NEWPORT’S decades-long-promised Friar’s Walk £90 million retail and leisure development (Argus, April 10) finally has lift-off and will hopefully be completed by autumn 2015.

The High Street and Cambrian Road areas, including Newport’s indoor market, have had a long overdue partial face-lift and a successful mini-boom since the reintroduction of bus services around the market by the former Tory/Lib Dem coalition council.

A big blot on this landscape is the pigeon mess-infested and dilapidated appearance of the long neglected Market Arcade, which resembles a creepy and dingy scene from a scary Hitchcock film!

A few small popular businesses are soldiering on, but surely if Newport City Labour council can lend the Friars’ Walk developers £90 million, a council investment can be found for this arcade between Cambrian Road and High Street.

I wonder if Newport’s planners and councillors ever visit Newport’s centre or do they just see half a picture?

Brian Donovan Darlington Court Newport