Monthly Archives: December 2017

Abingdon Town Centre Shop Changes in 2017 (11th annual review)

2017 was not such a good year with more business losses than gains in Abingdon town centre . But then 2 businesses will open early in the new year and are being kitted out

Press on Changes in 2017 for a bigger (pdf) version of the map showing the changes.

Key:
Green is a shop that was vacant at the start of the year which is now occupied.
Yellow means a change of business.
Red is a vacant shop premises that was occupied at the start of the year.

Change in 2007 ( 6 green, 5 yellow, 10 red ) – Net Loss 4
Change in 2008 ( 10 green, 8 yellow, 13 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2009 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Gain 3
Change in 2010 ( 9 green, 6 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 4
Change in 2011 ( 2 green, 8 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Loss 3
Change in 2012 ( 6 green, 1 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 1
Change in 2013 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2014 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2015 ( 6 green, 8 yellow, 6 red ) – Net Change 0
Change in 2016 ( 10 green, 5 yellow, 5 red ) – Net Gain 5
Change in 2017 ( 3 green, 6 yellow, 7 red ) – Net Loss 4

Welcome to:
Annie at the Boathouse
Costa (in front of the Old Gaol – late 2016 but forgot to add to map in 2016)
Delicious Abi
New in 2017
Papa Johns
Sean Antony (second shop)
Willow’s Shakeshop

Goodbye to:
AAH Printer Solutions
Acacia UK – until rebuilt after fire damage
New in 2017
Chinese Kitchen – work to reopen as new business in progress
Dapper Street
Kemp & Kemp
Marie
Patisserie Pascal
Outdoor Traders – work to reopen as new business in progress

Smarts
Valentina
White Horse Exotics

Move to new premises:
Polski Skleb Zubr

Change to similar business in same premises:
Eboni Marni (replaces Velvet Creations)
Helen’s Beauty (replaces Retreet)

(let me know any mistakes in this annual roundup)

Sales

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Sales
The red sale signs are out again in Abingdon shops as we near the end of 2017. The sales appear to be mostly clothing,
Sales
and Christmas stock. I am not sure what happens to Christmas stock that does not get sold.
Sales
This is also a time when travel companies try to get us to book holidays and so there are enticements. Families may find sales deals with free kids places.

Boxing Day Traditions on Abingdon Market Place

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Boxing Day Traditions
On Boxing Day, in days gone by, the Old Berks Hunt would sometimes meet on the Market Place in Abingdon. Nowadays the horses have been replaced by MG Cars, and the ride is around the lanes of Oxfordshire, not Berkshire, to give the cars a winter run.

Before the off there is a chance to look under the covers of the MGs. Combustion engines may have replaced horses but their mechanical power is still measured in horse power.
Boxing Day Traditions
The chrome and paintwork need a good polish, as did the horse brasses.

Before the off there is the chance for people to chat about the idiosyncrasies of their rides, and to have a warming drink from one of the coffee houses that do so well in Abingdon, round the Market Place.
Boxing Day Traditions
Youngsters may recall, in years to come, seeing the Old Boxing Day MG gathering on the Market Place.

Unlike the Old Berks Hunt, where the horses and hounds left in a pack, the MGs leave in ones and twos to follow the Boxing Day route. In 2017 it ended at The Black Horse at Gozzards Ford.

Murder on the Orient Express

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Experience Cinema
The first film, shown to an invited audience at the Unicorn Theatre, was Murder on the Orient Express (2017). The experts behind bringing the cinematic experience to the Unicorn were the Regal Evesham team who were all dressed the part. They even had a couple of monks. The sound and pictures were as good as any cinema. The Abingdon people who helped make this happen were Iain Littlejohn, pictured in the background in this picture,
Experience Cinema
and Friends of Abingdon Civic Society chairman Bryan Brown who gave a speech.

Here are some of the audience who enjoyed this first viewing.