Fairacres - to the next level

This is one place where AbITs (Abingdon Integrated Traffic Strategy) had a notable success with the completion of the dual carriageway from the A34 to Tesco and Fairacres over the road.

The Fairacres retail park has seen big changes this year to take it "to the next level". This is the first major revamp since the park was built in 1969.

Mays Carpets (an old Abingdon retailer) has became part of the larger Carpet right chain, and the May family now concentrate on managing the property park.

Most of the new stores have been completed. Pets at home is nearing completion.

Between Argos and Carpet right, where the Ab Fab cafe used to be, building continues on what looks like the last retail unit (s). So who might go there? One rumour doing the rounds is that Woolworths and/or Boots will move out of town. Hopefully it is just a rumour.

This board encourages people to venture on to Abingdon Town Centre - England's Oldest Town - where AbITs has hit more problems.

Swan Ahoy

The Riverside development can be seen behind the recently restored Victorian Lake. That view must be worth a bit.

Town Centre - End 2007

This is the state of the town centre at the end of 2007 (press on image for a bigger version and if it that looks grainy press again the (+) magnifying glass).

Red is a vacant shop premises that was occupied at the end of 2006.
Yellow means change of ownership.
Green is a shop that was vacant at the end of 2006 which is now occupied.

High Street and the Bury Street shopping precinct have not had a good year. Other areas have done better.

Four shops have moved within the town: Frend & Co the jeweller, moved to West St Helen Street for a lower rent. The Chinese Medical and skin centre also moved for a lower rent. Chancellors the Estate Agent moved to be nearer the other Estate Agents. Going Places moved in with Thomas Cook after their parent companies merged.

Patesserie Pascal is a new addition. Other new shops include Limoncello, the restaurant, Poldeli, the Polish deli, and Kelso, a leather and craft shop.

After Christmas

A stage has been set up in the corner of the museum, and for a few days only there is a performance of 'The Night After Christmas' (27-30 Dec 1.30PM to 3:30PM and 2-5 Jan 11.00AM to 1.00PM). Its free.

Father Christmas relates his experience travelling around the world, and how different countries treat him.

The show can be seen by all those who can climb the stairs. The lift to the County Hall is still planned. If there is lottery funding available it will be a scaled down version. English Heritage would not agree to the full lift, and Private Eye didn't want it either.

(The Abingdon Herald has the full story about the museum lift compromise. I see above that Gordon Rogers, the Abingdon local reporter, is retiring. The editor writes "Gordon has been a great district reporter. He has immersed himself in the patch he covers, and our readers, are going to miss him greatly.")

The Old Bell

This is what the pub looked like on an old postcard at the beginning of the 1900s - before it was given the crest and columns. Back then it was Old.

Its been boarded up for a couple of months now awaiting further refurbishment. I shouldn't think the building work will be quite so radical this time round.

The Unwanted Collection

On the fields near the river in Abingdon, a local collector of unwanted objects lives. He sleeps in a hammock surrounded by his haul.

Christmas must be a bumper time for him as it is for most of us...

Happy Christmas

We may not get a white Christmas this year in the UK but

snow does look good round the Almshouses...

and up West St Helens Street...

and in front of the County Hall...

and on St Helens Wharf.

Happy Christmas.

(snow scenes from February 2007)

Almost Christmas

A cold start for the annual Christmas fishing competition.

These children at St Helen's Church helped make Christingles for services at St Helens and Preston Road Community Centre. The girl is going round the font counting how many there are.

At Andrews, the Estate Agents, houses have been replaced with coloured Christmas Trees.

Abingdon Town Band

Here they can be seen carrolling at Woolworths on the Extravaganza Evening with Steve Rich, the musical director, conducting.

And here they are carrolling outside Waitrose this weekend. To find out more visit Abingdon Town Band.

Blue Blue Winter Light

Blue seems to be the 2007 colour for winter lights

near the Black Swan in Bath Street.

round a tree outside Old Abbey House.

Stert Street

a shooting star on Abingdon Bridge.

and over the Old Abbey Buildings - a blue blue moon.

Thirty Five Concrete Lorries

There has been a steady stream of concrete lorries to the Co-op site today - thirty five are expected in total.

There has also been a steady stream of concrete, poured into a framework, to create the first floor and the structure below.

Oxfordshire 2007 - Winter Lights

This was one of the final events of Oxfordshire 2007 (celebrating Oxfordshire's 1000th birthday). The large moveable puppets were created by students at Abingdon and Witney college.

TV cameras were there.

The puppets enacted the history of Abingdon. This puppet threatened everybody with his wonky arm. He came to Abingdon to do raping and pillaging and pull down the Abbey.

The story was all told from the viewpoint of some space age teenagers from the year 3007

and ended with wizzy sparks, and balloons.

After the performance, because there is no storage at the college, the puppets will be destroyed. So if anybody has a room or a spare garage and would like to save one of the poor puppets, better contact the college ASAP. A lot of work went into creating them.

Northern Lights

Here are a few more pictures of the winter lights in Abingdon (towards the northern end of town)...

Robert Stanley opticians.

Abingdon and Witney College - art department.

Abingdon United Football Club.

St Edmunds Church

Campion Road.

Southern Lights

Here are a few pictures of the winter lights in Abingdon (starting at the southern end of town)...

Abingdon Bridge at sundown.

St Helen's Church and Wharf.

The floodlights at Abingdon Town football club reflected on the Thames.

A window in East St Helens Street.

A garden in Saxton Road - it boasts more such displays than any other road in Abingdon.

However, there were fewer lights than usual in other areas of South Abingdon. There are still a lot of people not back into their flood damaged houses yet and, perhaps as a sign, there was only one Christmas light - a swinging bell - on one normally-festive road.

Father Christmas Visits

Father Christmas has already been round South Abingdon last week. He will start sleigh-riding round North Abingdon tonight at 6 pm from Boulter Drive, and tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6 pm from Hanson Road. His helpers have buckets so you can donate money for the work of the Abingdon Lions.

Fire at the Net

Yesterday morning, there were three fire engines at the Net youth centre. Young people in judo kits had been brought outside the building.

It was a kitchen fire and smoke stains can be seen round the near vent. The door has been forced in.

Thanks for the picture from some on-the-spot correspondents.

Present Wrapping

The Vineyard Church were back as in previous years outside Woolworths offering "Free present wrapping!... Mince pies!..."

I did most of my Christmas shopping in Abingdon this year. We used to go to places like Reading and Milton Keynes for the big shops, but no more. They are too confusing. Its just easier doing it in town.


Nearby the special £2 Bumper Christmas edition of Big Issue was on sale.

Top Secret

Because of the need for secrecy over the Old Gaol, even after the preferred developer has been chosen, suspicions have been raised.

So when, a VW camper was seen parked outside the Old Gaol earlier, a rumour spread that Richard Branson must be involved.

Meanwhile, COG (Community in the Old Gaol) have produced "Wish we were here..." postcards to be found in shops in the town, to be sent to Terry Stock, the Chief Executive at the Vale Council. "Dear Terry, We are much looking forward to the development of the Old Gaol. We really hope you have been listening..."

Whatever happens, the days of chipboard and grafitti are nearly numbered. This is my favourite piece. It could easily pass as a modern stain glass window design.

Soldiers Home from Iraq

The soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corps at Dalton Barracks marched through Abingdon to the Market Place.

Medals were presented to mark the soldiers time in Iraq, and some especially heroic actions were marked with special commendations.

The soldiers then marched down West St Helen's Street to a church service accompanied by the civic party and some Chelsea Pensioners who also belonged to the Royal Logistics.

At St Helens Church candles were lit - one candle was lit for each person mentioned in the Roll of Honour of those killed in action during this tour of duty in Iraq. Of the 23 names, 2 belonged to the Royal Logistics Corps.

Under Offer

Pulpit House is currently under offer.

Its a Grade II listed building and former church, which was converted for commercial use about twenty years ago, and won awards.

The estate agent details say "... any proposal for a change of use and which would potentially add to the vitality of the central commercial area of the town of Abingdon, would be given consideration"

Over 70s Christmas Party

The Abingdon Over 70's party saw entertainment from St Nicolas primary school.

There were carols from a young brass band.

Entertainment also included a sing-a-long, led by the Wootton Warblers, with songs like 'Old Bull and Bush' and 'Daisy Daisy.' One person in the audience said to another, "Showing our age singing to these."

The party was a chance for some to meet up with old friends. Most of this group were neighbours before the July flood. They expect to return home by about March or April.

Repointing

The walls round the Abbey Gardens are covered with multi coloured polythene.

Every now and again somebody comes to uncover a section and works in the mortar.

Three Famous Abingdonians

The three Abingdon individuals with the largest entries in Wikipedia are...

Kate Garraway GMTV presenter, and star of Strictly Come Dancing.

St Edmund of Abingdon.
And Paul Gustafson

Among other things, Paul is also the author of the Eggbert books...

Acupuncture Moves

The acupuncture place took down their herbs jars, from the High Street shop, yesterday

and they have moved them to the empty Crystals shop on Lombard Street... So good news for anybody in the middle of an acupuncture course - the acupuncture can go on.

Christmas Consolation

In the West End newsagents window there is an advertisement for a new toy shop upstairs - its been there for about a month.

Also advertised in the window is a Christmas Craft and Beauty Fair today from 11 to 3.

I went to the fair at around 1, and found lots of colourful stalls, and bought some things for Christmas. Some of the proceeds go to Helen and Douglas House. But there were not that many paying customers and the stall holders were giving each other Christmas Consolations as a consequence.

The four liquid amber trees are also now up in the Market Place.

Sunrise Sunset

This is the sunrise over the Thames from the Abbey Meadows.

This is the sunset looking across St Helen's Close from our top floor window in West St Helen's Street.

Shop Windows - Get Festive

Helen and Douglas House is a charity shop with a lounge in the book section. Always good window dressing too.

The original 5 cent store was Frank Woolworth's store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. Strange that the UK now has Woolworths and the USA hasn't. Things have turned upside down.

The Council Levellers

Last weekend, barriers and traffic cones had been set up like a little orange fortess at the start of the Ock Valley Walk.

The fortess has gone and the kerbs have been levelled. (The levellers were a 17th century political movement. They weren't really about bringing everybody to the same level. But that is how they got labelled by their enemies.)

These new age levellers are employed by the council. They are helping to give EQUAL ACCESS to legs or wheels. (Hopefully not too many of those wheels will be shopping trolleys and motor cycles.)

Contractors Return

The workmen were back, and most of the Market Place was fenced off.

They were digging holes for the Liquid Amber trees to be planted on Thursday, or maybe Friday.

Different contractors are back near the Abbey Gateway, to do some remedial work, replacing the York stone setts on the road that chipped too easily.

Abingdon Town Bus

At a good time, the Abingdon Town bus can loop unhindered round the town.


This is the bus caught in traffic last Friday afternoon, when the four O'Clock tail-back began at two thirty.

New bridge being built

Sorry to raise hopes, but this is not the new road bridge across the River Thames that the town needs. This is a footbridge to connect the Abbey Meadows, this side, with the Barratt's Riverside Collection, that side. Four or five trees have been cut this side, and deep holes are being drilled that side. I can't wait to get across.

Advent Sunday

One moment it was raining, the next there was sunshine.

There was a local derby game. Parents were on the touchline: some supporting Saxton Rovers F.C. under 11s , some supporting Abingdon Youth F.C. under 11s at Caldecott Rec.

At Trinity the first candle of the Advent Crown was lit, and 'Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel!' was sung

There was chaos on the town's roads, probably caused by the telecom road works on the Drayton Road Bridge, and exacerbated by 'sheer weight of traffic' as people went home from sports, leisure, church, shops or whatever. In any case it was all quiet again within the hour...

- even sooner for residents of the Tomkins Almshouses. All they have to do is shut the gate behind them, and they are in a quiet place.

More rainbows

In town this morning:

Abbey Brass were playing carols outside Woolworths.

The town council were out asking the public what they thought of this year's Christmas Lights, and Extravaganza.

Ray, and the Vineyard Church, were out handing out leaflets, and talking into a microphone.

And there were more rainbows. It seems to be a season of rainbows.