The first meeting of the new year for Monmouth’s business group saw two new members join the ranks. Olle Grove from Sunshine Radio and Ludo Graham from Humble by Nature were welcomed by President of Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, Sherren McCabe-Finlayson at the event hosted at Church Street’s Creates restaurant, courtesy of Ben and Kenny.

Following a pleasant networking session between members, Sher welcomed everyone to the meeting and brought them up to date on the events coming to the town this year. Beginning with the August Bank Holiday music festival on the Monmouthshire Showground site, she was pleased to see all members in favour of ‘Monmouth Rising’, which potentially could bring a lot of opportunities. The organiser, Rebellion Live’s James Kenny, has been in touch with the Chamber and is keen for local businesses to become stallholders and showcase their products.

“The Town Council and Monmouthshire County Council are all hugely behind this, and as a business group our members have been supportive since being made aware of the event. It is important that we show the positivity we feel this will bring to Monmouth and the local economy” she added. Members heard about plans to tackle the expected capacity of 45,000 music-goers as the showground includes the fields top side of the Redbrook Road, and there is potential for use of land on the other side of the river to host camping, with access to the showground.

Stephanie Harris explained that the organisers have previous experience with large-capacity crowds having been involved with other major UK festivals. “Rebellion Live plans to build its own fire and ambulance station on the showground to cater for the capacity crowd. I know the people in this room that have experience of James Kenny will think that this event can only be positive,” she added. According to Rebellion Live, all the legalities have been completed, and supported by the local council, who “will do everything they can to make sure the festival happens”.

Memories of the last VE Day celebrations in Church Street over 30 years ago were brought back when Sher spoke of the last time the town celebrated the event with street parties for the 50th anniversary.

This year will be the 80th anniversary and she is keen to celebrate in a similar way, saying “there is a generation or two that have never experienced that sort of community spirit and it would be good to show the town pulling together. Given that Church Street is largely comprised of independent traders the Chamber should lead this so we can promote positivity through our messages. The Punch House are staging a 1940s music-themed event, and it would be great to see the party link up and ‘make a real show of it’”.

The Chamber are holding their AGM and another networking session on January 28th at the Hitchcock Pavilion between 6pm and 8pm where some more exciting news for Monmouth could be revealed.