AFTER nearly a week of maintaining complete radio silence, Monmouthshire County Council has finally answered the Chronicle's constant queries about what will replace the burned-down Richards building on Frogmore Street.

Empires may fall, civilisations may crumble, and mountains may topple into the sea, in the time it takes a public body's communications department to answer what one would think is a relatively simple question.

With it being nearly a year since the old Richard's store in Frogmore Street was destroyed in the flames of an unexplained inferno, the whole of Abergavenny was wondering if MCC had any plans or was aware of any plans for the redevelopment of the site?

Yet our initial query on Monday to a publicly funded body on a matter that was very much in the public interest was met with zero response.

A friendly reminder sent on Thursday morning was once again met with not so much as a 'Thank-you for your enquiry. We'll look into this matter and get back to you.'

Instead, the Chronicle was faced with a towering wall of silence.

However, after an article on the issue was published without a comment from MCC, the oxygen of publicity appeared to put the wind in their sails and the fire beneath their feet.

The very next day, we received a statement on the future of the old Richards' site.

And it's bad news for all you readers hoping that Marks and Spencer might be going there.

But it's good news for all those cynical types who thought the boarded-up empty space would be left to rot and ruin.

The statement reads, "Monmouthshire County Council are engaged and working with the site owner and third parties to develop the site with an aspirational project that would enhance Abergavenny’s town centre. Full details of the proposals will be able to be shared with the community as this project progresses."