A LACK of shoppers spending money in Abergavenny is hitting some traders hard in the run up to Christmas - with some losing 50 percent profit on last year.

There is just seven days left to Christmas and local businesses in the market town are feeling the seasonal pinch.

Traders depend on a decent footfall to enable them to survive the winter months. Adrian Nelmes, president of the Market Traders' Federation said, "Trade is dramatically down. Considering how close we are, one Tuesday before Christmas, it's totally dead. But it's the trend everywhere else, town is half empty.

"It's just really quiet. I think it's a combination of a lot of things, Woolworth's having a sale, the fact that the market has moved and that people are not spending. Fair play to Monmouthshire County Council, they have tried to help us, they are talking about sorting something with our rates and advertising campaigns. It's not looking good."

Mr Nelmes is afraid stall holders who don't make enough of a profit to cover the rent they pay will leave Abergavenny and may never come back.

"If they can't cover it a week before Christmas, how will they manage in the quiet months of January, February and March?

"One of my suppliers called me two weeks ago and asked if there was a problem with the stock. They said I was ordering £400 worth twice a week last year and now I am lucky to order £500 a month. I am down about 40/50 percent."

Mr Nelmes said some traders were managing and others are not taking enough takings to cover their rent, "We just have to keep going, I do want to thanks the customers who support us and Tom James from MCC who does his best to support us."

Jenny Taylor, Chair of the Abergavenny and District Tourist Association, said trade to her guest house was down 50 percent.

"It's been totally different to any year I have experienced over the last six. We had a very good summer - despite the weather. People are holding onto their jobs and times are hard. I noticed how quiet it was becoming towards the end of October. Normally we fill up with builders working from home through the winter but this year there's no building work going on, the Heads of the Valley road is finished and building has stopped.

"We are about 50 percent down. I think it's the credit crunch and the fact that people don't want to part with their money because they can't afford to."

The down turn has affected many businesses in Abergavenny. However, there is a glimmer of hope for Jenny's guest house, "We are busy from Boxing Day through New Year but then it goes quiet again," added Jenny.

She said other factors such as the exchange rate could affect summer trade next year, "I think we should be prepared for a good summer with the value of the pound going down, people will want to take short breaks in the UK. Hopefully it will pick up for local business. I don't know what else can be done to help the local economy at the moment, we have our new website and an amazing new brochure coming out in January but I don't know what else can be done - apart from kidnapping people from the A40 and bringing them to town!"

The demise of Woolworth's, the once Great British institution, will also affect trade. As the branch began to sell off stock last week after efforts to find a buyer for the once dominant chain failed, shoppers in Abergavenny queued several hundreds yards from the store to the Market Hall for bargains.

Jonathan Bensley, owner of Cooks Gallery, which has been in the town for 22 years, says his trade has been reasonable.

"This year has not been brilliant, I definitely noticed a difference form this time last year, the same as everyone else I'm sure. I hope someone comes in and takes over Woolworth's - it's a huge store for the town to lose."

There has been a reduction in the number of people shopping at Twinkle Toes according to owner Alison Probert. She says, "When Woolworth's does eventually close we will notice the trade drop even more. It's all because of this so called credit crunch that everyone is on about.

"I just think people are being very careful with their money. I was in Cardiff yesterday and the big name stores were selling everything off and slashing their prices but small shops like mine can't afford to do that. I order a lot of my exclusive goods six months in advance - If I had a sale and everything went, I would have no stock until February.

"I have been in the town for almost five years and this has been the worst year so far. It's never been this bad. I opened up on Sunday and didn't have one customer. The footfall in Abergavenny is not like we used to have."

Chris Wilkins, manager of one of the town's oldest shops, Edwards H J & Sons the Butchers, says business is both "up and down."

"It's good at the weekends but then gets quieter in the week. It's not the worst year for us by any means," said Mr Wilkins, who has worked at the butchers since 1981.

"We do get a lot of people who buy turkeys from us, and that's it all year. We like to emphasis that your butcher is not just for Christmas - use your high street or lose it," he added. Fellow worker Robert Trigg said the new outside market was helping the business, "Trade has improved since the market has been in the streets. Our poultry sales are good."

Landlady of the Hen and Chicks, Kate O'Donnell, says it's her faithful customers who are keeping the pub going.

"It's not been too bad, we are a community pub and have our regulars who keep us supported. A typical Tuesday is really busy in town in the morning but then it tends to dwindle off in the afternoon. Woolworth's closing will hit the town hard, it's dreadful news and so sad - there was always two things you can rely on taxes and Woolies. We're just grateful for our locals who support us."

Susi Cernoch, President of the town's Chamber of Trade said, "I have heard of mixed fortunes from members; some say there's very little difference and others say there is a decrease in spending. It seems the public are being cautious this Christmas until they're sure they'll get through the winter because of increased electricity prices and threat of some jobs losses. I would say people are still spending, but more thoughtfully perhaps than in previous years, and some luxuries are having to fall by the wayside temporarily. I'm sure things will improve in the spring. Let's hope so."