Co-op Building - April Progress

As can be seen from the picture, some of the windows are in, and the traditional roof on the central part of the building has taken shape. There is also a sign saying: Business as normal during construction: Paul Viney photography, Frugal Foods, Exclusive Hair Design. Perhaps the sign was there before but I only noticed it this month.

(By the way, for anybody wanting to try to shape the Vale's future there is a forum tonight in the Guildhall from 7pm - 9pm.)

Nuffield Way and Centrum

Near the Marcham Interchange off the A34 runs Nuffield Way, and the Nuffield Centrum.

If you want to know what 3663 means try your mobile phone. They are a major deliverer of FOOD products.

Dairy Crest - Abingdon Depot. Website: www.milkdeliveries.co.uk

These flags flutter and spell out Mie, Mele, Mie, Mel...

Centrum is latin, and thats the Abbey Press behind the sign.

The 2008 Shortlist

The 2008 shortlist for the best new bookshop award has 4 contenders:

Bookstor, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Mostly Books, Abingdon
Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights, Bath
Seven Stories Bookshop, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

My vote would have to go to Mostly Books, in Abingdon.

A new bus stop

On Bridge Street most of the preparatory work for the traffic lights seems to have been done. Cables have been laid. The old bus stop has a red poster to say that it has been relocated.

A new bus stop is in place lower down.


The workers have moved on to modify the disabled bays on Stert Street to add dropped kerbs for wheelchairs.

MGs and St George Parade

More MGs came to visit the museum today. For the cars it is a trip back to the town where they were fashioned.

The old route of the St George parade used to be away from traffic down Abbey Close, but this year the event included a short church service at St Helen's Church. More people can see the parade using this new route: but it does cause a traffic hold-up.

The man who runs Local Roots (our new 'local food' shop) can be seen here talking to a local police officer - with the traffic hold-up behind.

30+ different youth organisations marched past the Mayor, and other dignitaries, on the way back from church.

Drayton Road Crossing

The Perry Hatwell funfair began on Wednesday and carries on, near the Drayton Road Bridge, until tomorrow. Then it will do a few days at Didcot, Faringdon and then Kidlington.

There is a good Helter Skelter, and lots of rides, but the inflatable slide for toddlers had the biggest crowds.

Waiting at the crossing leading to the fair were three MGs. About fifteen vintage models had stopped over at the Market Place.

reflections on Breakfast

Reflections on the river with people enjoying an early morning snack. I'll call it Breakfast.

Morris Men's Challenge

This yearly event sees the Mayor of Abingdon's team take on the Mayor of Ock Street's team at traditional games, and a quiz, in the Brewery Tap Public House.

Councillor Lorraine Oates, the current Mayor of Abingdon, is seen here with Mr Roger Cox, the current Mayor of Ock Street (or MOck Mayor).

Lorraine's year in office ends on the May 14th, and Roger's ( The Leader of the Morris Men) on June 21st.

Plastic Bag-Free Town

Oxfam have five alternatives to plastic carrier bags. The green one is made from recycled plastic bags. Oxfam in Abingdon are no longer using plastic bags.

Local roots have canvas bags, and paper bags for their local vegetables - but no plastic.

The Carbon Cutters did a presentation to the Abingdon JEF (Joint Economic Forum) on Monday calling for a Plastic Bag-Free Town.

Flags on St George's Day

Two years ago (a young man complained ) that there were no St George Flags to be seen flying on Civic or other buildings.


This year, there is a flag on top of the County Hall museum roof, today. There is another in front of Abbey House (District Council administration), and many others.


This MGB led the way last Sunday, going up Bridge Street, with flags on top.

Exercises in the Park

Some new recruits from the Fire Service take aim at the Victorian Lake in the Abbey Park.

Nearby on the other side of the Park, St Johns Ambulance vehicles

congregated for an exercise involving the Oxford, Wantage, and Abingdon brigades.

Can I apologise that I left before the event really kicked off, but I didn't want to miss the kick off of the Liverpool v Chelsea game. I do put a lot into this blog, but at times there are other priorities.

Not a Section 106 Agreement

It was rumoured in the 'Tithe Farm and Ladygrove Estate Newsletter' that Section 106 agreement money from building the Abingdon Court nursing home would help fund an improvement to this path. But that didn't happen. The two things did not really relate.

Speed Limit Cut from today

The B4017 between Abingdon and Drayton will have a new 50 mph speed limit from today (reduced from 60 mph).

The black bag will come off the 50 mph signs, including this one at Oday Hill where a motorcyclist was killed just over four years ago.

Abingdon Spring Head 2008

The Abingdon Head of the River involves crews starting at intervals and racing against the clock. The winning crew receives the title of "Head of the River".

The race is over a 2KM course starting near Culham. When they go past the Abingdon Rowing Club - shown here - competitors are on the finishing straight.

It looked hard going.

But having completed the course, the pain seems soon forgotten.

After the race there followed a more leisurely row under Abingdon Bridge (Burford Bridge).

Crews disembark at Rye Farm Meadow.

Most people came by car, and so half the meadow serves as a car park, and the other half as a boat assembly / dis-assembly line.

The event, hosted by Abingdon Rowing Club, had its biggest ever turn out this year (I believe).

Pre Season River Events

Preparations were underway today for the Abingdon Spring Head of the River events tomorrow. This is a chance for rowing crews to warm up for the Regatta season. There are 272 crews in all rowing. The event starts at about 9:30 and carries throughout most of the day.

They say 'Come and celebrate 50 years of the Abingon Rowing Club' with us.

It is also the pre-season for Salter Steamer cruises . Regular cruises start on 17th May, but there was a booked cruise today, and another on May 9th, which members of the public can join...

Most of the passengers went inside. One said 'We are being cowards.'

Gallery - Spring Flowers in Abingdon

In the Snow

Over the River

By the River

In Albert Park

In the Guildhall this Saturday... Save Radley Lakes Spring Fair.

Something doesn't love this fence

This wire net fence divides the Masefield Crescent play area that side, and the dog walking field this side. Over the years the fence has been mended and broken many many times. Its even more broken at the top end of the field along the main dog walking way. I cannot blame ne'er-do-wells ... there is just something doesn't love this fence.

Our Man in Lettings

Thanks Greg from Blue Door Lettings for his comment yesterday. Greg has an amusing blog called 'Our Man in Lettings'. He is now a part of Abingdon History being one of the last to vacate the Old Gaol buildings about to undergo redevelopment. In his own words and pictures:

"Here you can see my window in the middle of the top floor, the Old Gaol boarded up behind to the left and the Police Station to the right. We'll see how it all looks in a couple of years' time...."

"It is with some sadness that we have left number 25 Bridge Street to its fate at the hands of Cranborne Homes but with men in suits spraying the walls with words like 'poor' and 'danger' we thought it was time to go.Our new place is at 5-7 Stert Street just next to Pizza Express, across the road from Added Ingredients, up the road from Pamela Lucas and Mostly Books and above a stock broker. We are in good company..."

Here is his view up Stert Street. You'll have to visit Our Man in Lettings to see the view down Stert Street. Its worth it.

To Let Signs getting Bigger

If these signs in the town centre are anything to go by

TO LET signs are getting bigger.

The River Thames Revisited

This new book shows scenes from Lechlade to the Houses of Parliament taken by Henry Taunt. Abingdon gets the front and back cover for some reason.

Two photographers have recreated the scenes in colour.
Admittedly, their pictures are better than this one of mine, but they have not lined up the edge of Old Anchor Inn with the third Almshouse chimney quite as well as I think I have.

The Henry Taunt pictures will form part of an exhibition at Abingdon Museum later in the year. The long victorian exposures make sure that there is not a single swan or duck or ripple to be seen, and the reflections are like a mirror

An Escape from Endless Reality TV Shows

The Daleks are coming on May 4th. Are You?

Just one of many attractions at the Annual ABINGDON Air and Country Show. There will be the usual flying display, vintage vehicles, craft fayre and trade stalls. Last time I did a blog post on the event was way back in 2006. Yesterday the organisers were selling advance tickets on the Market Place. You can also get advance tickets at The Warehouse (near Coxeters).

Also, the Town Crier was going around bellowing out '... turn off the television. Escape from those endless Reality TV shows. Come watch a real drama at the Unicorn Theatre. Separate Tables by Terrence Rattigan performed by the Abingdon Drama Club (Wed 16 - 19 Apr at 7.30pm) ... God Save the Queen!'

Then he'd go 10 yards and bellow the same thing '... Escape from those endless Reality TV shows... God Save the Queen!'

Londis - Abingdon opening

Another new shop has opened in Abingdon in the last week. It is Londis Abingdon. It's where Cargo used to be on the High Street. The poster in the window says: DVD rental - coming soon.

The strange thing is I've seen no fliers or adverts through the door about any of these new shops.

Local Roots

Not far from Patisserie Pascal a new shop at the top of East St Helen Street, called Local Roots, has just opened. All products come from a 30 mile radius of the shop. Chris and Sukey, the owners, say "We very much believe in promoting an ecological approach to retail, with much of our produce sourced from organic farms and smallholdings, and an emphasis on fair trade and minimal environmental impact."

Remade Path

The footpath along Caldecott Road, near where the canal once ran, is getting remade. The work started during the school holidays. Caldecott School is nearby.

Marcham Road Jet Lane

Queues stretch back to the Drayton Road.

Workmen are connecting sewers under the Marcham Road, and will be for another few days. But no sign of the proposed Marcham Road Jet Lane (aka dualling) yet.

In March 2008, an article in the Oxford Mail said that Oxfordshire County Council had a large drop in road funding from central government "County Hall confirmed that major schemes outside Oxford would also be indefinitely postponed, including the dualling of Marcham Road."

However, central government said "We do not recognise the claims Oxfordshire County Council is making in terms of reduction in funding."

Reading between the lines, the Jet Lane could still go ahead. The traffic hold ups caused by these minor sewer works are a sign of more prolonged hold ups to come.

Earth Movements

There appears to be a lot of earth movement going on at the new housing development on the Drayton Road. This picture was taken a week ago.

On Sunday morning it looked like this.

but all that snow soon thawed away leaving the final lay of the land to be worked upon.

The developers of the site may have had delicate negotiations with the Environment Agency before proceeding with the earth movements. They will need to ramp up the new houses above the risk of flooding.

Behind are bungalows flooded last July. The elderly people will move back in by about May at the latest estimate.

Children's events at the Bookstore

At the Bookstore last Saturday, Meg Harper was signing books. Here she is with her two most recent children's books: Fur and Piper.

Also at the Bookstore you can meet Horrid Henry. Henry's best subject at school is lunchtime, but its the start of the spring school holidays and there will be stories, face masks, badges, and general mayhem at the Bookstore from 11 A.M today.

Thai Orchid Supermarket Opening

The Thai Orchid Oriental Supermarket has opened on the corner West St Helen Street

and High Street. It opened on a day that started snowy and ended sunny.

Unexpected Snow

It was forecast, but I didn't believe them.

I heard one mum saying "No, its not Christmas"

Its just snow. Fun for children and dogs,

and very pretty.

Clubs and Societies Continued

Just a few of the many stalls from yesterday..

The Multiple Sclerosis stall with the chap who raised lots of money doing a sponsored wheeled walk... as featured in the Herald.

Abingdon Drama Club. Next performance is 'Separate Tables'

Abingdon College and District Film Society - ABCD

Abingdon Carbon Cutters.

35 Ock Street - the Church in Abingdon's open house.

The Mayor with Saxton Rovers youth football.

and Abingdon Area Archaeological and Historical Society - Aaahs.

Clubs and Societies Day

The Clubs and Societies Open Day was happening today in the Guildhall. The Old Speckled Hen Clog dancers are seen here strutting their stuff outside.

It was an opportunity to meet members of many local organisations and find out what they do.

As always it was over subscribed and very popular, and some people who could not find a pitch inside, set up their pitch on a windy Market Place. This is Jackie from the Abingdon Craft Club...

More pictures to follow...

Underneath the Thai Orchid Restaurant

Underneath the Thai Orchid Restaurant, a new shop sign has been put up. It has the same blue writing on white ground as the previous two signs for the Chinese Medical Centre, and Hadleigh China Shop.

Like these statues in the upstairs window of the Thai Orchid restaurant, the shop has an oriental theme. It is .... to be continued

A Masons Shopping Cart

Not everybody can pop down to Masons in Abingdon to run through the range of zips... glance over the gingham ribbons... or check out the tartan fabrics.

There is no real substitute for the experience of riffling through the lace at Masons in Abingdon - but you can take an on-line tour with a Masons shopping cart .

Back to Roots

Sophie Grigson has a number of cookery books on sale at Mostly Books, including one on Vegetables. She was in town just over a week ago for the V-Day 2008 Charity performance at the Guildhall, raising money for victims of domestic violence.

She will be back again on Friday 11th April to open this new shop in East St Helen Street. The proprietors are going back to roots with their shop.

Roman Bathhouse in Abingdon

Archaelogical excavations, between Twickenham House and the Old Gaol, have uncovered evidence that the site contains the remains of a Roman Bathhouse in very good condition. It is thought Twickenham House will now need to be underpinned and completely excavated. Ultrasound readings indicate that the baths may also go under the County hall Museum which will also need underpinning during excavation.