A new Landlord has just taken over The Broad Face. He plans to build the business up again by serving good pub food, well kept beer, and put on live folk and jazz music. But first needs to re-kit the kitchen. The pub is already open, but expect more news in July when he starts promoting what is happening.

The Grapes has also been re-opened looking smarter – thanks to the Landlord, who also runs the Brewery Tap.

Greene King still have a large foothold in Abingdon, with a large distribution centre on the Business Park, and a number of pubs …

but they have been reported as selling off their two – at risk – pubs in Abingdon to Hawthorn Leisure. Hawthorn Leisure is a new rapidly growing pub chain with 275 pubs acquired from Greene King and 88 from another group. They could get even bigger, and they now own The Saxton Arms,

and The Cross Keys. I expect both will continue to sell some Greene King beer as a three year supply agreement has been signed between the two companies.

The Christmas Lights are down, and floods are abating. So what else has been happening. It appears that The Harp, (formerly Plough) on Stert Street, has closed and the Cross Keys has re-opened.

The Harp’s loss is the Cross Keys’ Gain. The Proprietors have moved from one to t’other.

In the latest edition of the Oxfordshire Drinker six pubs were nominated for the best CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) pub in Oxfordshire. Two were in Abingdon.

I hear that the winner is The Nags Head in Abingdon. They are yet to have their 1st Anniversary, when there will be a beer festival (1-3 Nov).

Meanwhile, the Loose Canon brewery have two winning beers (Abingdon Bridge, and Gunners Gold) in the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) competition for the Midland area , and are now through to the national final.

I can’t remember a new pub opening in Abingdon before. But JD Wetherspoon are opening a brand new pub and have chosen to open on a day when the town will be packed – Tuesday 8th October – the second day of Abingdon Street Fair.

Many people passing by have a look in at the new interior – excitement is mounting.

The bar is not where we used to queue to post parcels and get car tax disks. The old sorting office has been opened up, and the building has been transformed into something much bigger.