Tesco has been transforming itself.

For some time they have added specialist delicatessen, butcher, bakery and fish counters.

More recently they have opened separate shops within their big shop for pharmacies, opticians, travel agents, mobile phones, and shoes menders.

Tesco have even added wood fittings to give their trolley shelters a more natural look.

Recently they bought a Giraffe to win their battle with the other big supermarket chains.

Giraffes are being added close to lots of Tesco supermarkets including the one in Abingdon.

The Giraffe restaurant opens on 2nd Dec.

Tesco bought family friendly, London trendy, restaurant chain, Giraffe for £48.6m back in March.

On November 28th New Look will be moving into one of the larger new shops along Bury Street.

At about the same time Philosophy Hairdressers will be moving to the Market Place.

The newsagents currently known as ER Goff  are approaching the end of their lease at Bridge Street, and think a move  just around the corner into the premises vacated by Philosophy will make sense.

They will become Simon’s News. Mr Simon Escreet is the Proprietor.

Just over the road from Simon’s News, the premises vacated by The Bowls Shop – and used by Outdoor Traders as a second shop between whiles, is to become Sean Antony Hairdressing. Sean is moving in town from Ock Street.

Good Luck to all of them.

Three weeks ago the Crown and Thistle was covered in Scaffolding.

Two weeks ago the scaffolding came down.

In two weeks time the Crown and Thistle will re-open for another chapter in its long and illustrious history.

The Grade II Listed 17th century Coaching Inn, which John Rushkin called home for a while, and where Douglas Fairbanks Junior parked his boat, and which became a Berni Inn in the 1960s, will re-open on 27th November following a £1.8m refurbishment.

It is the 8th property opened by Oakman Inns, who have just won the Pub Company of the Year award – organised by Restaurant magazine.

I did a piece some time back saying that there was a new cobbler in Stert Street. At first the business was regularly open, but since the start of the summer holidays the opening of the shop has become very erratic, and was last open about two weeks ago. Notices appeared today to say the landlord has taken back possession of the shop because of unpaid rent. Anybody wanting to pick up their shoes needs to provide a receipt and description.