Press on Changes in 2014 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 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

Welcome to:
Bildio (barber)
Breckon & Breckon (Estate Agent)
Efes (barber)
Ox Vapours (Electronic cigarettes)
Sparkle & Dream (children’s party and clothes)
Valetina (fashion)
Vodafone (mobiles)
William Hill (bookmaker)
Yellow House (English Language Teaching)

Goodbye to:
Abingdon Fashion
Harp (pub)
Hatton Goldsmiths
Honey Pot (flowers) – continue to operate without shop
Local Craft (Pop Up Shop)
OX14 Deli
Redmayne-Bentley Stockbrokers
Something Silver (clocks)
Sweet Chocolate – stocked now by Simon’s News

Move to new premises:
Frend & Co (watches & jewellery)
Belinda’s Jewellery Box

Change to similar business in same premises:
Al Zaib to Majliss
The Lemon Grove to Mezzah House
Badgers to Dapper Street

(let me know any mistakes in this annual roundup)

Cathy’s Sandwich Bar on Ock Street is where Mega Bonus once was. Status Trophies has closed. Audrey’s Flower Shop is now flats.

In the Status Trophies’ window, with the blue screens, is a notice about the shops’s closure from a while back. They are missed by me and I am sure by others.

Our local MP, Nicola Blackwood, happened to be in Simon’s News, in East St Helen Street, when I popped in this afternoon. She was presenting Mr Simon Escreet with a certificate, and champagne, as winner of The 2014 Nicola Blackwood Shop Small Awards. The shop had received the most nominations by local people, and the awards were presented on Small Business Saturday.

Just over the road Nicola presented the Runners Up Award to Patisserie Pascal.

Then back over the road again to present another Runners Up award to Galaxy Techno.

So well done to all three shops in East St Helen Street.

It was Small Business Saturday last week in the U.S.A, and today (Saturday 6th December) is Small Business Saturday in the U.K.

The intention is to raise the profile of local independent stores, who are far more likely to have local suppliers, and benefit the local economy generally.

So a good chance to try out or two new ones today. Be brave and look in a new door.

Abingdon should soon be receiving a national award if the Vale of White Horse survey of local footfall is accurate.

It says that footfall in Abingdon is up a dramatic 44% from 2013 to 2014 (surveys were done during September and October). That is better than Wantage, who recently received an award for their improved town centre. Wantage footfall was up 30%. Faringdon was up 8%. So all Vale towns are doing well against the national average which saw a 0.6% decrease in High Street footfall over the same period.

The Vale report suggests that the dramatic 44% increase in Abingdon footfall could be explained by: the draw of local events and markets, high rates of retailer occupation, the town centre refurbishment, and free parking. Even though none of these factors changed between 2013 and 2014. So the dramatic increase is a mystery.

Read the Report here.