The volatile price of hotel rooms, petrol and diesel

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I looked to see if I could book a room to find out when the new Abingdon (A34) Premier Inn would open. The earliest date I could book was October 6th, and the price was very reasonable. However, the price increased a lot on October 7th.

The Russia-Ukraine war significantly impacted petrol and diesel prices in the UK. In the immediate aftermath of the Russian invasion, prices rose rapidly due to concerns about the global oil supply, peaking in July 2022. They came close to £2 a litre and have since come down.

Supermarkets across the UK cut diesel prices in July 2023, making diesel cheaper than petrol at supermarkets for the first time in a decade.

MG V8 Gathering Celebrates 50th Anniversary

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A variety of original MG V8s, built in Abingdon, and more modern MG RV8s, built at Cowley were displayed on Abingdon Market Place today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the car’s launch.

The MG V8 was produced by MG from 1973 to 1976 and was based on the MGB, but strengthened to hold the larger V8 engine. Only 2,591 MG V8s were produced, making it a rare and collectable car.

For more information see https://www.v8register.net/

Waitrose Willow Pollarding

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Michael says, ‘These willows outside Waitrose had branches overhanging the footpath but isn’t this taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut?’

Pollarding willows in the summer is not as common as in the winter when they are dormant.

Listed in 1971. Demolished in 1979.

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60-64 West St Helen Street was listed in 1971, meaning it was of interest architecturally or historically. See the entry https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1200046?section=official-list-entry.

It was demolished in 1979. Steve, who grew up there, gave me a photograph of the demolition. I live in a part of the new build.

I found a photograph of the building before demolition, taken from a larger photograph in Abingdon Past and Present by Elizabeth Drury and Judy Thomas (All Rights Reserved).

The listed building is described as: One building. Early C19. Rendered. Tile roof. Plinth. Three storeys. Three windows, moulded flush frames, double hung sashes with glazing bars, panel with tabs supports a cornice. The centre window on the first floor and ground floor has tabs missing and the window to the right on the ground floor is irregularly placed and has no panel. Two cellar openings, flat arches. Doorway to Nos 60 and 62 is one composition, with three carved pilasters and a flat hood on brackets. Doorway to No. 64 is similar, but set lower..