Browns Traditional Butchers opened in Bath Street in July, with queues on its first day, as reported on this blog. Whenever I pass, there seem to be customers in the shop. We don’t eat much meat ourselves, so are not ideal customers, but the shop gives a friendly impression and seems to have built up good relationships with its customers.

On Saturday, the Town Crier told me he had just had his photograph taken outside the shop for its social media pages. I took a similar picture for this blog.

I was interested to read on the Browns website that Mr Brown served his apprenticeship with Hedges, the traditional butchers who left Abingdon a couple of years ago. So although Browns is a new shop in the town, there is a link with Abingdon’s previous butchers.

The shop offers a traditional range of fresh meat, with cuts prepared to suit customers’ requirements. Customers can also order online for collection or local delivery.

It is an attractive-looking shop, whether passing in the morning or late afternoon. I am sure most people in Abingdon are already familiar with the business, but for anyone who isn’t, here is the website: Browns Traditional Butchers

Its headline is: “Proper meat, from a proper butcher.”

There are two open shops at Reynolds Way and five stand empty. The survivors are Reynolds Way Supermarket and the pharmacy. A fish and chip shop opened in June 2024 but I have not seen it open for some time.
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Back in 2022, I reported on the demolition of the wall along Reynolds Way, which featured a collection of public artworks. The wall formed the back of a row of garages owned by Sovereign Housing. When the garages were demolished, the space they occupied was left behind. It is now fenced off, with little use apart from a place for a clothing and shoe bank.

It does give the impression of a forgotten corner of Abingdon in need of some investment.

Starbucks arrived in Abingdon on 28 December 2021, bringing its familiar green mermaid to the Market Place. It joined a well-established coffee culture in the town centre.

At the time, there were two Costas, Java, R&R Coffee, Coffee Aroma and Throwing Buns, while The Missing Bean had opened just a few months earlier. There were also numerous other cafés, restaurants and food outlets serving coffee alongside their main offerings.

The Starbucks was unusual among the Market Place coffee shops, with very little outside seating. There were plenty of seats inside.

Almost five years later, the sign and mermaid have disappeared from the Market Place and the windows are blacked out.

Behind the shop, equipment, packaging, cups and other Starbucks-branded items were piled up in the service area, and cartons of white chocolate – caramalised – banana flavour sauce.

Coffee drinkers in Abingdon are still well catered for, but there is no Starbucks.