Swan Upping Cancelled – Instead Pigeons Up on the County Hall Roof

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The Swan Upping has been cancelled in 2012 because the River Thames is flowing too fast for the swan uppers to row against.

Instead, and this may not please everybody, I have pictures and a video of pigeons up on the County Hall Roof …
Pigeons instead
The pigeon is probably the bird I see most in Abingdon. Up on high precipices or flying round above us all, pigeons thrive where we thrive. They are always up there watching for an opportunity to feed wherever and whenever we drop food.
Pigeons instead
But there is more to pigeons than food. They are intelligent, sociable animals, and they leave a lot of droppings. I have a short video of Two Pigeons Up on the County Hall Roof showing off.

JD Wetherspoon get planning permission in 2012

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JD Wetherspoon Thumbs Up
JD Wetherspoon got planning permission on 28th June to convert the old Post Office into a pub. The last time JD Wetherspoon tried to adapt an Abingdon premises into a pub (where Ask is now), about ten years ago, they met concerted opposition.

This time round 5 letters of objection were received, alongside 14 letters of support. Times have changed.

Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council were in favour of the application so long as any outside heating was environmentally friendly – a condition the Vale District Council thought would be difficult to enforce. They also said the outside area was very small anyway. But good to see the Town Council trying to stand up to all that hot air being wasted
JD Wetherspoon Thumbs Up
It will be interesting to see how Wetherspoons change the original facade. It could look more beautiful.

Abingdon Toy Shop to close

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Toy Shop Closing
In four days time a toy shop in Abingdon is to close. From what I can tell their other four branches, including the one at Didcot, are doing OK. The toy shop opened three years ago but trading conditions cannot be easy with work ongoing in the Abbey Shopping Centre.

Best wishes to them, and hope to see them, or another toy shop, in Abingdon before too long.