The Old Anchor Inn reopened this evening after a couple of months of inactivity.

The pub is ideal for passing boats. Tie up the vessel, clamber through the railings, and go in for a drink and a meal.

For the rest of us it is just a lovely location: St Helen’s Wharf in Abingdon.

The hoarding came down earlier in the week and the smartened up ex Post Office is ready when Wetherspoon choose to move in. I can’t see Abingdon among the ‘new pubs opening soon’ on the Wetherspoon website which says “We recruit for our new pubs six to eight weeks before they are due to open. ” So could still be months rather than weeks but we will see.

All quiet in the Anchor since it closed two weeks ago.

There are still posters to say a band are playing tonight, but the bands and quiz nights have all stopped, and all is dark inside. Greene King are advertising for a new operator. “… welcoming applications from experienced operators who have a history of delivering a high standard of food offer.”

Meanwhile at the Brewery Tap the Pie and a Pint Springtime Festival was in full swing today, with twenty beers and twenty ciders in the marquee round the back,

and live bands at the front (think this one is Flex-a-muscle).

The Brewery Tap having recently won the CAMRA Town and Country Pub of the Year for South Oxfordshire.

There is a public exhibition at the Crown and Thistle from Tuesday 26th February until Thursday 7th March from 8am to 8pm. Part of the exhibition shows a timeline of historic events about the old Coaching Inn, with pictures. The line starts in 1605.

There is also an exhibition of proposals for the future. The new owners want to make more of historic features such as fire places and the timbered barn; make other areas lighter and more open; and improve the hotel and restaurant.

At this stage they are proposals and they want comments from local people before submitting the plans.