With high rates to pay, competition from online shopping, you can see by the many empty shops, the effect it is having on our local retail businesses.

So of course we want to encourage more people to visit our town by making it pedestrian friendly.

However, this creates problems. Apart from our road system not being really suitable, the main problem is where are people going to park?

Those of us who live in villages without a bus service know firsthand how difficult the parking in Monmouth is, and I know for a fact that people are put off coming to town for that reason.

I do feel very strongly that if there is money available, we should be solving the parking problems first, before we start messing with Agincourt Square.

I also feel, as do a great many people I’ve spoken to, that the pinch point has created more problems for the town.

Yes the pavement for a short distance is a little wider. But as the ice cream shop often display their A-board on the narrowest part of the pavement, it’s rendered the pinch point pointless.

Reading the Beacon this week there was some good news for the town with the Dixton Road plans being turned down. Perhaps the land could be used as a park and ride area?

It has been around two years since the proposal to use the land behind the Queen’s Head as a parking area. It appears nothing has happened.

Should the money set aside for the Agincourt Square development be used to accelerate this proposal?

Margaret Stanger (Rockfield)