The Gift Centre moved to its new location a  few weeks ago. The main advantage of the new shop is that it has a wide staircase and lots more space upstairs. There is a lot of work to get it all ready and the framing workshop still needs kitting out.

But in another week people will be able to go up the stairs to the gallery where pictures are being hung as we speak.

Any idea what artist did these four pictures. He achieved cult status on Radio Oxford, went on to television stardom, and now has proved himself an accomplished artist in acrylics and oils.

The Nags Head pub has a unique location on an island on the River Thames. Abingdon Bridge connects it to Abingdon, and Burford Bridge connects it to South Oxfordshire. On warm summer days it is a popular place to sit near the river, drink a pint, eat chips, and watch the boats go by.

Boat trips leave from the pub’s island to Oxford and Wallingford. It seems to have a wonderful location, for the summer, so I’m sad to say, it has closed. Let’s hope it turns out to be just a winter closure.

The Loose Cannon brewery had a busy time leading up to Christmas.

This was my first time inside the brewery since it opened back in August.

The shop, out front, has been decked out with boughs of hops.

I wish Loose Cannon every success, and a Happy New Year. Abingdon Bridge, the regular brew, will be joined by a new IPA beer around February. You will have to hurry to get any of the Christmas Cannon.

This is the state of the town centre on a rainy Wednesday at the end of 2010

(Press on image for a bigger pdf version. Not a brilliant map and not to scale but it serves this yearly purpose.)

Key:
Red is a vacant shop premises that was occupied at the start of the year.
Yellow means a change of business.
Green is a shop that was vacant at the start of the year which is now occupied.

Change in 2007 (10 red, 6 green, 5 yellow) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2008 (13 red, 10 green, 8 yellow) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2009 (6 red, 9 green, 6 yellow) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2010 (5 red, 8 green, 6 yellow) – Net Gain 3

Abingdon now has a brewery and a tearoom – two things that have been missing for a few years. The van is from Loose Cannon Brewery and is outside the window of Rosie’s Tearoom.