The jury ,who sat through the three week trial, were unanimous in dismissing all the allegations.

Those allegations must have been like hell to live through for Paul T and his young family over fifteen months.

Before the allegations there was nobody worked harder for Abingdon than Paul T.

The state of the shops is a regular story in the Abingdon Herald.

In 2001 and 2002 there were concerns about shop closures. By 2003-5 headlines had become more positive with Stert Street doing better. Although there were concerns elsewhere in 2007.

After the opening of the new precinct in the 1970s one of the older shopping streets, Stert Street, did go into decline. In July 2002 there were 9 empty shops. However a delicatessen was due to open in November 2002.

On Saturday some of the town traders were on the Market Place to promote their businesses. Two were from Stert Street: Dream Doors

and Added Ingredients, the delicatessen that opened in November 2002.

That appears to be the turning point for Stert Street. Since 2002 Stert Street has been on the rise. Mod31 opened about the same time, and Finishing Touch in 2003. By 2005 there were 2 empty shops and Stert Street was soon to benefit from the new traffic system with wider pavements and less traffic.

In the last 3 years I cannot remember an empty shop in Stert Street, and so despite difficult trading conditions elsewhere, Stert Street is doing fairly well.

The extension to Costa, into what was Jessops, on Abingdon Market Place became more evident with the erection of a new sign. Work has been going on inside for some weeks.

Costa not only has an Abingdon outlet on the Market Place, but also in the Esso Filling Station on Marcham Road, and in a couple of convenience stores where, I can now reveal, those giant coffee cups contain bricks.

Staff Training has been going on for a while now. The new sign went up a on October 1st, replacing the red plastic one.

The Narrows were open for a ‘Live Session’ yesterday and have opened for a second ‘Live Session’ today –

I guess that means live staff training with real customers.

The Official Opening is 8th October during Abingdon Fair. Fair Rides are converging on Abingdon – ready to roll into town tomorrow.