Traditional Butchers to open on Bath Street

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A new butchers shop looks set to open at 3 Bath Street in Abingdon. Signage has appeared for a traditional butchers, with the frontage currently covered while work continues to configure the shop inside.

The shop front was previously home to a catering and sandwich business. Recent social media updates from the business say it continues to operate from the address, but now from a dedicated kitchen space within part of the building rather than the front shop.

Abingdon has not had a dedicated butchers shop since Hedges Butchers relocated in 2022.

A New Art Venue

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Back in Abingdon after a few days away, and Art Weeks has arrived. There are the usual exhibitions around the town centre, and this year there’s a new venue across the road (from us) in West St Helen Street.

Illustrator and public artist Tom McLean has decorated his front room walls with colourful shapes made into birds, animals, fruit, and other concepts.

Tom was involved in the community art projects in South Abingdon last year. The playground previously known as Cotman Close Playground was given the name ‘Thameside Whizzer Park’ after children from nearby Thameside School were asked.

Catching Breath

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The blog will be taking a short rest over the next few days to catch its breath. Before then, here are a few events happening in Abingdon over the coming week – some of them marking a momentous change in the town.

The last event to be held in the Abbey Buildings before they close for their revamp project is the Abingdon Beer Festival. Running from Friday 1st May to Sunday 3rd May, the festival takes place at Abingdon Abbey Buildings, down Checker Walk. Opening times are 5:00–11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 1:00–4:00 pm on Sunday. It will be a last chance to see the Upper Gallery without glass windows.

With the Abbey Buildings closing, the regular live Music at the Unicorn – part of the Abbey Buildings – is relocating. For the near future, performances will be part of Music at St Helen’s Church, with the first concert taking place next Saturday, 7th May.

During the week, Oxfordshire Artweeks will be underway across Abingdon and beyond. Locally, the Abbey Group will be exhibiting at St Nicolas Church from 2nd May (10:00 am) to 9th May (5:00 pm), with five artists showing original art, prints, crafts, cards and jewellery.

There will be 9 artists exhibiting at St Ethelwold’s House during the week, and if you pick up one of the Artweeks booklets at any of the venues – or visit the website https://www.artweeks.org/ – you will find more.

More soon.

Abbey Millstream Through the Year: April 2026

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The bridge over the Millstream to Coseners House is currently closed for strengthening work. A temporary diversion takes vehicles and pedestrians round via the concrete bridge and back next to the open air pool.

Along the Millstream, the hawthorn (may blossom) is alive with insects, attracted by the brightness and spring nectar.

A long-tailed tit flits through the hawthorn, pausing on ivy at the water’s edge before flitting off again.

Small blue butterflies flutter alone, or twirl up together, and occasionally land.

A heron stands poised in the reeds before striking at something in the shallows.

Moorhens are plentiful along the Millstream, though there are no chicks to be seen just yet.

Near the weir, a lone duckling was snapping up mayflies in an independent way for one so small. There was no sign of any siblings and the nearest adult ducks were some way away.

What could be its mother was feeding at the weir, leaving the youngster to fend for itself near the weir.

What could be its father (you can never be sure with ducks) tipped up for deeper food.

These Canada geese, by contrast, were keeping a close watch over their young as they made their way along the Millstream.