The former China Diner on Ock Street, just opposite Domino’s, is to become a Pizza Hut.

Just need a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Abingdon to complete the Fast Food Song …

I think we learned the song when our daughter went to Rainbows at Abingdon Baptist Church, or it could have been from Brownies at Saxton Road Community Centre.

Frend & Co the Jeweller have a notice in the window saying that they are continuing to do work while they look for new premises.

The shutters have been down for nearly a month now, and the landlord has had the premises for sale – with vacant possession – for quite a bit longer. The Carter Jonas website says “The property is situated in the heart of Abingdon Town Centre near the junction of West St Helen Street and High St, adjacent to the Town’s new main Post Office premises and recently redeveloped Co-operative supermarket.

Abingdon is an attractive Thames side market town, which benefits from good road communications via the A34 …”

Frends were one of the first shops to open in the precinct in 1966. The business moved to West St Helen Street in 2007, to where where Glendales used to be.

For now it is sad to see the loss of one of the well established town centre businesses – although they could well be back.

An update on the Jobs Fair this Wednesday (30/07/14) at the Guildhall.

Here’s the final list of exhibitors …

Abingdon and Witney College (training Apprenticeships and Traineeships)
ACE Training (Construction skills)
Army and Reserves
Brook Street (Agency)
Carillion (Catering, cleaning etc. jobs)
Currys PC World (IT and appliance retail)
Dimensions Care
EURES (European Vacancies service)
Marks and Spencer
Meridian Business Support (Agency)
National Careers Service
Oxfordshire County Council Children’s Service
Premier Inn
Recruitment Solutions (Agency)
SOFEA (Work Experience and Traineeships in Logistics / warehousing skills)

The event will be open to the public from 10:00am – 2:00pm, entry is free.

So good luck for all those looking for a job.

Masons are celebrating 75 years as a family run business in Abingdon this year. The family bought the shop at 39 Stert Street in 1939 and initially sold children’s clothes, hosiery, and knitting wool.

That was joined by the shops at 20 Bath Street

and 22 Bath Street in about 1961.

The above adverts from the Abingdon Directory in 1960 and 1973 show that they have always been a shop you will enjoy visiting.

Masons now specialise in knitting wool and upholstery at 39 Stert Street, Fabrics and Haberdashery at 20 Bath Street, and crafts at 22 Bath Street. They also have a fourth shop window on the world wide web.