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The recently reopened Newport Market has the town buzzing


Pots


The Vegan Gardener, John Walker offers advice on how you can make your own plant pots and swerve the whole plastic affair.


That Rot! In an extract from his new book


The stylish, long-awaited redevelopment of Newport’s city centre market incorporates a Food Court on its ground floor, one which brings together a tour of world flavours. Traders’ stalls border the seated area and bar, with ordering through QR codes and food served by a central team.


There’s a strong Asian influence here. Look out for Greedy Bear, whose Asian street food features noodles, bao, small plates and their glazed Korean short rib bowl, or the vegan- only Supa Thai, who are on a mission to bring Bangkok to Newport with their spicy comfort food, dumplings and all.


Heavyweights Seven Lucky Gods are here, direct from their home on Bristol’s Harbourside. They bring a eclectic, pan-Asian menu – based on Tokyo izakayas – featuring bento bowls, sushi and sashimi, Korean fried chicken and more. Newcomers Tasty Peninsula head toward Malaysia with their concise menu of just two meat and two vegan choices, the latter being gluten-free.


From the same restaurant group as Seven Lucky Gods comes Flour & Ash – pioneers of “proper pizza” in Bristol, with sourdough bases, woodfired ovens and imaginative toppings. The food court wouldn’t be complete without burgers, of course, so Burger Boyz make their smashed patties daily and cook to order, with a supporting cast of wings and loaded fries.


South Wales street food legends Meat And Greek are well known to local food lovers. Their huge extraction unit hints at the serious amount of cooking over coals that goes into the souvlaki which has won them fans all over Wales. And comparative Cardiff newcomers Dirty Gnocchi are here with their skilful Italian comfort food: their crisp, oozing arancini, or their party trick of finishing your pasta in their huge cheese wheel for some serious indulgence, are unmissable.


Newport Market Food Court, High Street, Newport, Wed-Sat 12-10pm; Sun 12-5pm. Info: newport-market.co.uk/eat


JONATHAN SWAIN


Try to minimise or get rid of plastic from your garden altogether. Ready-made products are available to buy, or you can easily make your own for little or no cost, using everyday household materials such as newspaper.


Plant pots and trays made from natural, plant- based materials, which rot away either in the soil, or in your compost heap or bin, are pollution-free and add organic matter. Home- made paper pots are light, with only a tiny footprint.


Both reusing plastic pots and switching to plastic-free options can help ease our climate emergency. Reducing demand for new plastic pots means demand for oil and its refining falls, less pots are made, and the climate- harming emissions from their manufacture and transport decline. Fewer discarded plastic pots entering our ecosystems means less pollution.


Plastic-free pots still require energy to make, but do not require oil. Plant-derived materials will instead have absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it in their roots, stems and leaves.


HOW TO DO IT


A wooden potmaker and newspaper is all you need to make low-impact pots. Use a tin can or bottle to make larger pots.


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1. Tear the newspaper into strips according to the size of pot you want, then, on a flat surface, roll them around the pot-maker.


2. Fold the overlapping paper over, firming it to form the pot’s base, then slide the newly made pot from around the pot-maker.


3. Overfill the paper pot with peat-free compost, tap it gently to settle, then lightly brush off excess with the flat of your hand. Sow large seeds by laying them on the compost and pushing them in. For smaller seeds, make holes with a dibber.


When roots grow out through the starting-to- rot paper pot, simply plant outdoors or pot-on into a larger container.


John Walker’s The Vegan Gardener is published by Lorenz Books (price: £15)


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