Dorothy Perkins, in Abingdon, is to close a month from now and currently have a closing down sale.

The shop in Abingdon is quite small and is packed with rails of women’s fashion, and some accessories. Staff are very friendly and say there will still be a Dorothy Perkins in Witney and Oxford.

Have you ever wondered who was Dorothy Perkins. The chain began life in 1909 as H.P. Newman, and adopted its current name in 1939. It was not named after a real person but after a veteran rambling rose. (Thanks to Georges Seguin (Okki) for the picture of the Dorothy Perkins rose found on wikipedia.)

The quarry near Oday Hill looked worked out, with its rusting conveyor belts, a couple of years ago. Returning there in 2018 the quarry has a new lease of life.

Beyond it the land is getting drained so a lot more quarrying can begin.

So it looks like the quarry now extends further along, and either side of, the lorry access road.

The old quarry / landfill, next door, has become a nature reserve with a lake at one end. Other old quarry lakes off Peep O Day Lane have been fenced off for private fishing.

La Baguette have been serving baguettes with fillings in Abingdon for over twenty years. The shop first appeared about 1996 between Supa-Snaps and Stroll’in.

La Baguette was a trend setter and has done well as an independent business in Abingdon and built up a dedicated following.

To those customer there is a final thank you note in a window pane.

In 2018, La Baguette have Costa and R&R, not far away either side of them. Then either side of them are Pablo Lounge and Java & CO. All of them are also catering businesses with much larger premises, and far more seats.

The Market Place in Abingdon has become a cafe culture. La Baguette led the way.