SIR,

I was secretary of Monmouth Chamber of Commerce when Tillotsons opened their factory in Monmouth.

The story as I remember it was that the firm, which was based in Cambridge, had a surplus corrugated cardboard machine and decided to build a new factory in South Wales to house it.

The firm wanted to come to South Wales because one of their main clients manufactured refrigerators in the Swansea area.

They chose Monmouth because the road system would be developed within the next ten years and would give them easy access for the distribution of their products.

The snag was that Monmouthshire County Council wanted the factory to be built in the Cwmbran area and I have always believed that if Monmouth's MP, Peter Thorneycroft, had not been cabinet minister, planning permission would not have been granted.

Derek Jones

(Monmouth)