Abingdon Christmas Craft Market Braves the Wind

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As the wind blew across the Market Place in Abingdon, the town’s annual Christmas Craft Market weathered the worst and stayed firmly on the ground.

The lights on the Christmas Tree have now been put up properly. Last weekend, they had been put up temporarily because the contractor was in hospital.

A jeweller called Tracey was at the market for the last time. She has been selling at the  Local Excellence Markets for over ten years.

The Abingdon Honey company displayed the award for the most festive stall at last week’s Abingdon Extravaganza. This week, they eased up on the tinsel and baubles.

The next local excellence market will be in March 2024.

Next Saturday, 16th December 2023, from 10 am to 12 pm, there will Christmas Carol singing led my Sally Mears and people from the churches in Abingdon.

Fields to Houses: Abingdon’s continuing Transformation

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One feature of the Kings Gate and Abbey Fields developments is the presence of artificial lakes that alternate between flooding and dryness. One such lake is adjacent to Blyth Park, a residential street that has a waterfront some of the time. The street’s name pays homage to Wing Commander James Blyth, who served as Mayor of Abingdon from 1984-5 and previously was at RAF Abingdon.

Hobby Green had an open view to the north on a previous visit, but now the houses surround it on all sides.

The Abbey Fields development is shielded from the A34 by a fence, intended to mitigate the noise from the busy highway. When the A34 was constructed, traffic levels were significantly lower, and a buffer of fields separated it from the houses in Abingdon. It won’t be long before people are demanding a 50 MPH limit as happens where the A34 is as close to the houses in North Oxford.
The Abbey Fields development has a footpath that goes through the middle. Until recently only the western side of the footpath has been built upon, but now the eastern side has started to be built upon.

Further east, the new development on Twelve Acre Drive was in the news recently, because of silting up of a stream that goes through Abingdon. They Environment Agency are investigating the cause. See https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23965706.environment-agency-investigating-abingdon-waterway-pollution/.

Community Advent Calendar on the Workhouse Estate

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The workhouse estate, built on the site of the Abingdon Union Workhouse, comprises Abbott Road, Theisiger Road and a section of Oxford Road. The day 1 window for the Workhouse Estate Community Advent Calendar is easy to see on Oxford Road in Abingdon.

More windows will appear as we get nearer to Christmas. Day 5 with Paddington Bear was a popular window.

The Advent Windows Campaign, as well as giving pleasure, supports Helen & Douglas House, the hospice. People who enjoy the windows can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/page/workhouse-est-abingdon-1699198961316.

The residents of the Workhouse Estate worked particularly closely together during the 2020 COVID pandemic when they came together to support each other.

Barclays to close Abingdon Branch

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The Barclays branch in the Square, Abingdon, is scheduled to close in February 2024. This closure follows the closure of the town’s other Barclays branch on Marcham Road in January 2020.

The decision to close the branch in the Square is attributed to the availability of alternative banking methods for most customers, with 94% of customers now using online and mobile banking services.

Barclays has stated that only 15 customers regularly rely solely on the Square branch for their banking needs. Additionally, 23% of the branch’s customers have frequented alternative branches within the past year. They say customers can use the Post Office to pay in cash and cheques and withdraw cash.

The Barclays branch in the Square, Abingdon, has existed for over a century. The 1907 Abingdon Directory lists Barclay and Company Limited in The Square, Abingdon.

For more information see https://home.barclays/content/dam/home-barclays/documents/citizenship/Reports-Publications/Reason-for-closure/Reasons-For-Closure-Abingdon-The-Square.pdf.