The Abingdon branch of the Newbury Building Society will be moving this summer. A ‘We are Moving’ poster has appeared in the window of the West St Helen Street shop where they have been for 40 years.

The new location will be 34 Bury Street, next to New Look.

That was the address of The Lemon Plaice before Bury Street had a revamp in 2012.

Thankyou to Daniel for these pictures of the new Fairacres Phase 2 and Lidl store as viewed from the air.

When the construction of Fairacres Phase 2 began I was considering visiting the revamped Hilton Garden Inn (on the left) to get some pictures from the top floor. I gave up on that idea because of the pandemic. However Daniel’s view is even better with his drone.

This views shows Fairacres in the centre, and Miele to its left, with the 50 acres of  Abingdon Business Park behind, and behind that the houses of north Abingdon.

Abingdon Town Centre remains mostly quiet in the evenings. Pubs and restaurants are closed for consumption on the premises

Food and non-alcoholic drinks can be bought on a takeaway basis (between 5am and 11pm). Food and drink (including alcohol if the license allows) can also be delivered.

The government have announced a slow roadmap to reopening. They say this is possible because of the success of the vaccination programme; and how the public have obeyed the law and stayed at home to help suppress COVID-19.

The roadmap includes a number of steps. As part of Step 2 hospitality venues will be allowed to serve people outdoors from 12th April. Then as part of Step 3 indoor hospitality will be allowed no earlier than 17th May. Step 3 includes cinemas.

There are bright lights at St Helen’s Wharf. This evening they included the flashing lights of a police car. I hear that the police went from door to door investigating a disturbance.