The common narrative of the decline of the British high street has been making headlines for years now. In Abergavenny, businesses of all sizes have found it difficult to survive in recent years and some spaces have been sat empty for years.

In the last twelve months alone, Poundland, Pandora, The Little Kitchen, Oxfam, Toolstation and O’Connells bakery have all announced their departure from the town centre. The outdoor giant, Trespass, had also hosted a closing down sale and the unit is on the market. But the shift away from the town centre isn’t forcing all of these people out of business. In fact, most are moving in order to stay open.

The popular Cibi Walk stall, La Mediteranea, left its stand in the middle of town to trade out of the business’ industrial unit near Abergavenny Station this year and O’Connell’s bakery will maintain its presence in Pontypool Market when the owners shut up shop in Aber.

Now, a new campaign has been launched to save vacant units on high streets across Monmouthshire by Catherine Fookes MP.

"Our high streets are the heart of our towns. But too many shops have sat empty for years, and they're making our town centres look neglected,” she said.

“After speaking with businesses and residents across Monmouthshire, I know how important it is that we get these spaces back into use and looking their best again.”

To launch the campaign, Ms Fookes has written to the owners of 20-22 on Monmouth’s High Street – a building which has stood largely empty for many years and has been deteriorating with plants growing out of it, and in one recent incident, the glass falling out of the windows.

Like several in Monmouthshire, the premises is owned by a property company based in London. The letter from the MP urges the owner not to behave as an “absentee landlord who doesn't care about the town”, but to take action as soon as possible on the building.

Monmouthshire County Council has been in discussions with the building's owner regarding its future, and has been trying to make them act, but progress has been limited.

However, in Abergavenny, the council has come under fire for decisions it has taken in the town centre. Increased parking charges and recent confusion over access for disabled drivers has caused some to say they would “rather go to Cwmbran” while planning officers were heavily criticised for their “inconsistent” enforcement of conservation area rules relating to a family-run restaurant before enforcement action was dropped.

There is still no plan for the vacant land on Frogmore Street where the former Richards Department Store once stood before a devastating fire took hold.

But the town is still busy and the resilience of its people shone through last year. Mercifully, no business in Abergavenny disappeared solely as a result of the devastating November floods like they have in aforementioned Monmouth. Only one has said the event contributed to its planned departure but everyone has opened back up in some form.

Abergavenny is still an attractive place to open up as well. Ramsdens, Hey Bargain, and The Garden Kitchen by Pugh’s are just some of the new businesses that have opened here recently - and have largely been welcome additions.

So perhaps the question should not be whether anyone wants to set out their stall here anymore - because they do - but why it has been so difficult for some of them to stay.