Hester commented two days ago that there are signs of change in the Woolworth’s door – the one round the corner.

It is not so much the Street Fair poster – the best adverts for that are the yellow traffic signs on every approach into the town warning that the Street Fair is on from Monday 5th October to Tuesday 6th –

No, the good news is this notice concerning a new Store Opening in Abingdon, presumably taking up some, but not all, of the vacant Woolworths Store. Cargo left Abingdon early last year to be replaced by Londis. But Cargo Home Shop are on their way back. I believe that Scottish Widows bought up the vacant Woolworths premises from the receivers earlier in the year to add to the rest of the Abbey Shopping Centre.

Small Print: Scottish Widows seem to be doing a good job. I only hope they are looking after their smaller – long standing tennants who have faithfully served the town through the bad times and ought to be there to profit from the good times just around the corner.

Prince Albert, with pigeon on head, Hot Air Balloon drifting across…

Telephone pole, CCTV camera, Saxton Road rooftops…. The Sun Has Gone Down…

But not for long.

BAD NEWS…

Val is closing down Frugal Food. I don’t know why. The notice says “Stock up while you can!!“

On a selfish note… I don’t know where I’ll be able to get that fresh tasting Bombay Mix and those Samosas and pies and other things that she sells but you cannot find anywhere else. She has been the one who has promoted Fair Trade, and healthy ecologically friendly food, long before the rest of us caught on… or at least tried to catch on but didn’t always.

If you have read the town crier – the little green magazine from the Town Council – you will realise that from Mid October, Abingdon High Street Phase 2 AbITS work is to start. It involves re-laying footpaths and kerbs, road resurfacing, new uncontrolled crossing points…

removing unnecessary street furniture, two new bus shelters, and the introduction of a 20 MPH limit in the town centre. The recent coloured markings presumably may have something to do with the work.