BACKLASH to the Channel 4 documentary about Newport bouncers rages on, with hundreds of people taking to the internet to complain about its depiction of the city.

Since the Argus posted a link to Monday’s front page on our Facebook page, more than 165 comments have been left, along with almost 500 ‘likes’.

Another link to the story had a further 14 comments posted. There was an even split of readers saying the programme unfairly portrayed Newport, compared with those who thought it a fair portrayal.

Following the broadcast of Bouncers on February 1, more than 700 people have joined the Facebook group ‘Newport Bouncers’, which criticises the depiction of the city.

Dozens of people have complained to Channel 4 about the show, but the channel also got a couple of complimentary responses from viewers.

The programme prompted outcry from politicians, police and traders in Newport who felt the show failed to present a balanced picture of Newport.

Many people took offence at comments by one of the doormen, Joe Gower, who was working on the door of Kama Lounge when he described revellers as “inbreds and mongos”.

Despite the people of Newport leaping to the defence of their city, both the Argus Facebook page and the Newport Bouncers one have attracted plenty of comments saying that what the documentary showed was spot on.

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said they have received 42 complaints and two appreciative comments about the programme.

Was the Bouncers documentary fair on Newport?

YES

* David Cankett: “Yes, cameras and the public do seem to make Newport look bad, funny that........”

* Anthony Stephens: “Newport is a dump anyway lately.”

* Rhian Flynn: “I worked in bars in newport for 7 years and saw this sort of behaviour ALL the time I think the documentary was spot on. Newport is rubbish..

run down and rough. I moved from there 3 years ago and when I go back to visit and think about having a night out there I think ‘ahhhh whats the point?”

NO

* Duncan Macphee: “A minority of people in Newport have that moronic attitude. The majority of people are angry at the lazy, sensationalist attitudes towards Newport, whilst ignoring the positives of the city.”

* Joe Spring: “I worked the doors for years in Newport on many of them. I love Newport and (they) made a joke of Newport and of a job I am proud to do. If you film any city late Saturday night they all look the same.”

* Duncan Macphee: “I moved to Wales almost eight years ago from Brighton. My girlfriend was living in Cardiff at the time and didn’t like the place, so we decided to buy in a very nice area of Newport.

* I can honestly say that, during these years neither of us has had any trouble from the ‘locals’. We’ve walked through the city centre at night plenty of times, without getting mugged.”

Go to the Argus Facebook page

GLC reply on YouTube

EVEN Newport’s own Goldie Lookin’ Chain have had their unique say on the programme.

The rappers wrote a song, sampling Zapp and Roger’s More Bounce To The Ounce, and posted it on Facebook.

One of the (printable) lines is: “Cheese, chips, chips and cheese, these bouncers bring all the boys to their knees. My club is fuller than yours, I can bounce you coz (sic) I works (sic) on the doors.”

Group member Eggsy said: “It’s a bit of fun and it’s a perfect tune to do about bouncers.”

He said the show “wasn’t surprising” and was just a microcosm of what goes on across Britain: “You only see one side of what goes on, you don’t expect TV to tell the truth.”