NEWPORT business owners have hit out at plans by Newport City Council to ban begging and rough sleeping in the city centre.

The council’s consultation on a public spaces protection order (PSPO) closed last week (week of 5th). It also asked residents whether they thought matters like fly-posting, and charity canvassing should be allowed in the city centre.

In its consultation paper, the authority expresses “a view to introducing a new and updated PSPO in time for the opening of the Friars Walk retail development in November 2015”.

But Iftekhar Haris, who owns four nightspots in the city, said that the protection order was not the answer.

He said: “Large numbers of people have been neglected for a long time. We have to look at how we can help them, not push them away. Banning them is not going to work.

“People don’t go on the street just because they want to be homeless. It’s mental issues or drugs. We need to look at these issues and the bigger issue rather than wiping them off the face of the earth.

“Beggars do not make the place unsafe. They are just people and human beings.”

Steve Reynolds, who has run Toyarmy in Newport Market since 2000, said that while he can understand the council’s point of view, the order was simply a case of 'moving the issue', not dealing with it.

He said: “They are attracting people into the city centre and don’t want that sort of image, but it’s not going to solve it.

“I walk in every morning and I come in from the castle way. In the first subway, someone’s begging; in the second subway, someone’s begging; and in the third subway, someone’s begging .

“It’s something that needs to be addressed, with support workers and drug rehabilitation.”

A spokeswoman for Newport City Council said: “In relation to rough sleeping, the council remains committed to working with other local service board partners in Newport to address the underlying needs of those affected in this way.

“Any prohibition within the PSPO relating to this activity would (if approved) simply make it unlawful to sleep rough in the city centre; it would not ban homeless people from the city centre or prevent them from gaining access to night shelters within this area.

“The night time safety of both the homeless and local residents is paramount."