Friday Night Finger Buffet

There were two events in town tonight - for anybody braving the rain.

Boris Johnson was in the Guildhall as part of an All Conservative Any Questions panel. Tickets were only £10.00

- including finger buffet.

And there was a pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Unicorn Theatre. It will be for a few days more. £6.00 adults £4.00 children.

"Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum!
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he 'live, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread."

(Picture of Boris Johnson from Blue Boris vs Red Ken)

School Visit

This School in Abingdon has grounds cut across by Larkhill Stream. The stream falls into the River Ock near Ock Mill Close.

The land for the school was bought by Abingdon Borough Council in the 1930s, and developed after the war. Some digging for victory took place here during the war - to feed the hungry of Abingdon.

Over 80% of pupils now either walk or cycle to school - well above the national average.

The tables and seats in the play ground are made from recycled plastic bags.

The school has a new art studio.

Back in September the Oxford Mail reported how the school intends to sell some land, once belonging to the Pavlova leather works. The money raised could be used to develop sports facilities for the use of the school and local community.

The land is walled, and to be found on a gravel rise above the rest of the school grounds. It is not easy to access from the school, and is on a level with the cemetery next door,

and is accessed through the Pavlova housing estate.

Broad Street almost complete

Work on Broad Street looks almost complete.

Barriers protect the soon-to-be-with-us replacement tree. There used to be a tree with a hedge on a raised traffic island.

Park Parking clamp down

Wheel clamping could be on the way for the Albert Park private roads. Erection of Parking Signs at various locations on lamp posts, and posts, in Park Crescent and Park Road is to be considered.

So you can imagine the scenario. People go along to a wedding or funeral at Trinity Church, or St Michael's Church. They return to find they've been clamped.

I only hope they get the right people this time: the ones who have churned up the grass verges and blocked peoples drives and don't give a damn, and not the mourning relative who could not find the church in time.

Abingdon Arts 2008

Abingdon Arts Festival 2008 begins on March 1st. One highlight of the festival will be Roger McGough performing his poetry at the Amey Theatre. There is also a photography competition - details are on the Arts Festival website. Entries can be about anything - but just three entries per person ...

one

two

three...

That's my lot. I hope others will come up with something better.

Stubborn Call Boxes

During the Market Place refurbishment, everything else changed, but these call boxes stayed the same and did not move.

Getting rid of your Christmas Tree

Remove the ornaments and lights and take the tree from its stand. Wrap it in an old carpet and put it in the back of the car. Take it to Millets Farm, and throw it on top of the pile (shown above) by today (Jan 7th).

Alternatively, if you have one of the Vale's brown bins for garden waste, chop up the tree, if possible, and put it inside the bin for the next collection - or alongside.

School Land For Sale

The entrance to this piece of land is via the Anna Pavlova estate.

This gate provies the only way in for vehicles. The new cemetary is on the right.

It is a raised walled area of land, at the same level as the cemetary.

But from the school it is not visible, and is either accessible up these steps.

Or up some other steps the other side of this wall. There is then a jump down from this wall. All four town councillors who made the visit managed this jump, but the headmaster remarked it was an accessibility issue.

This shows the raised field behind the goal post. P.E staff supervising the rest of the field cannot see the raised area.

The money raised would be used to create usable sports facilities, such as bringing these tennis courts up to scratch. Currently the surface is dangerous, as is the fence. They are used for car parking.

Par Cark Review

There used to be a barrier at the exit from the Charter car park and people paid on exiting. That was back in the days when our children called it a Par Cark.

Now parking is pay and display.

Less people appear to be using the car park, and that means less people are using the town.

And so a review is being carried out by the Vale of White Horse District Council. Richard Farrell leads the review. (He is seen here talking to Lesley Legge - the leader of the town council).

Questions the review should hopefully be considering:

• parking charges
• level of fines
• should it be pay and display
• who parks where (currently shoppers park on the higer levels during the week because permit holders, including his own staff, use the lowers levels.)