Cutomers of a dry-cleaners which suddenly shut its doors in Brecon have been told they can retrieve their items from Powys County Council.

Barnum’s Dry Cleaners, based on The Struet, closed for the last time in June with customers’ property still inside.

Powys Councillor Matthew Dorrance said it came to his attention at the end of last month when a resident from his ward got in touch to say she was struggling to claim her property.

The Labour councillor, who represents St John ward in Brecon, said: “It closed a little while ago I think - it was June 28 when it first got raised with me by a resident in my ward.

“She said she had gone to collect some items she had taken there and found it was closed.”

The resident claimed that nobody had let her know about the closure of Barnum’s.

While it is unclear how much information was provided to customers regarding its closure beforehand, a post was shared to the Brecon and Surrounding Areas Community Group on Facebook at the end of May before the dry cleaners ceased trading advising customers to collect their items.

Cllr Dorrance said he contacted Powys Council after speaking with the resident to see if the council could help.

“I contacted the council because I thought, with all the Government grants in the pandemic and everything, there was a chance they had the owner’s details”.

He said: “It was passed onto Trading Standards who, to be fair, put quite a lot of work in and they spoke to the guy who owned the building and the letting agents.”

It is not known why the business closed, however it is understood that the lease for the building has already been agreed with another business.

Cllr Dorrance said: “We [Powys council] spoke to the agents for the re-letting and they let Nikki from Trading Standards into the building on Thursday night.

“To be fair to her, she went in and scooped everything up and took it with her.”

The unclaimed items from Barnum’s are currently being stored at the council offices at Neuadd Brycheiniog in Brecon where residents will be able to reclaim their belongings.

Those who do have items which were at Barnum’s Dry Cleaners have been asked to contact Nikki Davies-Wheeler in Trading Standards on 01874 623420.

Cllr Dorrance said that any items which have not been claimed after two months - around September 23 - will be donated to a local church or charity.

The building is managed on behalf of the landlord by the commercial real estate agency Cooke and Arkwright.

When approached about the closure of the dry cleaners, a spokesman from Cooke and Arkwright declined to comment other than to say: “We support the efforts of the community and Powys County Council to reunite people with their belongings.”

It is not known what business will replace Barnum’s, however it is believed that it will not be another dry-cleaning service.

However, town residents will still be able to have their items professionally cleaned by national chain Timpson which is based on Castle Street.