On The Market Place Today

Guide Dogs for the Blind were collecting.

Riverside Pre-School had a stall. They are a nursery off Preston Road - in the Thameside School grounds - which was recently in danger of closing because of not enough volunteers. They still need people to help, but are safe for now. My son went to the Riverside playgroup - as it once was - at the St John's Ambulance Station when it was run by Mrs Barratt - I think - circa 1990.

Also the Monday Market Fruit and Vedge man was there. There will be Fairs the next two Mondays so he has shifted to Saturday during that time.

Good Times Just around the Corner

Hester commented two days ago that there are signs of change in the Woolworth's door - the one round the corner.

It is not so much the Street Fair poster - the best adverts for that are the yellow traffic signs on every approach into the town warning that the Street Fair is on from Monday 5th October to Tuesday 6th -

No, the good news is this notice concerning a new Store Opening in Abingdon, presumably taking up some, but not all, of the vacant Woolworths Store. Cargo left Abingdon early last year to be replaced by Londis. But Cargo Home Shop are on their way back. I believe that Scottish Widows bought up the vacant Woolworths premises from the receivers earlier in the year to add to the rest of the Abbey Shopping Centre.

Small Print: Scottish Widows seem to be doing a good job. I only hope they are looking after their smaller - long standing tennants who have faithfully served the town through the bad times and ought to be there to profit from the good times just around the corner.

The Sun Has Gone Down

Prince Albert, with pigeon on head, Hot Air Balloon drifting across...

Telephone pole, CCTV camera, Saxton Road rooftops.... The Sun Has Gone Down...

But not for long.

Stock up!! Closing Down!

BAD NEWS...

Val is closing down Frugal Food. I don't know why. The notice says "Stock up while you can!!"

On a selfish note... I don't know where I'll be able to get that fresh tasting Bombay Mix and those Samosas and pies and other things that she sells but you cannot find anywhere else. She has been the one who has promoted Fair Trade, and healthy ecologically friendly food, long before the rest of us caught on... or at least tried to catch on but didn't always.

From The town crier

If you have read the town crier - the little green magazine from the Town Council - you will realise that from Mid October, Abingdon High Street Phase 2 AbITS work is to start. It involves re-laying footpaths and kerbs, road resurfacing, new uncontrolled crossing points...

removing unnecessary street furniture, two new bus shelters, and the introduction of a 20 MPH limit in the town centre. The recent coloured markings presumably may have something to do with the work.

P.S Apologies to anybody who subscribed to my twitter feed. I have not thought of anything to say yet but am working on it.

MG Trip to Argentan

I missed the 20 MG cars leaving the Market Place about ten days ago to go to Argentan. But today popped up to the museum to see if Brian had any pictures he could let me have now they are back. The group drove over and stayed at Argentan and visited places like Camembert, Le Mans, and did some Gokart racing.

This is the closest I got to a picture - showing the group about to leave Abingdon, but we did not have the technology to get it to This Blog. I will have to wait until Brian does a presentation to the Twin Towns Society to see any more - date to be fixed.

P.S.

And thanks for this image from the MG Works Club in Abingdon showing the vehicles in front of a French Building.

A good number of musicians

The Abbey Brass were in the Market Place this morning and there was a good number of them too. I could hear their music from the bottom of West St Helen Street (aka The BackStreet).