Almost ten years ago this blog reported, in July 2006, that the price of petrol was at a high of 99.9p a litre. Back then it was on an upward trend about to go above £1.00 for the first time. Ten years on and the price is back down at 99.9p a litre again at Tesco .

Over the road at Fairacres Trading Estate the Homebase chain have been sold to Westfarmers, an Australia’s hardware chain that runs Bunnings Warehouses. Homebase store will be rebranded with the Bunnings name in three to five years time.

On Saturday there was an opening event at Pandora. They really opened at the busy time before Christmas.

So they waited until now to have such a launch event. The Pandora Abingdon Facebook page has more.

Below Abingdon Bridge there is a little bit of flooding over by the Abingdon Vale Cricket Pitch, but nothing like last winter.

During the winter months, on Abingdon Bridge, work is underway on the roof of the Nags Head pub, and nearby at ,the Abingdon Boat Centre, work is happening on the ex-chandlery shop that will open as a Riverside Cafe in the Spring, with the Chandlery moving to the smaller building alongside.

Unit 1 of the Old Gaol restaurants has been let. If Captainkaos’s rumour is correct, then it will become Koh Abingdon, a Thai restaurant – part of the expanding Koh Thai chain.

No movement at the Upper Reaches yet. This hotel is owned by Caparo Hotels who say on their web site ‘Caparo Hotels is a management and investment company, which currently operates four hotels in Southern and Central England.’ But they show only three.

Information about the Upper Reaches has been removed since last year.

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)