How polluted is the River Ock?

18 Replies


2023 was the worst year on record for stormwater pollution. Stormwater pollution occurs when rain washes pollutants into waterways. These can include litter, chemicals, and raw sewage from overflowing drains. It’s especially bad when treatment plants have insufficient capacity to handle the rainwater.

The Ock area had 747 spillages in 2023, compared to 155 in 2022. Some of those spillages came down the River Ock from places like Wantage(78) and Uffington(86), then went into the River Thames. Others went directly into the River Thames. The Abingdon treatment works had 38 spillages in 2023 and 0 in 2022.

The rivers in the north of England were the worst offenders.

Thanks to Newcomer for pointing out a Guardian article: Englands sewage crisis – How polluted is your local river?. It has a tool for analysing the number of spillages in a year by area. The picture is taken from that tool (all rights reserved).

Modern Comforts, Historic Charm (and occasional chimes)

4 Replies


The hotel at Old Abbey House has been open since October 2023. The notice board was added recently, prompting me to check customer reviews.

Guest reviews highlight the cleanliness of the rooms and the ease of the self-check-in system. Some guests would prefer a more personal touch upon arrival.

The hotel’s location in the historic centre of Abingdon is a major advantage. One reviewer mentioned the church bells ringing for ninety minutes on a Tuesday evening. The bell-ringing practice at St Nicolas Church is every other Tuesday. This Sunday is Easter, and the 8 a.m. church service at St Nicolas Church will have a special bell ringing from 7:30 a.m.

Stert Street Culvert Maintenance in progress

6 Replies


Stert Street was closed overnight to prepare for work on the culvert beneath. Contractors put up barriers and marked spots for new access holes to make it easier to reach the River Stert culvert underneath the footpath. The maintenance work and improvements will continue until May 16th, with another closure that night to remove the barriers. Traffic on the main road will not be affected, but the parking area outside 35-47 Stert Street (near Masons) will be used to store materials for the work.

For more information about this and other roadworks in Abingdon, view: https://one.network/.

Waitrose Memory

2 Replies


I’m back after a couple of days away and missed the Waitrose 30th birthday celebrations when there were balloons.

There is still a board where people can leave their favourite memories.

I remember the Kugel Fountain in the original entrance/exit (now just the exit.) Children and some adults would spin the round stone as it aquaplaned on a film of water.