raise funds in aid of Friends of St Anne’s Hospice.
Overall manager Laura Buchanan-Smith took on the shop, which is in the old Next clothes shop building, after being approached by the landlord of the building.
The shop building covers two floors and sells clothes, accessories, bric-a-brac, furniture and books. Smarter clothing including bridalwear, dinner suits and vintage clothing will also be sold. Stock is provided through donations and volunteers will staff the shop.
The move comes after the body blows of the loss of a number of chain stores in the city centre - including Next, H&M and the impending loss of Marks & Spencer in January - and urgent calls from hard-pressed independent traders for more outlets to attract footfall and help them survive.
Traders are particularly concerned about the next three years in the city centre ahead of the multi-million redevelopment at Friar’s Walk which has Debenhams as an anchor store.
Prior to the opening, day manager at the shop, Jonathan Hodson told reporters he thought Newport could be brought forward as “a charity shop city”.
When asked if he thought more charity shops should be bought to Newport, Sir Terry didn’t give a direct answer replying: “This is the biggest charity shop in Wales. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think it’s all good.”
He added: “I have known Laura a long time and encouraged her to do this. She is like dynamite.
“I have been observing things and Newport is coming along well. I feel very good about it.”
Ms Buchanan-Smith, who stood as an Independent candidate for the Allt-yr-yn ward in this year’s council elections, already runs two St Anne’s Hospice charity shops in Newport.
She said: “It will bring more customers into town and is something different.
Today has been fantastic. Sir Terry was brilliant.”
Alex Adams, 17, is one of the volunteers at the shop after he has been volunteering with the charity since the summer to gain extra work experience.
He said: “The shop is great and it’s great to see all the people. Laura is marvellous.”
The shop will be open from Monday to Saturday from 9am until 5pm.
● What do you think?
Comments(47)
pinpong
says...
9:47am Thu 15 Nov 12
Magor
says...
10:01am Thu 15 Nov 12
pinpong
says...
10:15am Thu 15 Nov 12
Oriel Bufton
says...
10:24am Thu 15 Nov 12
JoJoJoJo
says...
10:35am Thu 15 Nov 12
gabriel williams
says...
10:42am Thu 15 Nov 12
pinpong
says...
10:44am Thu 15 Nov 12
JoJoJoJo wrote:As i said. If she is doing something useful thats great. I remember her in Pill and the chaos she often created. Ron Jones and the labour party were glad to see the back of her.
Although Newport "city" is nothing more than sad and pathetic I feel nothing more than admiration for Laura Buchanan. Judging by the tatty shop owned by St Anne's in the market they must be over the moon to have a new one and it being run by someone who is not afraid to kick ****. I have respect for that woman all day long and only hope other charity shop managers follow her lead. I think Mrs Buchanan's lead should also be followed by the council who seem to be doing a fat lot of nothing to drag Newport "city" centre out of the doldrums. WELL DONE Laura Buchanan.
She has now fallen out with the torys so what next UKIP
Adam Jones
says...
11:03am Thu 15 Nov 12
JoJoJoJo wrote:For someone who doesn't like that particular shop, you sure do talk about it enough.
Although Newport "city" is nothing more than sad and pathetic I feel nothing more than admiration for Laura Buchanan. Judging by the tatty shop owned by St Anne's in the market they must be over the moon to have a new one and it being run by someone who is not afraid to kick ****. I have respect for that woman all day long and only hope other charity shop managers follow her lead. I think Mrs Buchanan's lead should also be followed by the council who seem to be doing a fat lot of nothing to drag Newport "city" centre out of the doldrums. WELL DONE Laura Buchanan.
Mr Angry
says...
11:05am Thu 15 Nov 12
(I'm being sarcastic by the way)
rightsideup
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11:14am Thu 15 Nov 12
Mervyn James
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11:15am Thu 15 Nov 12
Owain Vaughan wrote:At your service sir ! I've already complained about this, I don't think Newport wants or needs any more charity outlets in our High Streets, the image is depressing, and the Welsh Assembly is going to address the issue too, of these 'charity business's' getting cheap deals on rents and taxes whilst competing with bona-fide private enterprise by selling 40% of their goods brand new. Mathews is hypercritical anyway he wouldn't want them anywhere near his projects ! Too many good causes only dump the onus away from the state to honour its human rights obligations. I don't want any more charity shops,second hand furniture shops, pawnbrokers or bluddy pound shops on the high street, it's killing Newport. No-one will want to invest here with that image. It's unfair competition.
Standby for the usual moaners...
sperduti
says...
11:22am Thu 15 Nov 12
sperduti
says...
11:23am Thu 15 Nov 12
Magor wrote:yes it does i agree with you magor!!
Hamleys opens in Cardiff today,Newport gets a charity shop,says it all.
Dai the Milk
says...
11:27am Thu 15 Nov 12
Human Rights have nothing to do with charitable causes, especially health issues like cancer. They defend mostly people's freedom of access to things like legal representation and justice and fight against abuses of power around the world. Governments should invest more in Health Services perhaps, research perhaps, but there is never sufficient and people waste so much that more is always needed. Any charity shop for issues such as this can open up in the downstairs of my house if they want to.
pinpong
says...
11:29am Thu 15 Nov 12
Adam Jones wrote:Laura was one of those councillors who did nothing. Follow her lead never. . Its good that she is trying to do something but charity shops especially on this scale are the wrong answer.
JoJoJoJo wrote: Although Newport "city" is nothing more than sad and pathetic I feel nothing more than admiration for Laura Buchanan. Judging by the tatty shop owned by St Anne's in the market they must be over the moon to have a new one and it being run by someone who is not afraid to kick ****. I have respect for that woman all day long and only hope other charity shop managers follow her lead. I think Mrs Buchanan's lead should also be followed by the council who seem to be doing a fat lot of nothing to drag Newport "city" centre out of the doldrums. WELL DONE Laura Buchanan.For someone who doesn't like that particular shop, you sure do talk about it enough.
Would terry matthews allow her to open an outlet at the celtic. NO as for rates i had no idea that they got cheaper ones. If they are going to compete with proper shops then they should do so on an even playing field.
JoJoJoJo
says...
11:30am Thu 15 Nov 12
Adam Jones wrote:Mr Jones, I can't actually recall ever mentioning the shop? I do think it's a shame that people walking into the "city" via High St are greeted by a closed hotel, boarded up shops and pubs. The first shop they see is a charity shop which for me is very disheartening. I have the utmost respect for charity shop volunteers and am a volunteer worker myself (not for a charity shop for a respite home). I'm aware Laura Buchanan does not have the reputation of an angel (probably mostly tittle-tattle) but she is an excellent ambassador for an important local charity which earns my respect bigtime. It's a pity the various entrance routes to the "city" are not more inviting. Cwmbran have lots of charity shops but they seem to get it right.
JoJoJoJo wrote:For someone who doesn't like that particular shop, you sure do talk about it enough.
Although Newport "city" is nothing more than sad and pathetic I feel nothing more than admiration for Laura Buchanan. Judging by the tatty shop owned by St Anne's in the market they must be over the moon to have a new one and it being run by someone who is not afraid to kick ****. I have respect for that woman all day long and only hope other charity shop managers follow her lead. I think Mrs Buchanan's lead should also be followed by the council who seem to be doing a fat lot of nothing to drag Newport "city" centre out of the doldrums. WELL DONE Laura Buchanan.
VoiceOfDaPort
says...
11:36am Thu 15 Nov 12
Bobevans
says...
12:29pm Thu 15 Nov 12
My view is charity shops should not be able to sell new goods and Business rate relief should be 20% at most
To further compound problems for the commercial shops in town centre business rates go up for them as the local council has to recover the 80% discount for charity shops from elsewhere. Given the massive number of Charity shops in Newport that is a huge cost on the commercial store.
In my view there is also a good case to require Charity shops to pay anyone working for them at least the minimum pay rate and that includes people who currently volunteer. These people are of cause free to donate their pay to charity if they so wish.
Bobevans
says...
12:29pm Thu 15 Nov 12
My view is charity shops should not be able to sell new goods and Business rate relief should be 20% at most
To further compound problems for the commercial shops in town centre business rates go up for them as the local council has to recover the 80% discount for charity shops from elsewhere. Given the massive number of Charity shops in Newport that is a huge cost on the commercial store.
In my view there is also a good case to require Charity shops to pay anyone working for them at least the minimum pay rate and that includes people who currently volunteer. These people are of cause free to donate their pay to charity if they so wish.
Bobevans
says...
1:20pm Thu 15 Nov 12
pinpong wrote:These Charity shops are putting the other stores out of business as there is no way they can compete against charity shops that pay only 20% of the business rate and employee people at ZERO pay. They also get tax benefits when seling new goods. To compound it every new or larger charity shop pushes up the business rtaes for the other shops(Well the Council has to make up the 80% of the business rate they loose on charity shops)
Adam Jones wrote:Laura was one of those councillors who did nothing. Follow her lead never. . Its good that she is trying to do something but charity shops especially on this scale are the wrong answer.
JoJoJoJo wrote: Although Newport "city" is nothing more than sad and pathetic I feel nothing more than admiration for Laura Buchanan. Judging by the tatty shop owned by St Anne's in the market they must be over the moon to have a new one and it being run by someone who is not afraid to kick ****. I have respect for that woman all day long and only hope other charity shop managers follow her lead. I think Mrs Buchanan's lead should also be followed by the council who seem to be doing a fat lot of nothing to drag Newport "city" centre out of the doldrums. WELL DONE Laura Buchanan.For someone who doesn't like that particular shop, you sure do talk about it enough.
Would terry matthews allow her to open an outlet at the celtic. NO as for rates i had no idea that they got cheaper ones. If they are going to compete with proper shops then they should do so on an even playing field.
To further compound it they put people out of jobs as they other stores are forced to close.
Another question is should charity shops be allowed to employ people at below the minimum wage (The charities will argue they dont employ them)
Bobevans
says...
1:20pm Thu 15 Nov 12
pinpong wrote:These Charity shops are putting the other stores out of business as there is no way they can compete against charity shops that pay only 20% of the business rate and employee people at ZERO pay. They also get tax benefits when seling new goods. To compound it every new or larger charity shop pushes up the business rtaes for the other shops(Well the Council has to make up the 80% of the business rate they loose on charity shops)
Adam Jones wrote:Laura was one of those councillors who did nothing. Follow her lead never. . Its good that she is trying to do something but charity shops especially on this scale are the wrong answer.
JoJoJoJo wrote: Although Newport "city" is nothing more than sad and pathetic I feel nothing more than admiration for Laura Buchanan. Judging by the tatty shop owned by St Anne's in the market they must be over the moon to have a new one and it being run by someone who is not afraid to kick ****. I have respect for that woman all day long and only hope other charity shop managers follow her lead. I think Mrs Buchanan's lead should also be followed by the council who seem to be doing a fat lot of nothing to drag Newport "city" centre out of the doldrums. WELL DONE Laura Buchanan.For someone who doesn't like that particular shop, you sure do talk about it enough.
Would terry matthews allow her to open an outlet at the celtic. NO as for rates i had no idea that they got cheaper ones. If they are going to compete with proper shops then they should do so on an even playing field.
To further compound it they put people out of jobs as they other stores are forced to close.
Another question is should charity shops be allowed to employ people at below the minimum wage (The charities will argue they dont employ them)
newssmiths
says...
2:24pm Thu 15 Nov 12
portman
says...
3:05pm Thu 15 Nov 12
JoJoJoJo
says...
4:48pm Thu 15 Nov 12
newssmiths wrote:Read what's written. Not one single person had knocked this charity nor any other. I'm a volunteer myself for worthwhile charity and know what it's like. Personally I think St Anne's is lucky to have Laura Buchanan as she obviously raises lots of money for them. I often buy books from her shop near the Handpost where I live, and will continue to do so as long as her shop is there. Doesn't alter the fact Newport could do with some way of encouraging traders into the empty shops instead of just charities.
dont knock this charity shop, they do such good work for st anne,s hospice, a place close to my heart, remember st anne,s hospice relies on charity, if you want to see the great work they do go and pay a visit
Bobevans
says...
5:06pm Thu 15 Nov 12
These Charities are only paying 20% of the Business rates. They have almost zero staff costs. THey get tax relief on donations to them and they in some cases get tax relief on new goods they sell.
How can shops compete against that. Even the indoor market cannot compete against them except in areas the charities are not at present operating ie green groceries and meat.
Charities are increasingly encroaching on more and more areas. This one is selling bridalware
There needs to be a limit on them and Business rate relief should be restricted to 20% and any charity shop selling new goods should be required to pay all its staff at least the minimum wage (Volunteers count as staff. If they only sell second hand donated goods then they need not pay the staff.
There also needs to be a limit on the number of charity shops within an area.. I would make it a maximum of 1% of shops in any shoping area can be charity shops
Mervyn James
says...
6:47pm Thu 15 Nov 12
The reality is charity staff in head offices are paid in some cases £100K a year with perks.In regards to the human rights angle, I believe that charities set up to to provide services that the state are obliged to run and pay for, but have withdrawn via cuts and spite, are denying that right to care as per the Human rights act, and state responsibility to its sick and vulnerable. Thus throwing people who need help to the vagaries of the tin-rattling chugging Mafioso or our goodwill. We should all be accepting we need to pay more taxes for our vulnerable to get the support they need, and not filling up every high st in the land with mothballs..... One charity spent 50,000 on shop fittings ! that is hardly a good use of our hard-earned and donated dosh. And they still refuse to pay the staff that run them. If they are a business then pay the same as everyone else has to. The Charity Commission is staffed itself by tory lackeys' anxious to offload all support on to the begging bowl, then blame everyone else when it all folds.
Limestonecowboy
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7:01pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Mervyn James
says...
7:16pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Rugby Warrior Paulo
says...
7:17pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Mervyn James
says...
8:07pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Dolieboy
says...
8:09pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Limestonecowboy
says...
8:54pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Comet says it was the internet, JJB sports unable to compete with rivals (& reports say bad management), Clinton Cards say supermarkets & internet, Game say on-line rivals, Past Times & Barretts say difficult trading conditions, Habitat say cheaper rivals like Ikea & many other high str names issuing profit warnings.
Still looking for the reason 'Charity shops'...
YazPad-But
says...
11:43pm Thu 15 Nov 12
Magor wrote:I worked in a charity shop for a while when I was in uni. As well as helping a charity it got me some work experience but it ended up not helping me as I fell out with the lady in charge. She was always dumping on me and moaned when I was unable to work due to my uni course. The charity people won't give me a reference for working there as I fell out with this lady. So charity shop work is not all it's cracked up to be. Hopefully Laura Buchanan-Smith treats her staff better and hopefully Hamley's or someone like them will come to Newport and I can apply for a job!
Hamleys opens in Cardiff today,Newport gets a charity shop,says it all.
Bobevans
says...
7:51am Fri 16 Nov 12
There is also strong evidence that charties can cause a dependency culture and have an adverse affect in that way.
There is also considerably evidence that overseas charities are have a negative affect on poverty there.
Researchers at the University of Bristol have found a link between rural regeneration and urban poverty in Ethiopia. Improving water supplies in villages increased the population, forcing more young people to move to the city slums to find work.
Cities in Ethiopia, one of most rural countries in the world, are expected to double in size over the next 40 years to include 40 per cent of the population.
This explosion in urban living is a direct result of charity-funded projects.
So unfortunatly very many charities rather than improving things make things worse. Much of it is down to charties frequently being run by well meaning but not qualified people. The intentions are good but the results poor.
If you take Newport quite a few business wil have closed partly due to the charity shops.
Charity shops are also moving from small secondary shops to large shops in prime retail space. THey are also expanding the range of good they sell and are increasingly selling new goods. This cannot be sensible.
Katie Re-Registered
says...
8:08am Fri 16 Nov 12
Furface
says...
9:42am Fri 16 Nov 12
Oriel Bufton
says...
10:31am Fri 16 Nov 12
Strider
says...
3:51pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Never understood what towns in England have to do with citys in Wales
Strider
says...
3:57pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Therefore can some pro Newport lefty tell me how this new charity shop will bring people to Newport? You will do this clearly and constructively no swearing or insults.. Or the usual typically aggressive responce that its your opinion and YOUR OPINION IS FACT!!!
Mervyn James
says...
6:37pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Oriel Bufton wrote:Welcome to junk city..... (Next week soup kitchens.....)
London has the Crown Jewels, Cardiff has the Millennium Stadium, Newport has....A Charity Shop!
Rugby Warrior Paulo
says...
6:51pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Strider wrote:Is the new shop in Mothercare Laura Buchanan-Smith's as well? Rick Stein and Padstow come to mind.
This Charity Shop relocated from the Bus Station but a new charity shop isopening in Mothercare..
Therefore can some pro Newport lefty tell me how this new charity shop will bring people to Newport? You will do this clearly and constructively no swearing or insults.. Or the usual typically aggressive responce that its your opinion and YOUR OPINION IS FACT!!!
Strider
says...
7:23pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Rugby Warrior Paulo wrote:It's a Youth related Charity shop, sorry can't remember the exact name.. Wouldn't be surprised it's Laura Buchanan-Smith as I saw some of the people from Saint Anne's going in there..
Strider wrote:Is the new shop in Mothercare Laura Buchanan-Smith's as well? Rick Stein and Padstow come to mind.
This Charity Shop relocated from the Bus Station but a new charity shop isopening in Mothercare..
Therefore can some pro Newport lefty tell me how this new charity shop will bring people to Newport? You will do this clearly and constructively no swearing or insults.. Or the usual typically aggressive responce that its your opinion and YOUR OPINION IS FACT!!!
Doesn't Laura own the Charity Shop next to the Market as well?
digispamman
says...
6:29pm Sat 17 Nov 12
why not simply flatten it and start again?
Poolerkev
says...
7:27pm Sat 17 Nov 12
However, Newport always has been, is, and always will be a dive to shop in. Why are all the big names leaving?Wake up folks!
As for the "city" .... That was definitely the joke of the century.
Limestonecowboy
says...
4:29pm Sun 18 Nov 12
Poolerkev wrote:ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz
As was said earlier, Mr Hypocrisy Matthews would not have it near him. I hope the traveller hotel sets him some competition to his millions on the A449. However, Newport always has been, is, and always will be a dive to shop in. Why are all the big names leaving?Wake up folks! As for the "city" .... That was definitely the joke of the century.
aevs74
says...
2:20am Thu 22 Nov 12
Terry Matthews should spend his money on making some improvements to the town centre not making it worse. Lord knows he can afford it!
Owain Vaughan says...
9:26am Thu 15 Nov 12