Oxford Vapours used to run a successful business on Stert Street selling vapes. A flood shut their old premises.
They will be returning to Abingdon in Bury Street with premises that will not flood.
The other new business opening is Gents Cut on Bath Street- a traditional barber.
At the end of May, Hedges Butchers moved their base from Abingdon after over 70 years. They can now be found in Chalgrove and continue to deliver in Abingdon and the area. Their new premises are much bigger.
The branch of Halifax in Abingdon closed on June 29th. The Guardian says UK bank branch numbers have almost halved since 2015. Abingdon has already lost the TSB and Barclays on Marcham Road. Many people do most of their banking online, and the closures hit people who have not gone online.
A new shop called The Shed opened about three weeks ago in Stert Street. The shop is bigger than it looks because it has the shop in the front and a large back room. The shop sells mostly recycled second hand goods, some picked up at flee markets and where needed restored or upcycled. There are pieces of furniture, tools, books, pots and pans and crockery. When I went in I got a warm welcome and just browsed and the lady running the shop answered questions and carried on restoring some furniture.
2021 was the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Government restrictions continued to change how businesses could operate.
Press on Changes in 2021 for a bigger (pdf) version of the map showing the changes.
Key:
Green is a shop that was vacant at the start of the year which is now occupied.
Yellow means a change of business.
Red is a vacant shop premises that was occupied at the start of the year.
Change in 2007 ( 6 green, 5 yellow, 10 red ) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2008 ( 10 green, 8 yellow, 13 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2009 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2010 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 4
Change in 2011 ( 2 green, 8 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2012 ( 6 green, 1 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 1
Change in 2013 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2014 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2015 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2016 ( 10 green, 5 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 5
Change in 2017 ( 3 green, 6 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2018 ( 7 green, 6 yellow, 4 red ) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2019 ( 4 green, 3 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2020 ( 6 green, 1 yellow, 8 red) – Net Loss 2
Change in 2021 ( 6 green, 1 yellow, 8 red) – Net Loss 2
Welcome to:
Missing Bean
Natty Nails
Starbucks
T△H△
Some businesses moved within the town centre:
Willow Shakeshop
Newbury Building Society,
Goodbye to:
Little Tea Room
Prices
The following closed at the end of 2020 or early 2021 but have been put down as 2021 closures:
Ebony Marni
Gifts and Gallery
Peacocks
Ox Vapours
Change to business in same premises
Av Boats took over from the Abingdon Boat Centre
(let me know any mistakes in this annual roundup)
The Shed will soon be opening at the Willow’s Shakeshop old premises. Masons in Stert Street is the oldest shop operating from the same premises.
Poundland continues to love Abingdon and be popular. The big shop opposite (Peacocks) is now empty.
