Play areas to begin re-opening in the Vale

Reopening
The Vale of White Horse District Council have announced a phased re-opening of their play areas beginning on Monday 6th July.
Reopening
Safety checks will need to be carried out to make sure equipment is safe for people to use, after being unused for over three months. The first play area to re-open will be at Abbey Meadow in Abingdon, followed by others across the town.

Visitors will be urged to stay safe by following a few simple instructions which are being introduced to reduce the risk of people transmitting COVID-19. People are asked to:
* wash or sanitise their hands before entering the play area and then again after they leave;
* come back at a quieter time, if the play area is busy;
* follow social distancing.
* The council is also asking that only one adult per child is in the play area at a time.

If anyone notices any issues with a Vale play area they are asked to report it by calling 01235 422404 or by emailing parks@southandvale.gov.uk. To report anti-social behaviour – call 101.
Reopening
About half the play parks in Abingdon are run by the Vale and half by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council. Their re-opening will be managed separately.

Abingdon Hair, Pub and Restaurant Economy reopens

Reopening
Barbers in Abingdon town centre re-opened today and there were queues outside some, and sanitiser inside.
Reopening
Most restaurants re-opened and many had a busy evening as people could eat out for the first time in over three months. They had social distancing signs and tables kept further apart than before.
Reopening
Pubs also reopened with social distancing measures and signs. Social distancing became more difficult after a couple of drinks.

Taxis were queueing in the hope that the Abingdon night economy was open again.

New Barber + Old News

New Barber
A new barber is to open at the corner of Lombard Street and West St Helen Street.
New Barber
Newspapers from April 1st 2020 are still in the window. I thought nobody did April fools this year, but there is a Daily Mail picture of Prince Harry with a trolley load of toilet paper. Old news included:

Tough measures to clamp down on hoarders

Corona stops play: Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, Wimbledon’s off… 

No mass, family lunch or egg hunts… How the coronavirus finished off Easter celebrations for the first time in 2,000 years

Like so many medics I’m stuck at home with just a cough. This is madness: Dr MAX PEMBERTON blasts Government over lack of coronavirus testing for NHS workers.

Acacia UK reopens charity shop in Abingdon

Acacia UK
The Acacia UK charity shop in Bath Street reopened today. The shop has been closed after fire damage in September 2017 and subsequent delays in its restoration. The reopening was further delayed because of the Coronavirus lockdown.
Acacia UK
This is the third Charity Shop to open in Abingdon since the lockdown. A perspex screen has been installed to shield volunteers serving customers. A notice on the doors asks for a maximum of eight customers at any one time.

There are three Acacia shops, the other two are in Faringdon and Grove. They raise money to support children of differing mental and physical abilities in Kenya and Uganda to enjoy a high quality education. The charity has worked with children in Africa since 1995 – the original name being Action for People in Conflict.