The second stage of resurfacing the upper part of Monnow Street - the pinch point and St John Street - could see the total closure of Monnow Street for up to eight weeks.

Information came to light at the annual meeting of Monmouth’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce the road surface had deteriorated to such an extent that the county highways team is concerned extensive remedial work to the drains will force a total closure of Monmouth’s high street so that deeper excavations can take place. It is part of a three stage plan to resurface the main street of Monmouth and will make the pinch point a permanent feature after having been ’on trial’ since 2015 as a temporary pedestrain-friendly feature.Stage one of the three stage plan for Monmouth saw the complete resurfacing of Monnow Street up to the pedestrian crossing opposite Miles Morgan Travel in October and stage two - the pinch point and St John Street was due to start in February of this yearOperations manager for Monmouthshire County Council, Roger Hoggins, said last year that the highways team “will plan the works to limit disruption as much as possible. This may involve night time closures.”A spokesman for MCC told the Beacon in October 2018 that the upper reaches of Monnow Street are “insufficiently wide to accommodate the works and any controlled traffic programme so it will be necessary to apply street closures”.However it seems that there are issues with underground drains that are as yet unquantified and so require deeper excavations.David Cummings, chairman of the chamber said: “I learned last week in an email from an MCC Highways engineer that Monmouthshire County Council intend to have a total closure of Monnow Street for a period of four to eight weeks to vehicular traffic. I was originally informed that the work to repair the surface and install a new permanent pinch point would take place mostly at night. “The chamber is extremely concerned about the very adverse effect this will have on the town’s businesses with the loss of trade from the passengers of  4,600 vehicles that use the street each day. “The timing of the work is a critical factor. Should this be done in the school holidays and affect tourism or in school term time and more adversely affect the spending from local shoppers? “We have strongly lobbied MCC for a public meeting at which a plan of the proposed works can be viewed and businesses and members of the public get the chance to comment on ways to mitigate the effects as far as is possible” .These works will be an insight into the final look to any future plans to resurface Agincourt Square which will adopt a similar standard and design to the pinch point.Plans for a ‘shared space concept’ in Agincourt Square have been put forward by the Public Realm Group with a view to enhancing the historical and architectural beauty and supporting trade and tourism for the future.The idea is to recreate the square as it once was, but accommodating the road that must be maintained through it, using cobbled setts across the road and pavements, to delineate the square area, whilst limiting the road painting and graphics of a typical highway.