GIVEN the current financial climate it was inevitable questions would arise over the future of Newport’s £200 million shopping development.

Today the city council aims to try and reassure people that it will do everything it possible can to ensure the Friar’s Walk scheme goes ahead.

And we fully support them.

This development is more important than the many other regeneration projects under way throughout the city.

It will be the catalyst to the city’s reinvention and will put Newport firmly on the retail map.

It’s hard to imagine the city’s future without it Which is why we praise the council today for pledging to do all it can to ensure it goes-ahead even if that means the council making an investment in the scheme itself.

The company behind the scheme, Modus, has not shelved the project unlike other schemes it is involved in so we hope that is another sign that everyone believes in this scheme despite the terrible state of the economy.

We are encouraged by council leader Matthew Evans who insists today that this will happen.

Work was originally expected to start on Friars Walk last year.

It is now hoped workers will be on site in mid to late 2009.

When it does arrive Newport will have a first-class shopping centre to be proud of with good quality shops and restaurants.

It will revive the city and be the spark for further growth.

In such an incredibly difficult financial time it’s hard to see how anything on such a large scale could ever get off the ground.

Which is why we must put our faith in the council when it promises to pull out all the stops to ensure it will go-ahead.