Some of the best known, and most patronised, businesses in Monmouth have found themselves on the wrong end of enforcement action by Monmouthshire County Council.

County employees toured the town last Friday, enforcing what it termed A-Board legislation.

Signs and tables and chairs, which were sited more than one metre away from the premises, were moved, with angry shopkeepers and coffee shop managers contacting The Beacon to ask "What is going on?".

Gemma Morris, who is the manager at Coffee One, in Monnow Street, said she was forced to move the tables from outside her coffee shop.

There are now just two tables, with chairs, outside the premises. "People like to use the tables and chairs to have a drink in the open air, and they are not all smokers" she said.

The furniture, with other fittings, were provided at great expense, but the money had apparently been wasted.

"There is no doubt this is going to hit us badly, with our income being affected" said Gemma. "With the recession, shops are closing all over the place, so you would have thought the Council would be supporting us, not taking action to reduce our trade".

Another long established local business which has been affected by the County's action is Munday and Jones, greengrocer's shop in Church Street.

Beacon reader, Richard Maddrell, contacted us to say "Apparently Phil Munday is breaking the law by having the goods further out than one metre".

He said that, when adhering to the Council's rules several months ago, Phil found that on following the "rules" his business suffered a drop of 10-15% - the kind of hit his business simply cannot afford.

See The Monmouthshire Beacon issue dated 21st January for more on this story.