Archive - Tuesday, 6 July 2004


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Street to close for carnival

CROSS Street in Abergavenny will once again be closed to through traffic this weekend - the first time since the closure order was suspended after protests by traders.

A working group was set up of councillors, traders and Monmouthshire county officials to decide whether the street should be closed to traffic on special occasions.

This was agreed and now the street from the Angel Hotel through to Market Street will be closed for Abergavenny Carnival weekend.

It has been agreed that it will also be closed on the weekend of July 24-25 for the Abergavenny Festival, August 7-8 for a Craft Fair, August 28-29 for the Marching Jazz Band world championships and September 18-19 for the Food Festival.

Dale Roberts, Bryn y Cwm area manager said: "On each weekend the roads will be closed between 6.30am-6pm and we hope shoppers and traders will take advantage of the tables and chairs that will be placed in the street and soak up the atmosphere.

"No vehicles of any kind will be allowed to enter Cross Street, although there will be extra parking spaces for disabled drivers in the Brewery Yard car park."

He said a new ornamental barrier would be used to close the street at the Angel Hotel, replacing the one used last winter by the council which traders complained about.

There was uproar when the road closure orders were brought in last December, with Cross Street traders complaining their trade had fallen dramatically.

Several protests were held before the council agreed to suspend the orders for the working group to come up with a compromise.

Mr Roberts added: "The group has agreed that closing the street on these dates will provide enough experience to enable the council to consider the future of the ongoing trial closure of the other streets - High Street and Nevill Street.

"I would like to thank the members of the group and Andre Arkell who acted as chairman. I am delighted at the outcome and confident the proposals will be supported by traders, visitors and shoppers."