Nightclub makes its city debut

It's a night spot for those clubbers aged over 21 and demands smart dress.

Owner Gary Thomas, who was brought up in the city, has come home. He wants clubbers to have fun and enjoy themselves but also wants a high standard of behaviour.

Emotions, at the top of Market Street, doubles up as a normal pub during the week.

As Gary said: "We're a pub for five days of the week. At 6pm on Friday we close the doors and two hours later open up as a night club for the weekend."

He and his partner Luke Afridi have invested more than £60,000 in the business and are looking to be one of the more successful night spots in town.

Luke, from Dubai, is carrying on with his accountancy studies and hopes to qualify as a chartered accountant.

He and Gary met in Dubai where the latter was a bodyguard for Prince Ahmed.

Gary spent a major part of his life in the Royal Marines assigned to Special Forces.

Coming back to Newport to be with his two children has meant a lot. "I came back here because of the children. I've spent so much time away I am glad to be back with them," he said.

His chance meeting with Luke in Dubai has seen the two men build up a second business in the security field.

"I was running night clubs and pubs in London for some of the larger breweries and independents. Then Luke and I decided that instead of making money for other people, we would go it alone. So we set up Emotions.

"It is a night club for the mature type of person and badly needed, in my opinion.

"The music is a mixture - party stuff - that people can get up and dance to," said Gary.

Luke was more explicit: "Downstairs is for dancing and upstairs you can chill out with low music in the background. Gary and I think it is ideal."

Looking to the future, Gary is likely to introduce a membership scheme. "You must have some control and a membership card is the answer. "It's important that people enjoy themselves but they must also behave properly," stressed the ex-soldier.