Pandora will be opening in Bury Street next week and have been fitting out the shop, previously used by Valentina – who moved to a larger premises across the way. Pandora are well known for their customisable charm bracelets. Robert Gatwood on the Market Place also stocks Pandora jewelery.
Nearby, the shop at the Market Place end of Bury Street is being worked on to create the new Wildwood Restaurant.
There was a recent report by the Vale of White Horse District Council saying Empty shops in Abingdon have been cut by half. They say only 4.4 per cent of Abingdon’s shops are empty in 2015 compared with 8.8 per cent in the same survey last year.
One ex-pub on Stert Street is being converted into a shop, and there is a rumour that a well established Abingdon Chemist will be moving there.
Hopefully Wilkinsons for the old Co-op premises too
According to planning aps the new Pandora shop is actually owned by Gatewoods which is a very encouraging sign of an already established business further expanding here. I’m at last beginning to see some positive vibes about the town, most of the precinct (apart from the far end ) is let, we’re beginning to get se good names here too, if the new BID team can persuade some of our independents to open on Sunday’s then I think that would be a massive step forward? It’s little point them moaning about the lack of footfall if they can’t be bothered to open and provide shoppers with a service !
One thing that infuriates me though ( and I’ve just witnessed it again) are staff working at Abbey House, be they Vale or OCC, parking free all day in the two car parks there by popping out every two hours to get another two hour free ticket ! No wonder these two car parks are always full !
Good news 🙂
Sort the cinema out
Sort the old part of the precinct out
Sort the traffic/parking out
Sorted.
Captain, the traffic warden(s) who would no doubt issue us with a ticket if we fed a meter will, I assume, also issue a ticket to these car owners if they are parked in a parking zone beyond the allowed time. Surely?
Otherwise…it’s one rule for us, and another rule for them. And that would never do.
….I assume though that these spaces taken all day by the council are all at the very top, out the way. Not at ground level, or in prime spots?
I can assure you that the staff at OCC do not get free parking!
Sorry not OCC, Abbey House. There are a certain number of paid for parking permits but not enough for everyone, these people have to pay like everyone else.
Also, before everyone suggests that they use the bus, a lot of people who work at Abbey House need their cars to carry out home visits etc.
The failure of the council to secure a decent cinema offer was a major blow. I know my family would have visited it regularly; there is very little entertainment for teenagers in the town. Unfortunately, I think we are going to end up with a projector lashed up in room, rather than a decent operator like Everyman or Picture House who could have run a really, really good offer in the town. Whoever made that decision should take along look at whether they requisite business skills to fulfil that sort of role. We need less enthusiastic amateurs and more professional people involved which is why the BID team is a great initiative.
cool – i didn’t realise that cinema operators were part of the BID. That is good news.
Steve, re the BID I couldn’t agree with you more, trouble is the same old familiar faces are infiltrating it already and no doubt will try and influence it the same way they did Chaps etc and that would be such a shame and would without doubt loose the BID some credibility, the town IS on the turn and we need a large dose of fresh faces along with fresh initiatives, please, not the same old same old reincarnated ?
On another subject has anyone seen Forresters the hairdressers Christmas window? It is absolutely stunning so much so I would urge all to see it
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story……..
Captain K – do you actually know any “fresh faces” who would like to be involved? I would think that the BID team would bite their hands off! Similarly if you know of any people who would like to get involved with the various community-led activities various of us are trying to organise, do please put them in touch either with the relevant community group or with me and I can point them in the right direction.
I don’t know any of the “same old” who wouldn’t welcome some new blood!
Probably Hester because for most of the time for most of the “groups” they have been the preserve of the inner sanctum ‘ fresh faces with fresh ideas have been scorned upon, let’s just hope the BID is different !
Re- double slots of free parking; the machines refuse to play. If you try to book back within the restricted period, the machine will not issue a ticket; so I doubt if anyone is getting away with anything. The machines also “remember” you across car parks.
Some months ago, I parked for free near St Helen’s; I was there for less than 15 minutes. When I returned later to the site near the Council offices, my time had elapsed and I was not issued with another free ticket. So this is first-hand evidence that the system works. Of course, I went across to Waitrose and parked there! To salve my conscience, I bought some fruit …
I still don’t see how the BID is going to solve Abingdon’s real problem..
Traffic…
Now, a monorail on the other hand…
PPJS, it’s the car park directly outside new Abbey house that’s having the two hours free abused, it’s not a registration number recognition scheme, you just press a button and get a ticket and yes staff are not entitled to free parking, but they’re getting it by abusing the system !
Lyle, you too are absolut right to say our biggest problem is the traffic system, but hopefully the BID team will take this on board as one of their prioroties? With every business in town being represented by one, well funded body, they ought to be able to lobby strong enough to be taken notice of ?
Thanks for the clarification, Captain; my experience was based on the system where you punch/stroke in your registration number.
Good point Lyle, you are certainly along the right lines, although it is single track minds that have got us to where we are… Mind you, perhaps now they’ll choo, choo it over before they lose their train of thought.
Captainkaos2 – you are always banging on about independents needing to open on Sundays. Does it not occur to you that independent traders often run their premises themselves and this would mean working 7 days a week. I own a shop in town and unlike many employed people don’t get the luxury of 1 weeks holiday, let alone 2 weeks (apart from over Christmas) and now you think we should work 7 days a week. I don’t think so!
Surely, Lyle, a monorail is more of a Didcot idea?
It ain’t rocket science, all OCC has to do is provide an efficient and safe infrastructure, all the vale and tc has to do is provide a pleasant and workable environment, business will take care of the rest.
Top of my wish list to the BID team is to tackle our huge traffic problem, set up a sub committee to work on that issue, ask, nay, demand OCC trail reverting Stratton way back to one way, remove altogether the bridge St traffic lights, change the priority back so stert St traffic has right of way into high St, also trail the reversing of traffic flow across the iron bridge? Into town in morning, out of town in afternoon/. Evening?
That’s for starters !
Goodness captain….could you imagine…
But first, you’re gonna have to change some road markings, and some signs. And for that we’ll need a contractor, and for that the contractors will need to tender, and before all that we’re going to need a consultant, and…which consultant? As it isn’t anyone’s money it will be the most expensive consultant, and, ideally….they will either a) be totally wrong with their findings and suggestions but with no recourse for being so, or b) they will be entirely right in their findings…
But then…
If they are wrong but we plough on with their suggestions…there’ll be zero accountability for a monumental ball up…
Or
They will be spot on correct with their findings…but if their findings aren’t what The Veil want…they’ll ignore them.
Great ideas…but I can’t see common sense prevailing anytime soon….
But yes…let us hope the BID does lobby for such things. I assume by “lobby”…. we’re just talking about a strongly worded email?
Talking of traffic…
Anyone know what is happening at the Wootton road roundabout starting on Monday 16th ?
There are signs in every direction warning of long delays, so it must be bad.. even if they dont say for how long.
Who knows, maybe they are going to reverse the mess they made last time, and revert it to two lane entrances..
Lyle, according to OCC’s web site Thames Water are doing some work there between the 16th and 18th, it says there will be no road intrution but there will be traffic lights, guess they’re digging up the verges etc?
According to Streetlife there is to be a series of road works starting at the end of November and continuing till spring 2016, all along Copenhagen Drive. This is to allow SE to lay some new cables or something, This will also impact on the Wootton Road too.