The hotel at Old Abbey House has been open since October 2023. The notice board was added recently, prompting me to check customer reviews.

Guest reviews highlight the cleanliness of the rooms and the ease of the self-check-in system. Some guests would prefer a more personal touch upon arrival.

The hotel’s location in the historic centre of Abingdon is a major advantage. One reviewer mentioned the church bells ringing for ninety minutes on a Tuesday evening. The bell-ringing practice at St Nicolas Church is every other Tuesday. This Sunday is Easter, and the 8 a.m. church service at St Nicolas Church will have a special bell ringing from 7:30 a.m.

I’m back after a couple of days away and missed the Waitrose 30th birthday celebrations when there were balloons.

There is still a board where people can leave their favourite memories.

I remember the Kugel Fountain in the original entrance/exit (now just the exit.) Children and some adults would spin the round stone as it aquaplaned on a film of water.

Lloyds Bank has announced the closure of its Abingdon branch on 8 Ock Street. The closure is scheduled for July 24th, 2024.

Lloyds Banking Group announced plans to close 176 branches across the UK in 2024 and 2025. The closures reflect a national trend towards online banking. The Didcot and Oxford branches will remain.

The closure is likely to be a blow to the elderly or those less comfortable with technology. Lloyds say after the branch closes, a Community Banker will be available to support customers in the local area one day a week.

In 2023, Lloyds were granted planning permission to demolish the existing rear extension and build 8 new flats without parking. The commercial unit on Ock Street will be reduced in size.

This follows the closure of Barclays, over the road from Lloyds, in February 2024, where the signs and cash machine are gone.

The Punchbowl had scaffolding up since mid-February, while the exterior was patched up and painted. Last week, it was closed for an internal makeover and decoration. The pub opened again yesterday and looks very smart now, thanks to the efforts of the landlady, Vanessa.

The pub has two rooms, a larger front bar accessible from the Market Place, and a traditional snug with wood panelling, low beams, and fixed bench seating, accessible from East St Helen Street. According to Inns and Alehouses of Abingdon 1550 – 1978 (J Smith and J Carter ), the pub’s earliest recorded date was 1775.