Twin town Lucca is in emergency isolation, like the rest of Italy, until 3rd April at least, because of the Coronavirus. Council offices are operating but not open to the public. The Mayor has had the virus (or at least that is how google translate renders Vista la positività del sindaco ai test sul Coronavirus … The famous medieval walls are closed to avoid gatherings. To go to work or move for health reasons a self-certificate is needed to be presented to officials overseeing the emergency. There is an absolute ban on movement for those under quarantine or who have tested positive for coronavirus.

If everything returns to relative normality by the end of June then the 23rd summer festival in Lucca will be headlined by Paul McCartney. This event looks very big. Bob Dylan performed in the first Summer concert in 1998, and The Rolling Stones in 2017.

Lucca is a bigger place than Abingdon. The town twinning with Lucca happened because of Mr John Jones. He wrote a history of the City in Italian and English.

As an officer in the Royal Artillery Mr Jones served in Italy in World War II, and took part in the liberation of Lucca in 1944. He loved the City and returned many times and became an unofficial ambassador, and an honorary citizen of the City. Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca and Mr Jones loved his Operas. His early attempts to speak Italian, in a not very comprehensible but very charming way, made him many friends.

In Abingdon he became a well known local politician. He was Mayor of Abingdon in 1966, and Chairman of the Vale of White Horse in 1989, and became a Freeman of the town of Abingdon. In 1986 he was given the O.B.E by her Majesty the Queen.

He organised the twinning with Lucca in 1972. He was also honoured in twin town Colmar, in France, and Schongau, in Germany, for furthering European understanding.