Press on Changes in 2015 for a bigger pdf version.

Key:
Green is a shop that was vacant at the start of the year which is now occupied.
Yellow means a change of business or name.
Red is a vacant shop premises that was occupied at the start of the year.

Change in 2007 ( 6 green, 5 yellow, 10 red ) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2008 ( 10 green, 8 yellow, 13 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2009 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2010 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2011 ( 2 green, 8 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2012 ( 6 green, 1 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 1
Change in 2013 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2014 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2015 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0

Welcome to:
Boots Optician
Clockwork Dragon (fantasy)
Oriental Food Mart
Pandora
Polski Skleb Zubr (deli)
ReStyle (barber)
Savers
TechnoCraft (computing)
White Horse Exotics (pets)

Goodbye to:
Abingdon Shoe Shop
Co-op Bury Street
Hallmark (cards and Thornton’s chocolate)
Mary Brooks (fashion)
Notag (fashions)
Scruffs (children’s shoes) – opened in 2005, and have had a closing down sale this week. But they could be back if sold as going concern.
Sparkle and Dream (children’s costumes and party)
Qutis (clinic)
Upper Reaches (hotel)

Move to new premises:
Valentina (ladies fashion)

Change to similar business in same premises:
Buns in The Basement to Mousehole (cafe)
Philosophy to Idle Wild (hairdresser)

Temporarily Closed in 2015. Likely to re-open in 2016:
Smarts (fish and chips) – major refurbishment
Cottage Imperial (Chinese Restaurant) – if new proprietors found

Opened and Closed in 2015:
Frozen Yogurt

(let me know any mistakes in this annual roundup)

The Ox Pub, on the Oxford Road in Abingdon, became a Tesco Express about four years ago.

Since that time another convenience store, called the Best One, has managed to continue trading two doors away. But in the last few days the Best One has changed to a Bargain Booze.

The December 1st theme for City Daily Photo is Shop Window. The shop keepers in Stert Street, Abingdon, came outside their shop windows to watch the Christmas Extravaganza parade on Saturday.

White Horse Exotics is a new shop selling exotic pets, and everything you need to keep an exotic pet. Masons is one of three Masons in Abingdon – and a very well established business. The Stert Street shop sells wool and upholstery fabrics.

Pandora will be opening in Bury Street next week and have been fitting out the shop, previously used by Valentina – who moved to a larger premises across the way. Pandora are well known for their customisable charm bracelets. Robert Gatwood on the Market Place also stocks Pandora jewelery.

Nearby, the shop at the Market Place end of Bury Street is being worked on to create the new Wildwood Restaurant.

There was a recent report by the Vale of White Horse District Council saying Empty shops in Abingdon have been cut by half. They say only 4.4 per cent of Abingdon’s shops are empty in 2015 compared with 8.8 per cent in the same survey last year.

One ex-pub on Stert Street is being converted into a shop, and there is a rumour that a well established Abingdon Chemist will be moving there.