Author Archives: Backstreeter

Unloading the Magic

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The Town Council’s artificial Christmas tree and large candles were being unloaded today — a clear sign that the festive season is almost here. There are now just five days to go until the Abingdon Christmas Extravaganza, when the town’s lights will be switched on.

According to the Fat Face countdown, however, there are still 31 days until Christmas itself (as of Monday).

Over on the Market Place, I arrived too late to choose from the smaller Christmas trees; the only one left was an XXL size.

Helen & Douglas House launched their Christmas season yesterday with a rare Sunday opening and an eye-catching display of Christmas jumpers, ties, and decorations. By today, some had already sold, but there were still plenty of good ones available — including these XXL jumpers.

While doing the ‘What’s On’ last week, I missed two Christmas fairs and an Agnostics Anonymous meeting. Both fairs take place on the same day as the Extravaganza: one is at Abingdon Baptist Church and the other at St Helen’s church. Agnostics Anonymous meets on Tuesday 25th at 7:30 pm, asking the question: Can you believe in science and the Bible?

Abingdon Weir Walkway Still Open as Water Channels Through Sluice Gates

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Water was flowing through the central sluice gates of Abingdon Weir today, but not over the sloping spillway. Often the flow is all the way across.

The footpath across the weir is currently open. It was closed for much of the spring and early summer for safety reasons. People were stopping to watch the large foaming cascade through the gates as they crossed.

The Environment Agency said in early October that the walkway will remain open until river flows increase, but the supporting structure still needs strengthening. Because of this, the walkway remains at risk of temporary closure during high flows or when construction work begins. Once contractors are able to start the strengthening work, the path will need to close again for the duration of the repairs.

Two New Parking Consultations in Abingdon

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Oxfordshire County Council has launched two new consultations on parking changes in Abingdon, both open until Friday 12 December 2025.

1. Centre East Abingdon – Proposed Parking Restrictions

The first consultation covers new ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ (double yellow line) restrictions in parts of Centre East Abingdon. These would extend or add restrictions on:
* Audlett Drive
* Jackman Close
* Magnette Close
* Penlon Place
* Quakers Court
* Radley Road

The aim is to stop obstructive parking, following an informal consultation with residents in 2024.

The consultation can be viewed at: https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/abingdon_centreeast_parking2025 .

2. Abingdon Town Centre – Proposed Parking Restriction Amendments

The second consultation covers the town centre. The main change is a small extension of the residents’ permit scheme, to include:
* St Edmunds Lane (permit-holder)
* St Helens Wharf (permit-holder or pay-and-display)

New limited-waiting bays
* West St Helen Street: maximum stay 30 minutes. These are intended to support access to local shops and services. The parking outside the Salvation Army would be removed to allow 30 minutes parking opposite. This may help the Co-op where people often park in the loading bay.
* Manor Court: maximum stay 2 hours

Other proposals include:
* Additional double yellow lines, replacing some single yellow lines, particularly at junctions where parking is already discouraged by the highway code.
* New no-loading restrictions on Abingdon Bridge.

The town centre will also get new signs showing that it is the AB residents parking area. So the sign stuck outside our house will be replaced.

The consultation can be viewed at: https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/abingdon_towncentre_parking2025.

These measures don’t look as controversial as the previous consultations (earlier this year) which had many people worried.

Abingdon’s Bookshops Let it Snow

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Most of us in Abingdon woke this morning to frosted grass and icy puddles. But two of our bookshops have had snow.

At The Bookstore in Bury Street, winter has taken full hold of the window display. Snowdrifts, sparkling reindeer and hibernating creatures make it look as though a blizzard has blown through the shop.

At Mostly Books, on Stert Street, snow is falling. Their window features a painted scene celebrating ‘Tell Your Dog I Love Them’, created by the book’s own author-illustrator, Harriet Lowther who will be there on December 6th. Mostly Books often invite artists to create street art in their window. I wonder whether they ever replace the glass and sell the originals like Banksy’s.

Their blackboard also reminds us that the season of stories in warm corners is upon us.