The Empire Theatre. Charles Street Newport Gwent.

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Sometimes! There were Better turns outside than in

The Empire burnt down during the war circa 1941-42 and the last performer was the pianist Charlie Kunzs. Being of German birth. All sorts of vivid tales went around in the gossiping class of those days. Yes we had the chattering class then and also the Pacify talk of the do nothing brigade nothing has changed. Only our Town raped of its Victorian grand buildings.

We once had a town built on a grid pattern with a thriving variety of shops from the Waterloo to the Castle. Even at the depicted scene has only the bank at the bottom of Charles Street to remind us of the old Newport we knew.

Long gone however is the Talbot hotel along with the Argus Sellers at the corner. Also the waiting cars at the traffic lights. And Opposite, the well known store of Reynolds.One of the Posh shops we once had in our town.

The red and white buses laden with shoppers converging from far and wide from our Monmouthshire valleys. Unloading at Clarence place near our Derelict Art Collage.

Buses that once brought people who gave trade and prosperity to traders in that area

For the first time in hundreds of years we had the riverbanks on the west side free of buildings. To enable the building of a road along its bank instead we have car parks. In the wrong place with shoppers taking the risk of life and limb to cross the race track road to get into town. Then some one had the bright idea make it hard to cross the road. Pull the one bridge down making it two for the price of none. All for the Queens visit.

Look around you now in your youth of today.

Tomorrow you will also witness the rape of your Town or so called City.