PRCC- Stand up

The first time I've seen stand up comedy in Abingdon. You can go most weeks in Oxford but here it is a rarity.

Andy Kind, from Stoke, and Tony Vino from Preston made a 300 mile round trip to be at Preston Road Community Centre. (The event was hosted by the Vineyard Church who normally put on a cabaret for the local community in January.)

The comedians did build up a good rapport with the front two tables where the Older and Bolder Fitness group were sitting, especially a lady called Eileen. "So when are you going to show us one of your back flips then Eileen?"

Tony did try to find out a bit about Abingdon from the audience. He said 'Since you are so near Oxford, is it posh living here in Abingdon?'.

Somebody said 'No'.

Somebody else added "Its going down hill. All the shops are closing."

"Thats the recession" said Tony.

"But it happened in Abingdon first."

Whats On Locally?

Here is Christopher from Local Roots, with Bobbie, and Hester.

Bobbie, and Hester have been collecting information about events in Abingdon for the new 'What's On in Abingdon', which now includes Local Roots.

If Bobbie, and Hester do not knock on your door, events can still be sent to the email address abingdondiary@otcn.co.uk .

Thanks to Al from otcn (Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network) for the picture.

lunchtime walk

I picked up a Panini at Cafe Gias... then took Harry round Albert Park...

A large delivery lorry was at one end of Edward Street - near the entrance that leads to the catering company , and the piano restorer

Abingdon Beds were unloading deliveries at their warehouse. Their showroom is at the other end of Edward street.

Seeing the camera, he did ask whether I was the one who did that new Abingdon book he had just bought. It was very interesting. "No" I said "That is Judy Thomas and Elizabeth Drury. I just do a blog about Abingdon."

Air Your Views

Traffic was heavy at 8 am over St Helen's Wharf yesterday morning. Pavements were slippery with black ice.

Late afternoon and early evening, there was a consultation exercise at the Guildhall. One part called 'Air Your Views' concentrated on air quality in the town centre. Narrow roads with tall buildings don't allow traffic fumes to disperse easily.

There was another consultation called 'Your Vale, Your Future' concerning the new local area plan looking forward to 2026. This is where one controversial idea is to put new houses in South Abingdon, where congestion is currently already bad, in the hope it will lead to a new road, and maybe even a new river bridge.

There followed an evening round-table discussion. Still time to respond to Air your Views, and Your Vale, Your Future.

The Bishop's Blog

Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Reading, was at St Michael's Church, Abingdon, on Sunday for a service of dedication after all their recent changes.

I've found evidence that Bishop Stephen has his own blog on BBC Radio Berkshire.

Here is another look at the interior, now the new chairs are all in position.

And this is how it looked before.

The pictures are again thanks to John.

Another John has sent me a link to his notes on last week's meeting of the Carbon Cutters. It tells of upcoming events, including swapshops, and "An Inconvenient Truth".

Last Dam Busters

The Compton Theatre Organ, owned by the Abingdon Theatre Organ Preservation Society, has been played at the Abbey Hall for 42 years. This was to be the last time. Nicholas Martin was in the cockpit. The Mayor gave a little speech.

Normally the audience is about 50 or 60, but this time there was 4 or 5 times that number.

The regular users subsidy is being removed for hirers of rooms in the Guildhall, and the organ society no longer feel able to meet the increased cost of hiring the hall or organists, with smaller audiences.

Here Nicholas is playing the Dam Busters theme.

(Thanks to Ian for the pictures. )

Co-op Day 3

Entertainment was laid on for the first Saturday since the new Co-op opened.

A D.J. was playing the Travelling Wilberries when I went in.

Clowning around were Abbey and Teabags, who did free face painting and balloon modelling. On the subject of tea, one lady was telling me that it was good to be able to get '99' tea again in Abingdon. But she wondered why there was no delicatessen like the old co-op. People of her age like to get only a couple of slices of ham, or bacon, and have it cut as they want.

On the other hand Frugal Food has a deli next door, as has Added Ingredients.