Mostly Books have a smart new front, now the scaffold has been taken away. They also have a new website.

Abingdon does very well with three book shops, two independent, and one national chain.

Over the road Thomas Merrifield are also having a redecoration.

Thomas Merrifield recently sold (stc) a house, a few doors up from Mostly Books, called The Knowl. It has a planning application for change of use ‘from Residential Care Home to HMO (house in multiple occupation) including internal alterations to partitions and reinstatement of the front garden.’

The Monk on the Roundabout can be seen here. Behind him the Fairacres shopping centre is being demolished for redevelopment.

The AHF furniture store is the first to be torn apart by the demolition machines.

Homebase is empty and waiting …

The first half of the Fairacres Shopping centre was torn down and rebuilt a few years ago.

Over the road the Hilton Garden Inn reopened earlier this year after a major rebuild and is doing well . They provide a good place to stay and eat for people working at the Abingdon Business Park.

McColl’s Newsagent and Post Office at Gainsborough Green will be closing in early October. A lot of people will be upset by this closure as it leaves South Abingdon without a post office, and the closest alternative is in town.

The notice in the window blames staff shortages for having to close at 5pm rather than later.

P.S. Didn’t get my facts right first time round so have updated this post.

Eben Lark have landed in a new Abingdon town centre location selling vintage goods for the home and garden.

They are now at the Roysse Room, once a month, and have a lot more space than when they were at their previous location, St Ethelwold’s House.

Before that Eben Lark were in at least two different shops in the town centre. But the peripatetic, pop up style, could suit them better.

There were a lot of people looking round the Roysse Room this morning. Bury Street also looked very busy.

If you want to find out more Eben Lark have a Facebook Page.