CCTV cameras in Newport’s main shopping streets are under fire, as traders question whether anyone is really watching them - despite the council insisting the system is monitored around the clock.
Following a recent spate of break-ins which have plagued Newport city centre, fears over public safety have been reignited, with ongoing concerns over the effectiveness of CCTV in the city centre being brought back to the forefront of trader’s minds.
Among them is Annette Farmer, owner of Xclusive Jewellers on High Street, and who has taken to social media to vent her anger after her shop was broken into last week, on Monday, June 1.
In the video, Ms Farmer explained how important it was that the CCTV is constantly switched on, after she was told that “certain things are not working”.
She said: “We just want to feel safe to be honest. We need CCTV constantly switched on.
“I’ve been told that certain things are not working. Why aren’t they working? Why have they been left switched off for weeks, months?”.
Aware of these concerns, Newport City Council has emphasised that the CCTV cameras are constantly being monitored.
A spokesperson for the council said: “Numerous CCTV cameras are located along the length of Commercial Street and at the top of High Street.
“These cameras are monitored 24/7 by our CCTV team”.
However, the council acknowledged that due to size of its network of CCTV cameras, which can be found across the city, there are time when cameras may be out of order or improvement work needs to be carried out.
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The spokesperson explained: “The council maintains a large network of CCTV cameras across the city.
“As with any network of this size, there will be occasions when some cameras are temporarily unavailable due to technical faults, connectivity issues or maintenance work”.
When incidents such as these happen, the Council said it ensures that businesses, the police and other partners are made aware.
They said: “Where this occurs, we ensure that businesses, the police and other partners are informed so they are aware of any limitations at that time”.
The Council also confirmed that they will be continuing to invest in the CCTV system as part of their wider work to improve safety in the city centre.
The spokesperson said: “We are also investing in improvements to the CCTV system as part of wider work to enhance safety in the city centre.
“This includes planned upgrades to software, hardware and network capability, which will improve reliability, coverage and monitoring”.
The planned work will include upgrades to software and hardware, as well as improving network capability.
It is hoped that carrying out these improvements will help to improve reliability, coverage and monitoring across the city centre.
Issues surrounding CCTV have plagued traders for a very long time.
10 months ago, in August 2025, the manager of Newport Vape Shop on Upper Dock Street told the South Wales Argus: “We don’t know what works and what doesn’t.
“People have smashed our windows and doors, and we’ve had people come in, grab stuff, and run off. Nothing happens - and we’re fed up.”
If these improvements are carried out, it could make a massive difference to lives of traders.
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