A bakery in Abergavenny is to shut its doors for good this summer when the lease expires on their Frogmore Street shop.

O’Connell’s Bakery will cease trading in Abergavenny on Thursday August 14 having served their signature custard slices and sweet treats to the town for the last five years.

However, the couple who run the business, Chris and Rhian O’Connell, made the sad announcement their stay here would be coming to an end on social media.

“This has been an incredibly hard decision for us to make,” they said.

“Over recent years we’ve seen a significant decrease in footfall and customer spending, alongside rising running costs, and truthfully we’ve never fully recovered from the impact of the floods. Sadly, it’s reached the point where keeping the shop open is no longer sustainable.”

“We want to say a huge thank you to every single person who has supported us since we moved to Abergavenny five years ago. Whether you popped in regularly, recommended us to friends, stopped for a chat, or supported us through the difficult times — it has meant more than you’ll ever know.”

“We’ve made so many wonderful memories and met some truly amazing people along the way.”

The business itself is not disappearing completely. The bakery’s Pontypool Market stall is expected to remain open and the owners have not ruled out the possibility of opening a new venture elsewhere.

“Although this chapter is coming to an end, this isn’t goodbye from us entirely,” Chris and Rhian continued.

“We are exploring other opportunities and avenues for the future, even though we’ve recently had some disappointing news on one possibility we had hoped for. We’ll keep searching for the right fit.”

“Thank you, Abergavenny, for welcoming us and supporting our little business over the past five years. We’ll always be grateful.”