One of Abergavenny’s most prominent town centre buildings, which has been vacant for several years, is being given a new lease of life following a major investment by its new owners with support from Monmouthshire County Council.
The eye-catching 43 Frogmore Street, which is built in a Victorian Neo-Venetian style, overlooks Abergavenny’s town centre war memorial. The building has played a significant role in the town’s history, originally being built as a hotel, but in recent decades, the building has been better known for its supermarkets. Following the purchase of the building in May 2021 by Oakbridge Property Ltd, the ground floor has become a popular local spot for Italian food and drink. However, it was always the intention to bring the entire building back to life, especially finding a new use for the upper floors that have been vacant for decades.
Collaborating with established town centre business Gwagle, the owners have undertaken a major property refurbishment to enable Gwagle to expand its operation after experiencing significant growth following the pandemic. Within the new space, Gwagle is offering a flexible shared office and workspace to a community of professionals, freelancers and creatives, accommodating for different requirements and professions.
Gwagle’s founder Owen Davies said: “Gwagle was launched in 2019 when we took on an empty property in Nevill St to create a shared workspace, establishing a new co-working community and helping to bring people back into our town centre. Three years later, we have outgrown the existing building, and more people are working closer to home as well as looking for co-working spaces near to where they live. We have seen a huge rise in the level of interest in our workspace.”
Gwagle have been searching for a larger town centre building with a rich history. The 225-year-old three-storey building, which sits in a prominent position at the northern entrance to the town centre, is a more-than-suitable match for Gwagle and its growing workspace. The regeneration of 43 Frogmore Street will help showcase Abergavenny to visitors and people passing through the town.
Ashley Reed of Oakbridge Property said “The first and second floors of this fantastic building have been refurbished to a high-quality modern standard, bringing vibrancy back to the whole building. With support from Monmouthshire County Council through Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns fund, we have been able to repurpose this vacant floorspace, help a local business to expand, and assist the ground floor restaurant to expand its al fresco offer.”
Mark Hand, Head of Placemaking, Housing, Highways and Flooding at Monmouthshire County Council said: “The Council is delighted to support this project to breathe new life back into this beautiful town centre building in Abergavenny. There is a growing demand for shared workspaces, which not only brings footfall to our town centres, but also reduces the need to commute, helping tackle the climate emergency.”
