Starbucks arrived in Abingdon on 28 December 2021, bringing its familiar green mermaid to the Market Place. It joined a well-established coffee culture in the town centre.

At the time, there were two Costas, Java, R&R Coffee, Coffee Aroma and Throwing Buns, while The Missing Bean had opened just a few months earlier. There were also numerous other cafés, restaurants and food outlets serving coffee alongside their main offerings.

The Starbucks was unusual among the Market Place coffee shops, with very little outside seating. There were plenty of seats inside.

Almost five years later, the sign and mermaid have disappeared from the Market Place and the windows are blacked out.

Behind the shop, equipment, packaging, cups and other Starbucks-branded items were piled up in the service area, and cartons of white chocolate – caramalised – banana flavour sauce.

Coffee drinkers in Abingdon are still well catered for, but there is no Starbucks.

The shop fronts on Ock Street have been slowly disappearing. The latest to go is Cathy’s Sandwich Bar. This photo was taken in 2014, not long after it opened, replacing Mega Bonus who sold kitchen appliances.

Next door, Status Trophies closed in 2014 and was converted into residential accommodation. Now Cathy’s Sandwich Bar has followed the same way.

A planning application earlier this year changed the building from retail to residential, with no objections. The existing flat upstairs will be extended to include the downstairs area.

After missing this year’s Swan Upping because I was away, I’m back in Abingdon.

The pharmacy in the precinct has a new name and management. An A-board outside lists: opening hours of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; taking on new patients; free prescription delivery; free dosette boxes; walk-in consultations, and a weight loss programme with weekly injections.

The Finishing Touch is at the final touch and closes on 23rd July. Most of the stock has gone, although there are still decorations, cards and fixtures.

Among the remaining items are cloth bunting with letters on flags. The other vowels are gone but U is still there and several Xs Ys and Zs.