Newport Centre (Wales) facts for kids
Main entrance, 2008
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| Location | Newport, South Wales |
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| Coordinates | 51°35′08.47″N 2°59′28.69″W / 51.5856861°N 2.9913028°W |
| Owner | Newport City Council |
| Type | Concert hall, leisure centre |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Opened | 1985 |
| Closed | 2023 |
| Website | |
| Newport Centre | |
The Newport Centre was a fun leisure centre located in Newport, South Wales. It was right in the middle of Newport city, next to the River Usk. The centre offered a swimming pool, sports areas, and spaces for different events.
It was a place where people could enjoy concerts, art exhibitions, and even big meetings. The Newport Centre first opened its doors in 1985. It closed in 2023 and was later taken down. The Newport City Council is now building a new leisure centre nearby. This new centre will have sports facilities but will not host concerts.
What Was Inside?
The Newport Centre had many cool things to do. It featured a special swimming pool with a flume (a water slide) and a wave machine, which made swimming even more exciting!
There was also a large sports hall. Here, you could play many different games like badminton, netball, tennis, basketball, and volleyball. For those who liked to stay fit, there was a fitness centre. It also had a health area with a sauna and a Jacuzzi.
The centre had rooms that could be rented for parties or meetings. There was also a space to show off art or other displays. If you got hungry, there was a cafeteria. Plus, there was a big car park for visitors.
Exciting Events and Shows
The Newport Centre was a popular spot for many famous performers. Over the years, it hosted big names like Elton John, David Bowie, Run DMC, Elvis Costello, Alice Cooper, Manic Street Preachers, Robert Palmer, Iron Maiden, Ronnie James Dio, Kasabian, and Marilyn Manson.
It was also a place for sports competitions. The centre hosted important snooker tournaments. These included the Welsh Professional Championship from 1987 to 1991. It also held the Welsh Open several times, from 1992 to 1998, and again from 2005 to 2014.
Why Did It Close?
By February 2021, the Newport Centre needed a lot of expensive repairs, especially in the swimming pool area. Because of this, the Newport City Council decided to take the building down.
The swimming pool closed in August 2021. The rest of the centre closed in March 2023, and that's when the demolition work started. The land where the centre once stood is now being used by Coleg Gwent. A new leisure centre is being built close by, on a site near the river. This new centre will focus on sports and leisure activities, but it will not have concert facilities.
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