Category Archives: Market Place

From the Farmers Market to browsing books

4 Replies


The Farmers Market was on the Market Place in Abingdon today.

It was my first time inside both independent bookshops since the reopening. The Book store is in Bury Street precinct.

Two shops have closed in Bury Street during the shutdown. The Gift Centre has closed – probably deciding not to renew a lengthy lease. Also Peacocks went into administration and is now closed.  200 of the 400 Peacock stores will be re-opening as the chain have been brought out out administration. I don’t know about the Abingdon shop.

Mostly Books were also open. On display there is Trinity by Frank Close. Trinity was the code name for exploding the test atomic bomb in 1945. This well researched story is about Klaus Fuchs, a communist sympathiser, who passed atomic secrets to the Soviets during the race for development of the nuclear bomb. The book has both spying and science.

The library is also open and there I saw another book by Frank Close called Neutrino. Frank Close is a nuclear physicist who lives in Abingdon and often helps at the ATOM Science festival

Local Excellence Market

5 Replies


Due to the government restrictions, only food and drink traders were on the Market Place for the Local Excellence Market.

Stalls were spaced out and a lot of people were wearing face masks.

If the national lockdown easing plan stays on track, there could be a fuller Local Excellence Market on 29th May.

Other Market place events that are now on the town council’s calendar include:
Election of the Mayor of Ock Street – Saturday, 19 June 2021
Splash of Pink Day – Saturday, 17 July 2021
Health Fest Abingdon – Saturday, 4th September 2021

Abingdon Farmers’ Market – with risk assessments

2 Replies

Farmers Market
There was the Abingdon Farmers’ Market this Friday (20th November), and there were about a dozen stalls.
Farmers Market
I see their Covid-19 risk assessment included:
* All traders wore face-masks
* Food and drink could only be taken away
* No samples of produce
* A one-way system
* No groups larger than 6
Farmers Market
My blog risk assessment includes not taking any close up photographs to avoid getting in the way, and taking just a few pictures while walking once round the outside.

Abingdon Local Excellence Market + subsequent 4 week lockdown announcement for England

1 Reply

There was a Local Excellence Market in Abingdon today. It rained all morning and brightened up in the afternoon.
Abingdon Sports
On the Poppy stall could be seen a Veterans Dog. These dogs are trained to support veterans, of the armed services, to lead a full life.

Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council have announced that there will not be the usual Remembrance Day service or parade. Organisations can lay their wreaths at the war memorial from Friday. People can also mark the two minutes silence at 11.00 am on Sunday 8th November from their doorsteps. The Town Council will host a Remembrance presentation on its website www.abingdon.gov.uk so that people can view the War Memorial from the safety of their own homes.
Abingdon Sports
At the Market were Christmas decorations and gifts.

Since the market, the PM has announced a second lockdown from Thursday until 2nd December. Non-essential shopping will not be allowed during that time.
Abingdon Sports
Abingdon Country Market were also there. They told me – this morning – that their next Market was on 14th November. Food is essential so that could possibly still go ahead.
Abingdon Sports
I got a pile of books from the library. (Reading is one of the pleasures of lockdown.) The library were up to their Covid-19 limit of twenty people but it still looked empty. They will probably close during the lockdown, along with pubs, restaurants, churches, fitness centres and community centres. Schools will remain open during the second lockdown.