People gathered at the Guildhall for a café style discussion of the future of our district. They were presented with some of the big issues.

One subject was the economic vitality of town centres:

“Changes in shopping, working, and leisure habits… mean that the town centres of Abingdon, Faringdon, and Wantage are not enjoying the full benefits of the Vale’s economic success… Residents are leaving their home town to work before the shops are open and returning after they are closed…They are using out of town superstores or travelling to large regional centres…”

Options to consider…

• Create better local awareness of town centre shops
• Resist out of town developments
• Set up business improvement plans for the town centres
• Improve the character of the towns through environmental improvements
• Put on more events to encourage people into the town centres
• Locate more houses near town centres
• Encourage an evening economy

Didcot have turned their town centre around. They had enough derelict land near the town centre to start again, and built a new town centre adjacent to the old. It is like an out-of-town development in the town centre. The old bit may die off and be turned into housing but they have just moved sideways a bit.

I don’t think we can copy that. There is not the room. But thinking caps on…

Abingdon Bridge is actually two bridges, separated by Nags Head Island.

The southern part, crossing the navigation channel, is also called Burford Bridge.

I hope not too many people comment that these are better than the usual pictures. My wife borrowed the camera and took these two 🙂

These are some of the autumn poems, by year 6, displayed at the entrance of Thameside School. This has been one of the best of autumns when it comes to golden leaves.

Round the corner, and “Ahoy land lubbers!” the scene changes completely to a pirate ship, on which pupils chart their progress on the “Rising Tide” school attainment programme.

“Fancy That” opened on Saturday, selling jewellery and accessories. Sonia, who runs the shop, was one of the flood victims back in July. The shop premises also got flooded. But undeterred Sonia has created her dream shop.

It is located where Movies used to be on Ock Street.

Golden Kitchen can be seen across the road.