I got an email asking why the Radley Road Newsagent has been closed for a few weeks now. I was not aware it was closed but did see the shutters were down over the weekend. I said I’d ask if any body knows.

Where Stroll In once was, a new coffee and snack place looks nearly ready to open on Abingdon Market Place. I can see the day coming when there will be more coffee shops than hairdressers in Abingdon Town Centre.

The lights in the ex Co-op supermarket were on this evening. The Co-op closed in July last year, and back then there was speculation that Wilkinson or Iceland would soon move in, but that did not happen. Then some people thought it would be refurbished and Poundland would move across. I have not heard the latest rumours.

The Stan James betting shop in Abingdon’s High Street appears to have closed. The Stan James online business was taken over by Unibet, who now own the name. I read that the remaining 80 UK betting shops need to be renamed in the near future.

Another local gambling machine shop is also closed until further notice.

The government has increased the tax on gambling machines. It is now at 20% for machines taking more than 20p bets, 25% for machines that allow bets of £5 and over.

The most comments ever on this blog was in July 2011 for Tesco Express 2

Tesco had taken over the Fitzharris Arms and turned it into a Tesco Express – very close to an existing convenience store called The One Stop.

The Ox pub was just about to go the same way, and become a Tesco Express – next door was another convenience store called Best One.

Five years on both Tesco Extras are still there as are the nearby convenience stores, although Best One is now Bargain Booze.