Editing Monmouth (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Monnow Street, Monmouth.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Monnow Street]], historically the site of the town's market and now its main shopping street]]
Monmouth developed primarily as a market town, and [[agricultural]] centre, rather than as a centre of industry.  The [[wool]] industry was important in its early growth, and the town was a centre for the production of the very popular [[knitting|knitted]] and [[felt]]ed [[Monmouth cap]]s, from the 15th century onwards.<ref name=gtj>[http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/small/item/GTJ01788/  Gathering the Jewels: Monmouth cap, 16th century] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503100815/http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/small/item/GTJ01788/ |date=3 May 2012 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref> Historically, Monmouth also had iron and [[tinplate]] works, together with paper and corn mills. The town was also an important river port, with warehouses and wharves along the Wye later removed for the building of the A40 relief road.<ref name=ggatlandscape/><ref name="Chisholm 1911, pp. 728–729"/>

Monmouth is now primarily a centre for [[service industries]] and [[tourism]], and its good road communications have encouraged [[commuting]] to larger centres in the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]], [[South Wales]], and [[Bristol]].<ref>[http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/2467/draft_economic_development_strategy Monmouthshire County Council: Draft Economic Development Strategy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929091027/http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/2467/draft_economic_development_strategy |date=29 September 2011 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref> The Monmouth and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce represents businesses in the town and aims to support and encourage their development.<ref>[http://www.mdctc.co.uk/ Monmouth and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce].  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref>

The town has a variety of both national and independent shops, most situated along Monnow Street. There are a number of supermarkets, some banks although the numbers have declined in the 21st century, and independent cafes and restaurants. [[Church Street, Monmouth|Church Street]], a cobbled pedestrianised street, contains craft shops, a book shop, a greengrocer, chemist, coffee shops and restaurants.<ref name=welcome/>  Monmouth has been a [[Fairtrade]] town since 2005.<ref>[http://www.monmouthshiregreenweb.co.uk/FairtradeForum/index.htm Monmouth Fair Trade Forum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716115833/http://www.monmouthshiregreenweb.co.uk/FairtradeForum/index.htm |date=16 July 2011 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref> A regular market takes place close to the Monnow Bridge, and occasionally in the traditional market place in Agincourt Square. There are numerous [[public house]]s in the town.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitmonmouthshire.com/explore/monmouth/places-to-eat-and-drink-monmouth|title=Places to eat and drink in Monmouth|publisher=Visit Monmouthshire|access-date=4 February 2024}}</ref>

According to the 2001 census,<ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=284294&c=Monmouth&d=140&e=15&g=421081&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1326147045774&enc=1&dsFamilyId=27 ONS, Neighbourhood Statistics: Monmouthshire 004, Industry of Employment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025052833/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=284294&c=Monmouth&d=140&e=15&g=421081&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1326147045774&enc=1&dsFamilyId=27 |date=25 October 2013 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref> Monmouth had relatively high proportions of its population working in the retail and wholesale sectors of the economy (19.5%, compared with 16.3% for Wales as a whole), education (11.8%, compared with 8.1% across Wales), and property services (10.8%, compared with 8.5% across Wales).  The proportion working in manufacturing was lower than the average (16.5% compared with 17.3% across Wales), as was the proportion in public administration (4.3% compared with 6.8% across Wales). In terms of occupational groups,<ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=284294&c=Monmouth&d=140&e=15&g=421081&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1326147045774&enc=1&dsFamilyId=33 ONS, Neighbourhood Statistics: Monmouthshire 004, Occupation Groups] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025024947/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=284294&c=Monmouth&d=140&e=15&g=421081&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1326147045774&enc=1&dsFamilyId=33 |date=25 October 2013 }}.  Accessed 11 January 2012</ref> the proportion of residents in managerial and professional posts was higher than average (30.1% compared with 22.7% across Wales), and the proportions in administrative and processing work were lower (8.7% in each group, compared with 12.2% and 10.2% respectively across Wales).