2018 was a good year with more business gains than losses in Abingdon town centre.
Press on Changes in 2018 for a bigger (pdf) version of the map showing the changes.
Key:
Green is a shop that was vacant at the start of the year which is now occupied.
Yellow means a change of business.
Red is a vacant shop premises that was occupied at the start of the year.
Change in 2007 ( 6 green, 5 yellow, 10 red ) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2008 ( 10 green, 8 yellow, 13 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2009 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2010 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 4
Change in 2011 ( 2 green, 8 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2012 ( 6 green, 1 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 1
Change in 2013 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2014 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2015 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2016 ( 10 green, 5 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 5
Change in 2017 ( 3 green, 6 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2018 ( 7 green, 6 yellow, 4 red ) – Net Gain 3
Welcome to:
Abingdon Bistro – may not be the final name
Abingdon Fish & Chips
Bulgarian Coffee and Restaurant – Tansi
Empire Tailoring Services
Children’s Air Ambulance
H&H Nail Salon
MIU Beautique
Pablo Lounge
Wysteria Avenue
Goodbye to:
Dorothy Perkins
La Baguette
Rosie’s Tea Room
Thomas Cook
Wildwood Kitchen
Move to new premises:
Galaxy Techno
The Nursery Shop
Change to similar business in same premises:
Abingdon Spice (replaces Majliss)
Abingdon Barbers (replaces Istanbul Barbers)
Seems Oriental (replaces Oriental Food Mart)
Please note Helen’s Beauty Work Shop has not closed. They have relocated to 21 West St Helens Street, OX14 5BL,
Within Ebony-Marni. For appointments/enquirers please call 07468419674, email helensbeautyworkshop@gmail.com or go to our Facebook page.
(let me know any mistakes in this annual roundup)
There was a trend in 2018 to use Abingdon in name changes and new businesses.
This is very interesting as it shows that Abingdon is following the national trend in some respects e.g more non-retail outlets (mainly eating/drinking places), but doing better that that trend in others: only one of this year’s closures was retail and there is an overall increase in occupancy.
The increase in things to do in Abingdon – cinema, Abbey Meadow play area and Open Air pool (in summer) is bringing more people in to the town and this will be helped by the smokehouse in the High Street and the Old Gaol wine bar, both due in the New Year.
So let’s celebrate the fact that our remaining businesses are hanging in there – and help them in the coming year by buying local.
Please not Helen’s Beauty Work Shop has not closed. We have relocated to 21 West St Helens Street, OX14 5BL,
Within Ebony-Marni. For appointments/enquirers please call 07468419674, email helensbeautyworkshop@gmail.com or go to our Facebook page.
I hear La Baguette is coming back. In Bath St apparently
I can not agree with Hester more – and having children I can only welcome the gin bar with open arms!
Having said this, overall, we have the same number of occupancy as in 2007. Is that good – all because of the good people? Or all bad – all because of BREXIT?
I continue to look forward to Abingdon’s prosperity, brought about, in the main, by my new on street popinability parking bonanza….
Thank you backstreeter for keeping us posted!
All a load of tat anyway, shocking array of shops for a town of Abingdon’s size. Let’s just assist the town’s alcoholic problem by adding more places you can get a drink!
Chicken Dinner – I am sure that most people would agree that it would be good to have a wider range of shops – and many people have been trying for many years to make that happen, but it is difficult to buck a national trend. However it is deeply offensive to the hardworking proprietors of the shops to brand them all as ” a load of tat”: you only have to look at places such as Masons, Added Ingredients, the two bookshops, The Nursery Shop, Finishing Touch,and the 4 jewellers etc etc to see that that is not true.
Also, continual repetition of this mantra does not exactly help to bring footfsll in to the town – which is what is needed to persuad other shops to invest in pening up here.
Hester –
Masons is one of a kind – a regional institution. It’s where ‘real old’ (rather than ‘retro’ and/or ‘quirky’) meets ‘new’. Its tired premises, its mix of high-end and budget stock (‘tat’?!), its distinctive mix of staff (no two days the same) are all part of what makes it different and very, very special. I’ve been shopping in Masons for fifty years or so. I’m afraid that none of the other shops you mention come anywhere near.
I’m an avid reader but can’t afford to pay the RRP for books and so only shop in the two bookshops ‘in an emergency’.
‘Finishing Touches’: er, great if you’ve finished, I suppose! (I for one am still working on it.)
Four jewellers, now? Again, great if jewellery is your thing and you’ve money to spend on it, but that doesn’t apply to all of us.
There has been a playground of some description and pools in the Abbey Grounds and Meadows since I can remember – these are not new attractions. What’s changed is that there are no longer any other facilities in the town centre for families with young children. (The Old Gaol was a regular destination for many.)
I can see that the new cinema screen might appeal to a certain demographic, but I know that I personally can’t see past the (same-old) Abbey Hall exterior. I found myself thinking ‘pretend cinema’ when I walked past it the other week.
Meanwhile, the once-beautiful and unique garden around the corner in Bridge Street – there for all to see and enjoy as they made their way down towards or up from the river – has completely gone. I was shocked when I saw the barren patch that had replaced it. Was I missing something? How, I wondered, could a town council (presumably) get things so wrong? Whatever will they do next?
The only ‘footfall’ that arose from that particular experience involved me turning around and heading straight back home.