HOPES to hold a Winter Wonderland event in Newport this Christmas have been dashed after organisers were unable to gain the use of a site in the city centre.

Community group Pride in Pill planned to stage the event on land outside The Riverfront theatre for two weeks over the festive period, but secretary Paul Murphy says Newport City Council was unable to grant permission for use of the site.

Early plans for the event - based on Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland - included an ice rink, Christmas market and fun fair, with dates earmarked from December 16 to December 29.

A Facebook page, Newport Winter Wonderland 2018, had been set up, and many people expressed support to organisers about the idea.

Pride in Pill planned to arrange the funding for the event by contacting businesses in Newport.

Mr Murphy, secretary of the volunteering group, said he was disappointed by the news.

He said: “All I asked was for permission to use the land.

“We (Pride in Pill) were going to sort out the funding.

“I asked the company behind Cardiff Winter Wonderland and they said if we can get the funding they will support this event.

“The woman from the council phoned me and said we can’t do it because they are planning something else.

“She said they can’t tell me what it is though.”

Mr Murphy said there was a lot of interest in the event and believes it would have helped businesses by bringing people into the city centre.

Newport City Council has information about staging an event on its website which includes details about the Newport Event Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

SAG is an advisory group whose members include Newport City Council, Gwent Police, South Wales Fire and Rescue and the Welsh Ambulance Service.

The purpose of the group is to discuss public safety issues relating to an event.

The group has no legal powers.

As an advisory group it cannot give consent or approval for an event to take place but will advise the event organiser on public safety issues which may need to be addressed.

Event organisers should contact SAG before holding events in the city centre or with large crowds.

Find out more information by visiting newport.gov.uk/en/Leisure-Tourism/Planning-an-event.aspx