At the heart of Newport city centre, Friars Walk is a vibrant, modern shopping centre development substantially boosting the economic potential of the area. As well as the shopping centre, the design includes a bus station and car park, as well as pedestrian links to the river and the University of South Wales. Significant tenants include Next, Topshop and New Look as well as major food and leisure brands including Nandos, Las Iguanas, and an eight-screen cinema in the brand new Cineworld.
Encompassing some 390,000 sq ft, the Friars Walk project is a major regeneration project for the whole of Newport city centre. Quality was of the utmost importance to the client, and Bowmer + Kirkland delivered a project that has increased catchment for shoppers and foot-fall for retailers. The centre is divided into four blocks of varying character and style. The elevations are clad in a variety of materials including masonry, rubble stone walling and coloured metal cladding. An arched ETFE roof covers the main mall and the high quality external materials and lighting enhance the high quality of the development.
Being part of a built-up urban area presented significant challenges for the project, including:
- Constructing over a 750mm diameter Welsh Water sewer, including repositioning without interruption to services
- Difficult ground conditions from being in close proximity to the River Usk
- Logistical challenges from the site confined on all sides by a main arterial road, a public highway, a live pedestrian area, and an existing shopping centre
Despite the challenges, we delivered the scheme successfully, drawing on our extensive experience in retail to manage the complicated details of this large project. Throughout the project, all stakeholders were involved in the decision making process and a dedicated tenant liaison manager ensured commercial partners were able to deliver their fit-outs in good time. The finished project included:
- Three-storey department store, and seven major shop units
- 30 standard size shops
- Eight-screen cinema
- 13 restaurants and five kiosks
- 345-space undercroft carpark and 15 bay bus station
- Significant public realm works including improvements to John Frost Square and Usk Plaza
The site has now welcomed well over 10 million visitors, as well receiving awards including:
- 2016 ‘Revo Gold Award’ for Best New Centre in England and Wales
- Vertical Cladding/Rainscreen Award at the UK Roofing Awards
- Considerate Constructors Silver Award
