There was an announcement on Kitsons website to say they were closing for a short while but that exciting changes were underway. On reopening the name Kitsons had gone, replaced with The O lives Restaurant. They serve authentic Greek dishes, grills, and fish dishes.
The entrance to this elegant upstairs restaurant, with historic beams, is next to Coffee Aroma on Abingdon High Street.
These neighbouring houses on the Marcham Road are currently used for education. The buildings are too big for your average family home and so have found other uses – first business and now education. But as the need for housing grows they could become housing again on a smaller scale.
The one that was the Radcliffe Publishing Company until two years ago now houses a nursery. That nursery moved in 2012 from another large house not far away on the Faringdon Road in Abingdon. Before the plans for the nursery the landlords had previously got planning permission to change the house to flats with smaller units of housing behind. I don’t know if that will happen now the nursery has moved in, but it could be still an option.
Next door is a school described as ‘Outstanding’ by Oftsed for young students with dyslexia.
The Landlord has recently obtained planning permission to convert that particular house back to housing, with extra housing behind.
But that will not happen quite yet. The school had the painters in over summer. And the school has an agreement with the landlord that they can stay until they find somewhere better. But the growing demand for housing means that large houses like these two have the option to become houses again – split up into flats hiding new small houses behind.
Summer is almost over and schools are going back. The holidays began well and the Abingdon Outdoor Pool became very popular until the second week of August when the weather became more typically mixed.
The blooms in Abingdon this summer have added colour as they always do, thanks to the town and district councils who still see them as important.
Nothing very different from previous summers with a mixtures of hanging baskets
and flowers beds. It has been pointed out by some that there are no blooms in the Abbey Shopping Centre this year. That would be for Scottish Widows to decide as they run the precinct.
One bed that was different this year was near the Outdoor Pool – planted by the Carbon Cutters with flowers to feed bees. I took a picture of it being planted on the day the Open Air Pool opened. Today was the last chance for a swim in the outdoor pool and the sunflowers have fed lots of bees.
Today on the Market Place there was a local excellent market. Good to see Beyond Bubbles there. Their shop closed but they live on!
The Old Farmhouse Bakery from Steventon, just 3 miles from Abingdon, was also there.
It was a glorious day.
The Market did well. The Abingdon Carbon Cutters were there as usual making apple juice.
There were a wide variety of local apples. Many you would never see in a supermarket.
Not 2 Shabby had a stall at the Local Excellent Market. Their craftwork is often pink.
On the 1st Month I try to join in with the City Daily Blogs Theme – September 1st is Pink!