From a look on the internet, it appears that the name is not uncommon. In close proximity, Abingdon and Bicester and Wallingford all have a Cattle Market Car Park. The closure of the original Cattle Markets freed up space for Car Parks.

But now some Cattle Market Car Parks are taking another step in their evolution. Development is encouraged on brown field sites and so Abingdon Cattle Market Car Park has a notice saying ‘Planning permission sought to build residences.’

Should we worry about loosing sixty parking places. Apart from On Street Car Parking, and private car parks like Waitrose, there are other car parks:

• Abbey Close
• Audlett Drive
• The Charter (multi-storey)
• Civic
• Hales Meadow
• Rye Farm (and Rye Farm Commercial)
• Queen Street (Permit Only)
• Market Place (Permit Only)
• West St Helen Street

Perhaps the question is more whether we should be using the space up for housing when another sort of building might be needed in the town centre in years to come.

The Salvation Army Citadel on West St Helens Street, has a couple of mobility buggies parked outside. Accessibility is big business nowadays (what with the Disability Discrimination Act – DDA – and the increasingly elderly population).

Pavements in Abingdon vary. The worst ones cause problems for elderly people who have to look down each time they take a step.

But among the best and most level is the pavement laid when Marshall and Galpin Solicitors built their new offices in West St Helen Street.

Among other forms of litigation, Marshall and Galpin pursue accident claims and maybe even offences against the DDA act. With a pavement like that, they won’t be found wanting themselves.

They can’t be faulted for outlandish modern architecture either. It even has the traditional archway into the courtyard for stage coaches so loved in East and West St Helen Street.

(Marshal and Galpin have at no time offered me payment herein to promote their pavement. I broach all this notwithstanding without let or hindrance and duelly take exception to any contrary understanding bywithal. )

The view looking down the river has hardly changed since 1981. But 25 years ago (give or take a week):

• The Old Gaol was closing for three months to be redecorated (In 2006 it has been closed for three years looking for a new use)
• Personnel from RAF Abingdon paraded past the County Hall to celebrate 41 years since the Battle of Britain (this year we will see two army parades)
• The County Council told the District Council that if Abingdon continued to expand so quickly it would have to get developers to fork out more towards creating new roads and infrastructure (In 2006 the County Council recoups some money by selling off the Kingfisher site on Blacknall Road to private developers.)
• Local people presented a petition protesting about the proposed building of 1,000 new homes on the land of Long Furlong Farm (Assuming this was the Long Furlong Estate ,people were given a say in that development and in 2006 we can see it turned out very well. )
• The new Cross Roads garage had opened on Drayton Road and promised alongside the cars, pleasant floral displays to brighten up the road ( the garage closed this year but Abingdon still has lots of blooms)
• 60,000 people went to the RAF Abingdon air show. The high point was a display by the red arrows. (this year the RAF return-show did not quite come off but we are told it will happen next year, and we do have Abingdon Fayre – a runaway self-generated success)



• Animal rescuer, Albert Honey, was appealing in the Abingdon Herald for people out fishing to be more considerate towards swans (Last week in the Abingdon Herald we had “Plea for Anglers to take care of Swans” this time from animal resuer Diana Davies.)
• In 1981 Barratts were building riverside homes (They are back doing the same thing)

This is not the new seat on the Ock Valley Walk. It is the seat nearest the town end of the Ock Valley walk. Strange objects often appear next to it. Usually they are the cast-offs from drinking or smoking or eating activities, but this time we have a single child’s shoe.

Neither is this the new seat, although it was recently given a new coat of black paint to hide the postbox red beneath. It is situated just past the little weir and pool area near Meadowside. It looks better black, but as you can see the paint can be scratched off to reveal the red beneath.

These seats are new, and like much of the River Walk are the idea of our current Mayor Peter Green. They are recycled willow trees trunks, and form a small theatre area for visiting school children.

Finally, here is the new seat on the Ock Valley Walk. It is black like the first, stylish like the first, and donated by a chap who loved the walk.