Revamp for forgotten Welsh shopping street

Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter

A revamp for a forgotten pedestrian shopping area and listed buildings is being planned.

In an effort to boost footfall along Monmouth’s Church Street, which is also home to the town’s grade II listed Savoy theatre and 24 other buildings of the same stauts, welcome archways could be installed across both its entrances.

The pedestrian street runs from the market town’s main high street, Monnow Street, to the junction of St Mary’s Street and Whitecross Street and St Mary’s Priory Church.

Regeneration

Monmouth Town Council has been awarded funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund to support the regeneration of Church Street, and nearby White Swan Court that also houses independent shops, but must spend the money by March.

It has asked Monmouthshire County Council for planning permission for the archway welcome signs, a canopy of lights along the length of Church Street and to install ‘finger post’ signs directing pedestrians to White Swan Court as well as the installation of an information board at the entrance to Church Street near Agincourt Street.

The town council is also seeking permission to replace and install catenary wires on a number of listed buildings in Church Street.

Support

It first applied for planning permission in September but submitted revised plans in December which are currently being considered by the unitary authority’s planning department.

Information submitted by the local council states: “The regeneration programme is aimed at supporting the businesses that trade in Church Street and White Swan Court.

“Whilst the difficulties being encountered by retail in town centres generally is widely acknowledged Church Street and White Swan Court have been suffering decline in trade and occupancy for some time and the town council has highlighted the street and court as in need of support, hence the application to UK government for financial support.”

It said it is also concerned a downturn in trade would result in a lack of maintenance of the listed buildings and highlighted the “unsightly appearance of 10 Church Street (formerly the greengrocers).”

Since the Covid pandemic, the council said, footfall has declined “with a spike of empty units in the area in 2021” and its research shows it is overlooked.

“A survey carried out by the Town Council as part of this project, highlighted that many residents and visitors to the town do not know where Church Street and White Swan Court are or only use it as a walking route and not as a destination for shopping, eating or socialising.”

Funding

It is planned the archways will be attached to existing CCTV posts, rather than historic buildings, to reduce the impact while the additional catenary wires will be installed on the Nationwide branch at 4 Church Street to Rossiters Books, the British Red Cross shop to Rossers Chemist, the Chop Shop to Extons and from Woodys Attic to Meraki Hairdressers.

A number of catenary wires are already installed in Church Street for Christmas Lights and bunting.

The town council stated: “Funding restrictions are such that monies must be spent by March 2025 and therefore it is hoped to have the additional ‘street furniture’ in place by this date. It is likely that the catenary wires and canopy of lights will need to be installed before the signage to avoid any complications with installation.”