BUSINESSES in Brecon are getting together to breathe new life into the town’s dormant chamber of trade.

The business group hasn’t been active for some three or four years but traders say increasing pressures on the high street have prompted them to re-start the organisation.

Sarah Lewis said 35 businesses have already agreed to join or re-join the group, which has sought support from the town council.

Ms Lewis, who works for Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies, said she became involved in re-starting the group after its last appointed chairman Ian Dent approached the Conservative MP.

"Ian asked would we be interested in re-starting the group and I’ve been out around the town and given out forms and information and we’ve got 35 businesses signed up. People have said we need something desperately," said Ms Lewis.

Clare Dent, who runs the Ardent Gallery in High Street Inferior with husband Ian, said there are three priority areas for the chamber to address.

She said traders believe parking charges in county council owned car parks are a deterrent to shoppers: "We would like to see free parking. That is the number one concern, then sorting out the empty shops and getting people excited about trading in Brecon again."

As well as a number of empty shops in the town centre in recent months there has been an increase in vacant units in the town’s Bethel Square shopping centre. Women’s clothing chain Dorothy Perkins also closed its shop in the centre.

It is hoped as well as representing traders and putting their concerns to bodies such as Powys County Council and the Brecon Beacons National Park the chamber can address problems around the number of empty shops and the condition of buildings.

"We want to work with the landlords and say is there something we can do to make the buildings more attractive?" said Mrs Dent.

"Ian has wanted to do pop up shops so if a shop is empty perhaps landlords could offer six months free rent and then people would stay on permanently.

"Last summer there was a lot of negativity from tourists and I overheard some say, ’what has happened to to the town, there are so many empty shops?’.

"I’ve traded here 12 years I don’t want to see it go down any further than it has."

Ms Lewis said traders have also raised rents and business rates as issues hitting the viability of the town centre.

"One person told me they used to have to pay £17,000 a year rent for their shop and business rates were 45% of that. They had to make £50-60,000 before they could start making a profit," said Ms Lewis.

The group has already held a question and answer session with Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Conservative group in the Welsh Assembly, while Ms Lewis is also planning an event in Brecon on Thursday, February 11 at the Guildhall.

That will allow traders to meet with representatives of the planning authority and property agent Stuart Hogg will also be in attendance.

Michelle Bailey, who owns the Cariad Cup Cakes shop in High Street Superior, has joined the chamber as she hopes it can address the town’s declining retail sector.

She said trading as an independent shop, especially with competition from national chains, is a struggle in Brecon as the success of shops can be dependent on factors as unpredictable as the weather.

"I think the chamber will give us a voice and I think we need to stand united and then hopefully we will get heard and get the ball rolling and maybe get some of these empty shops back into use."

Ms Bailey employs five staff including three family members at the shop where she has been based for the past 18 months having first opened in Rich Way, near the theatre, where she traded for three years.

Roger Smart, a consultant electrical engineer, based in the town centre has also joined. He said: "I’m a sole trader and work from home but I also care very much about what happens in Brecon."