The Rise and Fall of Wildings: From Iconic Department Store to Cannabis Farm in Newport, Wales
Wildings in Newport, Wales: the grand department store that became an illicit cannabis farm
The Guardian
Image: The Guardian
Wildings, a historic department store in Newport, Wales, closed in January 2019 after 144 years of operation. Following its closure, the building was transformed into an illicit cannabis farm, discovered by police in October 2023 with over 3,000 plants worth £2 million. The story reflects broader challenges faced by high streets in the UK.
- 01Wildings closed after 144 years of operation in January 2019.
- 02The building was later converted into a cannabis farm, raided by police in October 2023.
- 03The cannabis crop was valued at over £2 million.
- 04Newport has experienced significant retail decline, with 33% of its city center shops vacant in 2022.
- 05Future plans for the Wildings building include retail space and residential flats.
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Wildings, a once-thriving department store in Newport, Wales, closed its doors permanently on January 19, 2019, after 144 years of service. The store was known for its Christmas displays and a rich history, but it succumbed to declining sales attributed to factors like increased online shopping and changing consumer habits. In October 2023, police raided the building and discovered more than 3,000 cannabis plants, valued at over £2 million. The illicit operation was run by two Albanian men who were later sentenced to two years in prison. The decline of Wildings mirrors the broader struggles of high streets in the UK, particularly in Newport, where 33% of city center shops were vacant as of 2022. Plans for the future of the Wildings building include a retail unit on the ground floor and 20 residential flats above, signaling a shift in focus from retail to residential development in response to changing market dynamics.
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The transformation of Wildings into a cannabis farm highlights the challenges faced by local businesses and the retail sector in Newport, reflecting a broader trend of decline in high street shopping.
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