The footpath is closed between Throwing Buns and the Punchbowl as underground work continues near the new lift shaft. Business goes on as usual at both.
‘Footpath Closed’ and ‘Cyclist Dismount in Car Park’ signs have been added in West St Helen Street Carpark. The cycle route near the Car Park is being used as the work depot while pavement work continues on East and West St Helen Street.
The underground work that is causing the footpath closure is not to do with the lift.. It has to do with sewer pipes that were broken by the workers when digging the lift shaft, months ago. You may have noticed a big yellow tanker sucking up sewage twice a day, for the last 3 months. It is horrendous and a scandal that these pipes have not been fixed yet. The surrounding buildings are having to put up with this shocking slack behaviour by the companies involved.. It’s high time this debarcle was sorted out for the sanity and health of the residents of the area.. Sorry to rant, but it’s gone on too long…..
I quite agree with comment above…this is very difficult for the shops/pub located alongside the museum building works to try and a do good trading business. How many more months will these works take!!??
As someone who walks past this bombsite every day, it just seems to be getting worse and worse. I hope the contractors are on penalty clauses for the cock up they’ve made of it. To call it an eyesore would be a huge understatement. I feel so sorry for the businesses around it. I wonder if they’ll get any rebate on their business rates?
Oh dear, oh dear. Can it really be that bad? I’ve been in the pub, the kids shoe shop and throwing buns and apart from being interested in what was going it didnt have an impact on me and i still spent my cash in all three places. Did anyone complain or ask for compensation when throwing buns was a building site for so long? How about when the whole block was being turned into flats? The county hall is a bigger, older building and the focal point of our town. Isnt it acceptable that the work is taking a while? Yes its unfortunate about the sewer but im sure the workers want to solve the problem as much as anyone else! I shouldnt think they dug it up for fun did they? I guess in the centre of the oldest town in our land theres a few pipes that arent mapped?! Its great to see whats going on around town Backstreeter but isnt it a shame there are so many negative types looking on…
Hi All
I’ve had a chat with the town clerk on this, who in turn has been chasing up the contractors. He has provided the following update on the situation for readers of the blog:
In progressing the completion of the external works at the Abingdon County Hall Museum a damaged sewer pipe dating from the Victorian era and buried six metres below the surface was uncovered.
Once the problem was discovered, the responsible authority, Thames Water, was contacted and has been working towards tracing the problem and resolving it. They are currently on-site and have now constructed a new sewer chamber through which the drainage pipe has been reconnected. Thames Water are now back-filling and making good and these works are expected to be completed by 3rd February.
This remedial work has unfortunately delayed the completion of the Museum, but barring any further unforeseen issues, building works including the external paving should be completed before the end of March.
All those involved with this project understand the concerns of the local community and retailers and are working together to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
It’s not just the properties alongside the building work that are struggling with the work, i have had a chat with Debbie and Pascal and some of the staff at the kings, they have all said that their lunch time trade is massively down since the foot path has been closed, it is appauling that there are no signs saying the shops are all still open!
Instead of putting up “Cyclists Dismount” signs by the car park entrance they would have been better to have put up “Don’t Drive Straight OUT of the Car Park without stopping and looking for bikes or cars passing by”… the number of brain dead fat house fraus who’ve nearly hit me I’ve lost count.
As the owner of Throwing buns I would like to start by saying thank you to those who sympathise with us and the other affected shops. The project, once complete will be excellent for the town, and for us as a business based on the towns tradition of bun throwing. In the short term however, yes it is damaging. Since the sewage pipe problems and Thames Water shutting off the walk way we have suffered a massive drop in takings, as even are most hard core regulars struggle to deal with the noise, smell and disruption. The town council and Ridge construction are listening and working with us, and communtion with Leadbitter is free flowing. It will be worth it when its done (hopefully by March end)