LAST week, we featured a picture of Skinner Street in Newport.

TODAY’S picture looks like Skinner Street, once a bustling street with all kinds of activities. Still very popular. To the right is the old cinema, the Olympia, where the raggy kids would make a fair racket queuing for the ABC minors on Saturdays. Opposite that was Maurice Wights Music Shop who was big amongst local bands in the '60s. All sorts of musicians would gather there, trying the guitars and drums, while rock and roll played in the background.

At the top was a men’s clothes shop, Alexandre’s, I recall. And of course there was the electrical shop at the bottom end which is still going.

Jim Dyer, Newport

THIS is Newport’s Skinner Street running from Westgate Square to Dock Street. At the turn of the century, the United Counties Bank stood where the Principality Building Society stands today.

On the opposite corner was Newman & Sons the piano dealers, later this became Alexandre tailors, gents outfitters.

This building is now a mobile phone shop. Further down Skinner Street, on the right hand side, was the ABC Olympia Cinema, which opened in the mid 1930s. It was built on the site of a foundry. In the 1950s, the Olympia had a Saturday morning children’s film show for the princely sum of 6d (2½p) for which you got two cartoons, a serial and a main feature. We were the ABC Minors.

An important feature of Skinner Street is Arnold’s the electrical dealer. Arnold’s started off as an ironmonger in Godfrey Road in the 1800s.

Arnold’s is second to none for service and advice, if Arnold’s haven’t got it, then they probably can get it. You are treated as a valued customer.

Dave Woolven, Newport

THE Now and Then picture is of Skinner Street which has the the Principality Building Society. Then there is William Hill Betting Shop. There use to be Coles Watch Repairs: you had to up in a lift. Also people live in a flat above and a nearby is a shop called Arnold's that sellsold electrical stuff such as lamps and telephones.

Opposite is Jefferys jewellers and a St Davids Foundation shop and a few cafés. Around that area there was a cinema called the Olympia that was turned into a passport office which has moved to Dock Street.

M Reardon, Newport