The eyesore that moved a town council to contact other landlords of shabby properties in the town’s shopping areas has been resurrected, although it’s still the ugly duckling on Monnow Street.

The Beacon reported on 13th March that it was feared the derelict building next to Lloyds Bank was unsafe and was in danger of being pulled down.

Archaeologist Steve Clarke said the building was in a poor state of repair, "is full of pigeons and has been boarded off because pieces have fallen off the façade".

The Archaeological Society, of which he is chair, claimed that a decision to demolish the building would endanger some of the most important archaeology in the country as the site lies over the defences of both Monmouth’s Roman and Norman towns while the ditches of the earliest Roman Fort in Wales also run under the building.

Mr Clarke said that Monmouthshire County Council’s (MCC) heritage team has been in negotiation with the owner who maintained the building was structurally unsound and essentially fit for demolition.

However the town council’s planning committee has kept a ’watching brief’ on the premises and it was reported at the last full council meeting by Councillor Mat Feakins that negotiations with the owner and MCC’s listing officer were going "as fast as they can legally go" given that the building is on third party ownership.

But now the wraps are off and the building is, at least at ground level, not the eyesore it has been for over three months.

There are concerns over the integrity of the internal structure as a number of acro props have been seen to be supporting the ground floor ceiling.

David Cummings , chairman of the local traders group said they very much welcomed the work undertaken by the landlord  which has resulted in the removal of the boarding and essential repairs to the shop front. "We are unclear as to whether work undertaken will allow the shop to open again, or  allow the use of the shop windows for displays for public information. Either way we are committed to find  a long term use for the site that enhances the street landscape"