The Queen, Abingdon, and Mostly Books

The Mayor Patrick Lonergan was there to cut the cake at the Mostly Books party to celebrate the 'Best New Bookshop' award. There was not just cake, but also champagne. The toast was 'To The Queen, the town of Abingdon, and Mostly Books.'

The Performing Arts Department from Abingdon & Witney College performed songs and dance on the Market. Good weather again.

Thames Water are beginning again with the public consultation on the need for a huge new reservoir near Abingdon. We have been through this all before - a couple of years ago. This time there is a slightly different emphasize but the same reservoir.

Leach's to Leave Ock Street

Leach's the Printers have been in their Ock Street premises for 71 years, but at the start of June will move to the Nuffield Centrum.

Leach's will be near neighbours of The Abbey Press. The Abbey Press recently consolidated their operations at the Nuffield Centrum, and their old printing works at Thames View have closed.

Green Fence

Dotted throughout the town are areas of green land, not large enough to be parks, that appear to be common land...

until, that is, a fence is put up. This fence is a 'contentious issue' on the Ladygrove Estate.

Two sides to every story

A comment in the Abingdon Herald recently said:

"I visited Abingdon a couple of weeks ago, for the first time and had thoughts of a nice affluent rural English village, wow what a change when visiting the place for real. I found Abingdon to be derelict, depressing and covered in CCTV. What has this country come to when small towns are in this sort of mess?"

Not sure if the comment is for real. But I do know that when I've put upbeat comments about Abingdon in the Herald web comments I've had people say "Are you for real?"


Here a coot is bringing up her chick on the River Thames near Abingdon town centre: complete with upended drink bottle, apple core, litter including bread wrapper, and lots of uneaten bread. Two sides to every story.

Abingdon is a favourite place for (L)

This lorry from Canterbury in Kent is practising tight cornering in the centre of Abingdon. The juggernaut has just come across the 15th Century Abingdon Bridge, and can next practise clutch control round the town centre traffic system. Abingdon is a favourite place for (L)earner lorry drivers.

New Scaffolding

Some early work has begun on the Almshouses. The Herald said late last year £1M needed spending on them to put them back in order.

Work has also begun on renovating the grapes. A couple of years ago, this pub was a lively place where bands played on Sunday nights, but it changed hands and didn't look to be doing so well. So I guess it is looking for another fresh start.

Live from the Museum

A new MG exhibition called 'MG at Speed' has just opened in Abingdon Museum. A few MGs stopped by for the opening. One had even got stopped for speeding believe it or not.

In the museum, there are scalextric MG racing cars to play with... More tricky than it at first appears. I was forever retrieving the car and fettling the connecting wires. Wireless must be better!!!



There is a new free Wi-Fi in the centre of town. Its central router is in the Museum.

This is today's post being created in the museum coffee bar using CTS Wi-Fi Spot. All Free! They have a late opening for the national Night of the Museums.