Pedal Power was started on the Vineyard in Abingdon in 1979. I bought my bike there many years ago. The bike – a Dawes – is still going strong with minimal maintenenace. I sometimes return to the shop, for a new tyre, innertube, or pump.
There is now an online home for Pedal Power and I see it has a quote of the month.
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving ~ Albert Einstein
If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on. ~ Lance Armstrong
January 27, 2012
I see today that a van has taken away the last of the stock from the YMCA shop in Abingdon. They had to vacate by the end of the month as their old premises is getting knocked down in the cause of progress.
Visit the YMCA website to find where there are YMCA shops still “Helping Young people build a future.”
January 25, 2012
I see the Town Council meeting is to be held in the newer Abbey Hall at 7pm today (Wednesday 25th Jan 2012) and not the older Council Chamber …
Work has started on the refurbishment of the old part of the Guildhall (including the Council Chamber) and so the old rooms are closed until the spring. The work is more about making the rooms easy to use in terms of services. And so electricians vans and decorators are to be seen round the back.
Work on the new part will follow a report by some consultants who are looking to see whether the newer part, including the Abbey Hall, can be turned into a multi-purpose entertainment venue.
Unfortunately I cannot get to the town council meeting as I have another meeting.
I see on the agenda…
1. It is proposed to give a vote of thanks to the Chamber of Commerce for the hugely successful Extravaganza Evening they organised.
2. It is also proposed to give a vote of thanks to the museum curator who will soon be retiring.
3. There will be a report from the Guildhall Committee, and all the other committees, about progress.
4. Also the Deputy Mayor has not been well and is, I believe, in hospital. So I am sure they will be sending their best wishes for his recovery, as well as signing him off from council duties for a while.
5. At the last meeting Abingdon Town Council voted to change the name of Abingdon to Abingdon-on-Thames. It has been announced “The Vale of White Horse District Council is to consider a request from Abingdon Town Council to change the name of the parish of Abingdon to Abingdon-on-Thames when councillors meet on Wednesday 22 February 2012.
The Local Government Act 1972 enables the district council to change the name of a parish where a request has been made by a parish council.
Members of the public are invited to submit their views on this proposal in advance of the meeting.
To contact the council regarding the proposals email: democratic.services@southandvale.gov.uk.
If it does go ahead, I will consult with readers whether this blog should move to Abingdononthames.co.uk.
January 24, 2012
The footpath is closed between Throwing Buns and the Punchbowl as underground work continues near the new lift shaft. Business goes on as usual at both.
‘Footpath Closed’ and ‘Cyclist Dismount in Car Park’ signs have been added in West St Helen Street Carpark. The cycle route near the Car Park is being used as the work depot while pavement work continues on East and West St Helen Street.
January 23, 2012
(See comments for corrections to this report.)
Christ Church won the Church in Abingdon quiz last year, and like the Eurovision Song Contest they had to host it this.
There were 11 teams of 8 representing 11 different churches. Apart from a prayer at the start the format was similar to a pub quiz. The closest we got to a religious question was in the round where we had to guess famous people from their childhood names ….Marion Morrison = John Wayne …. Lhamo Dondrub = Dalai Lama.
My own general knowledge is not so good anymore. But other people from the Trinity team did well and at the end of the evening we came third. ACC came second. That is Abingdon Community Church who meet at Thameside School.
And Christ Church on Long Furlong won. There are two Christ Churches in Abingdon … The original in Northcourt, and the offspring, set up about 20 years ago, who meet at Long Furlong School.
January 22, 2012
Alice in Wonderland, performed produced and written by members of the Abingdon Drama Club, has just finished a successful run at the Unicorn Theatre.
Soon to come in Abingdon is the Festival Ball at the Guildhall on 18th February (an early fund raiser event for the Abingdon Arts Festival). Tickets £18/£16 available from The Bookstore or Information Centre. Music by Swingtime Big Band. Price includes finger buffet by Abbey Foods. There is also a raffle with prizes donated by many local businesses.
Anyway for those who went to Alice I took a few pictures of the display in Abingdon Library before it got taken down … Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.
Nursey and Queeny had more than a passing resemblance to Nursey and Queeny from Black Adder. Excellent.
There was also a wonderfully Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. The March Hare was brilliant.
People came from far and wide to see this production. I was told by one of them that it was a better show than what you could see at many much larger theatres in these regions.
January 21, 2012
Jan 21st – 2 months before the official start of Spring and I saw my first daffodil outside the bowling green at the Albert Park. Plenty more look to be on their way. Maybe time to start cutting that grass.
January 21, 2012
The former Ox Public House opened as a Tesco Express yesterday. Tesco staff held a small opening ceremony.
I have a comment from Sri from Best One next door. I hope he does not mind me repeating it here …
“I hope all of you have a very good start in 2012. As you know, I am the owner of the Best One shop that just opened last year in January. And have built a very successful business and customer relationship. Today is 20/01/2012. The Tesco express opening day. I can’t describe my feelings and stress. So you can imagine it’s not a good start of the year 2012. However my lovely local customers have encouraged me with support. Today I have seen in my shop, most of the customers who are very close. All said to me ‘Stay steady and we will support you’. I think it is extra ordinary… Thankyou … Sri”
January 21, 2012
Thanks to Peter for this picture of the deer at Wick Hall through the trees from Radley lakes. He says these countryside walks start only a few hundred yards from the Peachcroft/Audlett Drive estates.
The hide on the Abingdon side of Radley lakes has a large poster of birds on the wall and on Peter’s visit he identified several species of duck and other water birds eg different gulls, grebes and cormorant. He says “Who knows what you might see. (Take your binoculars though!). There is a claim of someone seeing an osprey last autumn! The path around the lake is easy to follow and well worth a visit. The Earth Trust have done a marvellous job so far and I hope they raise the funds to build a visitor centre.“
January 19, 2012
I often pass these flats and read the two large address plates on the back saying that this is “The Old Mayor’s House”.
Today I read about that building in Historic Abingdon, Fifty-six articles by Agnes C Baker. On the 18th April 1952 she wrote ”The house breakers are at work in Abingdon … at No 9, High Street … workmen hurl down masonry … just as close on 400 years ago the house was build.”
Number 9, The High Street, was once the house of Richard Mayott, the first Mayor of Abingdon – 1556. He was also Mayor 1568-69, and for the third time in 1578, during which time he died.
Miss Baker writes that elaborate carving have been discovered on the back of one stone fireplace, and says that people conjecture that the stone is from Abingdon Abbey.
Back then the building was being rebuilt to provide better premises for the Co-operative Society.
That same shop is currently To Let. Two letting agents seem to be involved – one of whose sign fell down at the end of November, and is still to be seen in a heap on the ground.
January 18, 2012
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