Last Saturday was one of the best days of the summer. The outdoor swimming pool, and water “feature”, had never had it so good. But now the children are back at school.

Turn to the financial pages you’ll see how things have cooled. In Abingdon some businesses are finding it difficult, and, before even all that, there was a crisis of confidence in this town and action 4 abingdon was set up.

Yesterday the Joint Economic Forum (JEF) met to agree the draft Abingdon Town Report and Action Plan. The JEF is a committee that meets regularly to discuss Abingdon matters with 5 members from town council, 5 from district council, and 5 from the chamber of commerce. Members of Action 4 Abingdon also come as observers. The Report was commissioned to see the best way different bodies can work together to move Abingdon forward, and to set a list of important actions.

The report suggested setting up a town board with a paid manager to drive through change. An interim management board has been set up to move things forward. An interim manager is to be appointed. Then they will carry on consulting with both a business and a community forum which have been very important bringing people together that would not have seemed possible a year ago. The interim board will investigate the future form the town board should take (Membership could be one member and officer from town council, district council, county council, Chamber of Commerce, and other business groups.), and appoint a manager. At the same time they will pursue some of the actions that could be achieved with existing resources.

The town council has the full report.

This pub reopened a week ago looking very smart.

It seems to be more a place where you sit, drink and eat, maybe wine and tapas, rather than crowd around the bar talking football in the evening. The entry age has been raised to 21.

Smarts Fish & Chips have been closed for most of August, for re-decoration, and the youngest member of the backstreet household is missing her regular dose of Smarts Cheese and Chips.

Also I see that Ladbrokes, a well known betting firm, want to take over the Venue. The Venue has been closed since the owner emigrated a few months back.

For a while not much has changed to the front. But now the pavement is getting laid

and the front looks more like a shop front with the false window frames, pillars, and the sign frame.

I see that the Co-op have applied for an Off Licence Sales Licence covering Monday to Sunday 07:00 – 22:00. So we could be spoilt for choice soon with Londis and the Co-op.