My Newport: 'The city should be proud of its architecture'

If you want to be part of it just go to www.southwalesargus.co.uk/mynewport and fill out the Q&A. If you live in a different part of Gwent answer the questions as if they were asked about your area, but tell us what that area is.

This week we meet Alison Sherwood, 44, a learning support assistant who lives in Ringland, Newport.

How long have you lived in Newport?

All my life, other than a year in North Wales when I was 18.

What do you like most about living in Newport?

The out-of-town stores like Spytty Newport retail park on our doorstep or East Retail Park, which is convenient via the SDR road. Living near the Coldra, we are pretty central to everything really, we can head off in any direction up or down the M4 to Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol or London or anywhere really or head up the A449 to Monmouth, Hereford, Brecon or Birmingham. It is literally in an ideal place to be. Central to them all pretty much.

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Favourite place for a takeaway?

Wok Inn as they are friendly, convenient and a good price as well as serving real chips in full size portions as they are a traditional chip shop and Chinese in one.

Dragons or County?

I'm not really into watching sports to be honest but I do like the Dragons kit and am proud to see those who support County with pride.

Best memory of your time living here?

Weekends in the 80s and 90s. Meeting friends in town on a Saturday to either go swimming or the cinema or shopping in shops like Athena, Woolworths, Tammy Girl and the music shops and then chilling in the Inshops cafe in the Kingsway or grabbing a chip butty/gravy and chips from Ferris's (the best chips in town). Then eating them on the bus journey home on the top deck.

Favourite Newport pub?

Blaina Wharf, Man of Gwent or Royal Oak. I don't drink often. I prefer meals out at restaurants rather than drinking.

What one thing that has gone do you miss the most?

The youth clubs and swimming pool which was in Hartridge School and Maskells where we used to go roller skating. Wish they were still around for my children to have experienced and for more to be active rather than sat behind gadgets.

Roller skating at Maskells

Favourite building in the city?

Tredegar House. It has the most amazing grounds and sits lovely among it all. They are open to visitors for free to walk with the family and the dogs around the lake or to the park. There is a coffee shop and ice cream stand. It is just a lovely space to spend time all year around.

Favourite place to grab a coffee?

Costa in Spytty Retail Park - easy to park. It's close to where I live and easy to meet up with friends there. Also great to grab a few things before heading home too and it's open until 7pm.

Where would you go for a special meal?

We are happy with pub meals, don't need fancy, but I do like the Harvester as I love the salad cart while you wait.

Best place for a walk?

We enjoy walking up through Llanwern Village while in lockdown and up into the woods there. It is lovely with dens built and a swing. It makes us feel like we are worlds apart. We also enjoy walking around Tredegar House and Tredegar Park as we can take the dogs and my son can play. He particularly enjoys the skate park. The Wetlands is nice too but you have to choose between the dogs or the the children or the bikes as areas are prohibited to some in different parts, so you can't do all at once. We also love driving to and getting lost in Wentwood - lots of adventures up there.

If you had a magic wand what one wish would you grant Newport?

I would love to bring back the mural from the subway in town and get the shops all back to how it used to be.

The Chartist Mural under construction in an underpass leading to John Frost Square. Picture taken in September 1978.

I'd like to see free parking like Cwmbran. And I'd make the castle more of a visitors spot with a way to walk around it like there used to be. I would also like to have more circular bike trails and dog walks around the town which avoid main road traffic and are safe to take children - maybe somewhere like Cardiff Bay or open up the Wetlands so we can walk the dogs and take my son on his bike. Unfortunately we have to drive if we want to go for walks or bike rides around Caerleon because of the hills so a nice flat route there would be amazing too so we could link up so many places for those who like the outdoors.

Three places anyone visiting the city should make the effort to go?

The Transporter Bridge as it's unusual and worth going on once as there are only two in the UK I believe. Tredegar House as the grounds are lovely and the house is a lovely backdrop and Bellevue Park as it is pretty and has a lovely coffee shop.

Walking the Transporter Bridge before it closed for refurb

Choose one thing Newport should be really proud about?

The architecture of the buildings. The Kings and Queens hotels have lovely architecture as well as the Art College and so many sites around the town and Caerleon. It could be a prettier place if re-planned as I don't think it flows well, sadly. They keep adding things on rather than making it all fit.

Tredegar House. Picture: Tom Martin, Wales News Service

Three words which sum up Newport for you

Architectural, Convenience, Diverse