IT IS all too easy to be negative about the future of Newport city centre.

You only have to look at some of the comments left on our website to see quite how easy.

It is unremitting negativity, often from people who appear to be revelling in the city centre's problems.

It is a shame some of those people were not at the Newport Centre on Thursday night.

About 60 city centre business owners came together to hear about plans for a Business Improvement District.

This newspaper is all in favour of a BID, as we said earlier this week. It gives businesses control of what is happening around their shops and offices.

It allows them - in return for a small levy on their business rates - to decide for themselves how best to turn the city centre around.

The overwhelming feelings from businesses at the meeting were of passion and positivity.

They are passionate about the city centre. And they are positive that, with the right help, it can survive and prosper.

The enthusiasm for a Newport BID was unanimous.

We have no doubt that it will happen and be hugely successful, particularly if it is driven by the passion and positivity displayed by businesses on Thursday.

The city as a whole now needs to get behind the idea. As many other towns and cities across the UK have shown, it is a winner.