The open day and market at Loose Cannon brewery was a chance to look around the brewery and to see some well-known Abingdon market stalls inside a brewery.

Busby’s Bees took a swarm of bees, honey, and beeswax into the brewery.

Martin, of Devine Times Photography, had a selection of photographic prints and calendars.

Abingdon Gin and another dozen stalls were also there.

Suffolk Way, off the Drayton Road, once comprised eight anonymous industrial/warehouse units made of brick and metal cladding. Now the units have opened up to the world and lots of local people visit.

There is also the Kathleen Turner charity shop

and the Oxford Wood Recycling with ideas for wood and recycled wood for sale.

The carpenters of Oxford Wood Recycling have recently transformed Broad Street in Oxford into an area of raised beds with wildflowers, and grass with lots of wood seating – a good place to relax during a trip to Oxford.

The Little Tea Room in East St Helen Street closes on 28th August.

This is so that Claire, Louise, and the team can spend more time with family members. Covid has also made the future very uncertain and tough for small independents. During the lockdown, they adapted by selling takeaway boxes.

Many customers visited the Little Tea Room for the last time and booked in advance, and so places have been limited in the last week.

An example of what was on offer is shown above. This is just one of 6 menus. There are a huge variety of sandwiches and teas.

In October 2017 Willow Shake opened in Stert Street and today they moved to larger premises in Bury Street. They have been decorating over the last few weeks.

Inside there is a check floor like an American diner, a sofa, and some wood tables and chairs. The one table outside will be added to in time.

They serve milkshakes in a huge number of flavours, as well as smoothies and hot drinks. Lots of people stopped to take a look at the new place, and quite a few came inside to say how good the new place looked.

McColls / Martins closed all three of their Abingdon newsagents / convenience stores. Two have now been replaced by cafe / takeaways.

Stuart sent me a picture to show that the former newsagent in the Peachcroft shopping centre has been replaced with a coffee house / cafe this July.

The newsagent in the Northcourt Road was replaced by a pizza place in April 2021.