Category Archives: Market Place

Church in Abingdon carol singers on the Market Place

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There was carol singing on Abingdon’s Market Place today from 10 am to noon. Over 100 people gathered to sing carols, led by Sally Mears. A tuba and percussion instruments provided accompaniment for the singers. There was also a crafting table with an Advent theme.

A pop-up nativity scene offered a photo opportunity for people to capture the Christmas spirit. Some of the Abingdon Street Pastors, who will be patrolling the streets tonight from 10:30 pm, were having their photo taken.

Abingdon Street Pastors is a volunteer-led charity that patrols the streets of Abingdon on Saturday nights to offer support and care to people having a night out. They work with the police and local businesses to create a safe and positive atmosphere in the town. They have been doing this since 2011.

The carols finished with We Wish you a Merry Christmas, which you can hear here.

Abingdon Christmas Craft Market Braves the Wind

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As the wind blew across the Market Place in Abingdon, the town’s annual Christmas Craft Market weathered the worst and stayed firmly on the ground.

The lights on the Christmas Tree have now been put up properly. Last weekend, they had been put up temporarily because the contractor was in hospital.

A jeweller called Tracey was at the market for the last time. She has been selling at the  Local Excellence Markets for over ten years.

The Abingdon Honey company displayed the award for the most festive stall at last week’s Abingdon Extravaganza. This week, they eased up on the tinsel and baubles.

The next local excellence market will be in March 2024.

Next Saturday, 16th December 2023, from 10 am to 12 pm, there will Christmas Carol singing led my Sally Mears and people from the churches in Abingdon.

A Taste of the Local: Market of Fresh Produce and Crafts

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After the last one disappeared, the secret crocheter quickly created a new post-box topper for the Market Place.

The Market Place was a popular destination today, with people drawn to the Market Place by the mostly sunny weather and the variety of stalls selling local goods at the Local Excellence Market.

It included: beer, biscuits, bread, burgers, cakes, cheese, chillies, fruit and vegetables, gin, gluten-free foods, honey, Indian food, pies, artificial flowers, glassware and ceramics, jewellery, knitted toys, photographs, soap, upcycled bags, and wooden toys.

One local trader told me that Saturday afternoons are as busy as the morning now. Is that partly because of the popularity of coffee shops? They have transformed the centre from a mostly retail space to a place for people to meet up with friends and family.

Cost-of-living clinic on Wimbledon-themed Market Place in Abingdon

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BBC Radio Oxford hosted a cost-of-living clinic at the Monday Market in Abingdon today. The clinic brought together several local organizations, including Citizens Advice, the Abingdon Foodbank, Abingdon Larder, and Abingdon Community Fridge.

People from BBC Radio Oxford were also there with a survey to gather information about the impact of the rising cost of living on local residents. BBC Radio Oxford are taking this roadshow around Oxfordshire and inviting local groups in each town or part of Oxford.

Also on the Market Place is a Wimbledon-themed postbox topper with tennis rackets, a ball, and strawberries. The famous tennis tournament is currently about halfway. It began on Monday, July 3, and ends on Sunday, July 16.

Strawberries, a Wimbledon staple, were on sale at the fruit and veg stall at the Monday Market.