CITY centre traders are being urged to bring their wares out into the street next month and tempt Newport shoppers to spend their cash in town rather than in supermarkets.

The national Shop Local Saturday initiative, taking place on December 7, has already taken hold in the city thanks to Rogerstone councillor Chris Evans. A Mediterranean food market is also planned for the city centre that day.

Cllr Evans said: “We are the first city in the UK to turn it around in a few days. It is about empowering traders to do something for themselves and it just goes to show that we can do things without spending bucketloads of money.

"It’s about facilitating something rather than controlling it.

"Hopefully traders will do special offers and be out in the street offering samples.”

Newport Bus is also putting up posters for free, said Cllr Evans.

He added: “Perhaps it will put in an extra pound in a till. If people spent £60 a week in the supermarket perhaps they could spend half that in town with independent traders, get your meat and veg and a newspaper, and just try it for a day. If ten people did that and maybe had a bit of lunch, then that could make a difference. It has to be an organic movement.”

Trader Marie Wheeler, whose business the Curtain Company has been in the city centre for 27 years, described the initiative as “a great idea”.

Use the #shoplocalsaturday hashtag on Twitter to track the initiatives nationwide or visit shoplocalsaturday.org.uk to download a poster.