From my office I look out at cars parked on either side of the street on double yellow lines. Not just today – this is every weekday throughout the year, year on year. The situation is repeated throughout our city, causing dangerous situations wherever it happens.

Double yellow lines must cost someone a lot of money to paint. They are there for a reason. And it irks me because years ago I was fined handsomely, twice, for parking illegally in the same place cars now park illegally all day, every day.

The situation is infuriating and we wait to see what the solution will be. 
I tend to walk into the city for my lunchtime sandwich or to stretch my legs. The shortest route is via the city’s railway underpass – the alternative, which I ought to take for health’s sake, is twice as long. For health’s sake? Yes. The state of the underpass is revolting. 

I’m no health expert but I feel fairly confident that the ‘atmosphere’ in the tunnel is not recommended. The graffiti on the walls changes from time to time but the rank smell remains the same. If you must, you can get updates on Twitter from @crapsubway. 

Friars Walk was the final throw of the dice for the city of Newport. The city fathers are to be congratulated for taking the brave decision to back the scheme which has, without any doubt, transformed our city. The city had reached its lowest ebb, with some suggesting the M&S move to Spytty marked the point of no return. Thankfully Friars Walk, just celebrating its second birthday, seems to have been a success.

The stores are all dazzlingly great. The restaurants almost always bursting at the seams. And the cinema, bowling alley and the rest, couldn’t have come soon enough. 

True, the traditional centre of the city, High Street, Commercial Street and the indoor market, remain well past their best but there are definite signs of a revival. The fact that this is being driven in the main by independents is a real feather in the cap for the Port.

High Street with the excellent Murenger has been joined by Le Pub, Sixteen and Slippin’ Jimmys. There’s talk that the old arcade could be in line for a major boost. 

Another quite unexpected independent revival is over at Clytha Park Road where openings include The Rogue Fox Coffee House; Meat Bar & Grill, The Cellar Door cider and ale house and The Whole Earth Deli.

And what’s that I hear? There could be movement on the former Sainsbury site at Crindau. I’m not about to put out the flags just yet but soundings appear favourable. Let’s hope Stephen Fear has a suitably important and imaginative new use for this prominent site at the gateway to Wales.