BEHIND the Headlines (Argus, March 10) reports mixed views about the opening of a new version of the Kingsway Shopping Centre in November.

I can remember the fanfare of promises made by the council in the early 70s about the wonderful new shopping experience of the first Kingsway Centre. Many shops and market traders refused to move in and, if Tesco hadn’t come to the rescue and transferred their store from Commercial Street into what is now Wilko at the far end, it would have been even more of a white elephant.

Many big name stores have recently downsized their operations and any new ones opening in Newport this November are bound to take Christmas trade from other established retailers and could even cause a reduction in their staff numbers and hours in the following New Year. So much for creating new jobs!

Sorry to sound so gloomy, but past history is not very encouraging.

A Greenhalgh, Ross Street, Newport