Category Archives: Business

New Optician and Save our NHS campaign

Boots Optician
Boots Opticians opened just over a week ago in Bury Street. That brings the number of opticians in Bury Street to four – so it is quite a centre of excellence.
Save our NHS
Also on Saturday I spotted a group of people on the Market Place with a ‘Save The NHS’ petition. They want:
• To put a stop to privatisation of the NHS
• Make sure it has the funding it needs to provide high-quality healthcare
• Protect it from US health corporations by keeping the NHS out of the TTIP trade deal with America

The petition is also online: www.38degrees.org.uk/nhs.

Sydenhams take over F Knight & Sons

Sydenhams
F Knight & Sons, on Ock Street, have been taken over by Sydenhams, a large family run business with outlets in Wessex – where Sydenhams proudly sponsor the Wessex Football League.
Sydenhams
According to their old website, Fred Knight originally opened as a small electrician’s shop on Marcham Road around 1960, and quickly grew as sons joined the family business. The shop eventually moved to larger premises, before moving to the current location on Ock Street in 2000, where Ballards used to be.
Sydenhams
In the last couple of years Knights have expanded, taking over all the buildings in the yard – that stretch to the River Ock – for the display and storage of timber and other building supplies.

Previously TVE Plant and Tool Hire, and Plastics Direct shared the yard.

More Shop Moves Imminent

Shop Moves
It was a surprise to see, this evening, that there is a Closing Down Sale at The Shoe Shop of Abingdon. This independent shop sells quality shoes and handbags, and there has been a shoe shop on that site for many years.
Shop Moves
The shop unit in Bury Street between Card Factory and Holland and Barrett is being worked upon, as though somebody is about to move in.
Shop Moves
There is also work underway at Coxeter House now that Abode have moved out.

Broad Face – end of another chapter

Broad Face
The lights have been out at the broad face for some days now.
Broad Face
The most recent landlord, who started in June last year, put on a steady stream of interesting music acts, and weekly open mic nights. The poster in the window is from the New Year’s Eve event.

Another chapter in the long and eventful history of the Broad Face pub is over. What next?