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.
I was informed that the owner of the chippy was from Coventry, and it became too much to travel to Abingdon. We used it a few times, they did nice chips etc.
Yes it has gone downhill. I am dismayed by the amount of litter that is always in this area. The Vale of the White Horse sold the shops, the pavement and car park to private ownership. The owner would not renew the lease on the paper shop and post office so we lost them. Biffa will not put litter bins on the pavement outside the shops as this is private land now. They put a litter bin on the green but people will not cross the car park to use this litter bin so it is useless. People dump rubbish by the clothes and shoe bank so it always looks untidy. I cannot see much improvement to this area in the near future.
Funnily enough it is 20 years after the shops first appeared on here.
https://abingdonblog.co.uk/?p=25287
The owner of the Reynolds Supermarket has been lauded by commentators on this blog in the past, despite arguably being responsible for the area’s downfall.
Yes I agree.
Why is the supermarket responsible for the downfall of the area?
Because the private owner owns all the leases for the other shops. Also is responsible for the litter.