Abbey Hall Reopening Delayed Due to Safety Concerns

Abingdon Town Council has announced a delay in the reopening of the Abbey Hall following the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in its roof structure during a survey.

RAAC, a cheap lightweight concrete material used in construction from the 1950s to the 1990s, has been identified as a significant safety risk due to its tendency to deteriorate over time. The material’s limited lifespan and potential for structural failure have led to widespread closures of schools and public buildings across the UK.

The Abbey Cinema closed on October 2nd for the survey and is likely to face delays as experts are brought in to assess what measures are needed to make it safe.

The Abingdon Town Council News Release at https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/news/latest-update-on-the-abbey-hall says they remain committed to prioritising the safety of the public and Abbey Cinema patrons, and will ensure ‘any closure is for as short a period as is reasonably possible.’

The Abbey Cinema says, ‘we are working daily with the council to ensure that the roof problems are fixed for our reopening on 8th November for Paddington 3.’

The discovery of RAAC (and low grade asbestos) will complicate the planned refurbishment of the Abbey Hall, which was scheduled to begin in September 2025. The Council acquired the Guildhall, including the Abbey Hall, from Vale of White Horse District Council in April 2011. Thanks to TV Barrote for the drone image.

Ancient river systems predate A34 at Lodge Hill

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Archaeologists, working on the site of the soon to be updated A34 interchange at Lodge Hill, near Abingdon, have unearthed evidence of an ancient river system dating back half a million years.

Experts from Oxford Archaeology, commissioned by Balfour Beatty, dug trial trenches and test pits to explore the area’s deep past before work on the A34 interchange begins. Discoveries include river sediment from an ancient river system and flint tools that suggest early human presence.

(Thanks to the Oxfordshire County Council news release: https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/early-hominin-evidence-uncovered-at-site-of-a34-lodge-hill-interchange/. Also thanks to Chat GPT API which generated the image when I gave it the story.)

The Runaway Fair – 2024

This Monday the Runaway Fair returned to Abingdon Market Place a week after the main Michaelmas Fair. The Runaway Fair traces its roots back centuries when it followed the main Michaelmas hiring Fair. Originally serving as an opportunity for employees to seek new masters, the fair has evolved into a fair where children can hop aboard a roundabout or eat candy floss.

The Runaway Fair is now confined to the Market Place, a change that occurred in 2022, making the event smaller but eliminating the traffic disruption. The only disruption now is to the Monday Market, which is suspended for two weeks to accommodate both fairs.

This year there was drizzle through the early afternoon and evening and the Runaway Fair ran away soon after 6 pm.

A New Chapter for Abingdon’s Churches

The coming and going of church ministers are significant events for the churches concerned and the wider community.

One such change is the departure of a beloved figure, Reverend Dr. Charles Miller. After serving as Rector of St Helen’s Church for 18 years, Dr Miller will deliver his final sermon on All Saints Day (November 3rd).

Another exciting change is that Revd Georgina Bondzi-Simpson MBE has become the new Minister of All Saints and Trinity churches. At a recent welcome service held at All Saints, Revd Bondzi-Simpson was officially welcomed by church leaders and by the Deputy Mayor of Abingdon, Councillor Rawda Jehanli.