'Small businesses cannot afford to keep taking hits like this - it just leads to more shops closing down'

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A number of businesses in Newport have spoken out after they were were hit with break-in and damage to their premises in recent weeks.

Annette Farmer, who runs Xclusive jewellers on High Street, had her window damaged earlier this month, one of a host of traders who claim they've been targeted recently.

Ms Farmer said the vandalism had caused thousands worth of damage, requiring the shop front to be partially boarded up and a new window and interior shutter to be fitted.

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"The window has just been finished, we've had to get the guys for the shutters out, carpenters, everything," she said.

She said she had heard of several businesses targeted in the area in the past few months and said it was having a huge effect on traders.

"The Westgate was broken into a few days after I was. Subway, McDonalds, Stardust, the Continental and BR Stores have all been targeted or have had attempted break-ins.

"Mentally it makes you think should I pull out of Newport? It destroys your livelihood. I can't give anyone overtime for Christmas which they were relying on.

"I have probably lost about £4,000-5,000 for the damage."

Ms Farmer said she had never seen so many businesses in Newport affected by vandalism and said she had never been targeted before.

"We had an attempted break-in about three months ago, someone tried to throw a brick through but it bounced off.

"They don't realise the effect it has. The day it happened I just wanted to pull out completely, that's how I felt.

"If it happens again I'm moving out. I can't afford to keep doing this."

Ms Farmer said she was only among a handful of older businesses left in the city and that traders needed more protection late at night to combat vandalism.

"We are all concerned about it," she said. "Why can't they have some kind of patrols going on between midnight and 8am in the mornings? Otherwise they are going to lose us.

"Small businesses cannot afford to keep taking hits like this - it just leads to more shops closing down."

It is not only businesses in the city centre which have been affected, either. Sew-Good Upholstery, which is based in Usk Side Business Park, announced this week that it would be moving to a new premises in Cardiff earlier than planned after it was broken into for the seventh time since April.

In an online post this week the business said: "We were going to wait until New Year to update on our new location.

"But unfortunately due to our seventh break in since April we will be moving earlier than planned.

"Because of this we will need to postpone work booked in over the next few weeks/New Year so we have time to move and settle."

Speaking to WalesOnline, Sew-Good Upholstery owner Ian Curran said he'd lost thousands of pounds in stolen equipment including drills, bikes and other goods.

He said the business had even had to use its own money to bolster security including installing cameras and that the constant break-ins had been the main factor in relocating.

"I've been in Newport six years and never had problems," he said. "Then the day before we moved into our current premises in April, we had a break in.

"Each time we find out how they are coming in they find another way. They broke our roller shutter, they have come in through a window and once they're inside they leave the front door open and have come back again a couple of times.

"They have come through a partition wall between us and another premises.

"The company had money in the bank and have had to use up savings just to pay for security to stop them coming in.

"We are not a big company. We have had to relocate because of this. It's upsetting, we are a small family-run businesses who have also been affected by Covid.

"We just want [to be] gone from this premises now. We have tried to stick it out but it just keeps getting worse."

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Julie, who didn't want to give her surname, runs Continental Cafe on Corn Street. She said the business had numerous issues over the years and that it was not a new problem.

"It's not so much an issue of break-ins but bad behaviour from people on the streets," she said.

"At the start of December someone tried to smash our window.

"Two years ago we had our shop front smashed up. There's no control or contact from any of our local representatives or the council.

"We have been in business for 16 years, and this has been going on for 20 years."

Gwent Police confirmed a 58-year-old man from the Newport area was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage at Xclusive Jewellers and was later charged with this offence.

A Gwent Police spokesperson said: "We received a report of criminal damage in High Street, Newport, at around 11.50pm on Thursday, December 2.

"A 58-year-old man from the Newport area was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and was later charged with this offence.

"He was released on conditional bail."

Gwent Police were unable to provide comment regarding the other two incidents.

Newport City Council was contacted for comment.

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