High street travel agents shut by floods set to reopen

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

A travel agents forced to close when a high street was engulfed by floodwater is planning to reopen and create new jobs. 

Miles Morgan Travel had to close its Monmouth branch when the town’s Monnow Street was swamped by flooding unleashed by Storm Claudia in November. 

Staff have since been working from other branches with the chain having shops in Abergavenny and Chepstow as well as across the south west of England. 

It has now applied for planning permission to “refresh and repair” the inside of its Monmouth shop which is grade II-listed for its “special architectural interest as part of a varied group of historic buildings” in the town centre. 

It has also said any external repairs to the three-storey building will be on a “like for like” basis. 

A statement submitted with the application to Monmouthshire County Council’s planning department said it intends on extending the sales floor which will create new jobs. 

Repairs are to be carried out due to the recent flooding including an “interior cosmetic refresh to include relining on walls, recarpeting and replacement of doors that are water damaged.” 

It stated: “The proposed works involve a light-touch cosmetic refurbishment with no structural alterations, ensuring the character and appearance of the listed building and its surroundings are preserved, while allowing for expansion of the sales floor and local employment of additional staff.” 

The sales floor air conditioning unit will be replaced and a new air conditioning unit installed while there will be a new condenser unit on the rear flat roof next to the existing unit. Existing penetrations will be used with no new penetrations made. 

The plans are being considered by the planning department.