Going into town today people will have noticed that two major clothing shops in Abingdon have closing down sales. M&Co announced in August that they were shutting 47 stores. M&Co will be closing their Abingdon, Market Place, store in about four weeks time.

The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group, which includes Peacocks, called in the administrator yesterday. The Abingdon shop now has Closing Down Sale signs.

Both retailers have found the past seven months very difficult. They had to shut their stores in March due to the pandemic. M&Co reopened in June, and Peacocks in August – later than most shops.

Walking round the town centre this afternoon I noticed two new restaurants and a pop up wedding shop.

In High Street, Que Pasa will be openings as a Spanish Tapas bar and Mediterranean Restaurant and wine bar .

Al Mulino will be a takeaway pizzeria in Bath Street.

In Bury Street is The One Stop Wedding Shop – a pop up shop. Some weddings have been put on hold because of the restriction on numbers, but not all.

P.S. 1 Stert Street, The ex TSB bank, is getting painted.

The 1970 Abingdon Whos’ Who and Directory has an advert for Masons at 39 Stert Street and 20 Bath Street. The tagline is ‘Shops you will enjoy visiting ……..’

39 Stert Street is still Masons wool shop in 2020,

20 Bath Street is still Masons material shop in 2020.

They must be shops people still enjoy visiting.

Coxeters was founded in 1836 by Charles Coxeter who was an ironmonger, also selling furniture, bicycles and other household items.
The 1970 Abingdon Whos’ Who and Directory has an advert for Coxeters – Abingdon’s Departmental Store. The blue building was new then. They wanted local people to ‘TRY ABINGDON FIRST’.

Here is the same view today with the Results gym upstairs, and the kitchen showroom and workwear outlet downstairs.

The sign now says Coxeter House and has done since 1984. Coxeters let this large blue building, and the other buildings around the car park at Tannery Court, to a variety of businesses.

The businesses at Coxeter House change and the sign writers are kept busy moving signs at the back.