The last dedicated small newsagent in Abingdon has closed. That makes 4 closures in the last year.
It was on Northcourt Road, near a Co-op supermarket that also sells newspapers. Newsagents have been closing down across Britain with competition from supermarkets and petrol stations. Many people now get their news online.
WH Smith continue to operate and sell newspapers and magazines, and much more besides.
After seeing the McDonalds Queue in Abingdon at 3pm I decided the burger will have to wait. This is a day or so after MCDonalds opened after the Coronavirus Lockdown.
Music playing in car is Bluebird by Bob Wallis & Storeyville Jazzmen from 1960. All rights reserved to them. More Music from them on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDhdHD-TTXu-r96vxRx5hLg
Stuart sent me a picture to show that the newsagent in the Peachcroft shopping centre has closed. The shops were built in the early 1980s and this one has always been a newsagent, firstly called Mallows, then Dillons and finally McColls or Martins (Martin is the newsagent arm of McColls). A sign in the window directs paper girls and boys to McColls @ Northcourt.
The McColls at Northcourt Road is also available to rent. It was announced in February 2020 that McColls will be be shutting over 300 stores nationally, including a lot of the smaller shops.
The food shops mostly stayed open during the lockdown, including some of those offering takeaway coffee and food. Some cross over shops, that have some food, like Poundland, stayed open. Pharmacies stayed open, as did some shops that sold pharmaceuticals and cleaning products like Savers. Banks stayed open with reduced hours.
With the easing of the lockdown, last week, the Estate Agents can reopen, and about half of those in Abingdon have reopened with social distancing and ideas like virtual viewings. Superdrug has also reopened.
Some shops like Added Ingredients and Holland and Barrett and Pedal Power operate with reduced hours.
Business owners are working on their risk assessments, seeing whether they can get staff back and reopen. This is new to everyone. We got a phone call from somebody who is scheduled to do work in our house. He asked whether we have anybody over 70 or self isolating. He has the PPE but needs to find out whether there is enough work that can be safely done before getting the workmen back off furlough and giving us a date.