This evening the workmen have been cutting down the steel framework that held up the old canopies -as rain fell. Today has been another rainy day.
There is one aspect of the Abbey Shopping Centre redevelopment that has met local opposition. After the drenching that fell during the bun throwing notices appeared down along the Abbey Shopping Centre saying …
Wot No Canopy?
Sometimes I wonder if these people have permanent canopies from their front door to their car then from their car to any other destination they may choose. I have a portable canopy called a rain hat but I have also been known to go the whole hog and get my brolly out.
Tonight I enjoyed a canopy-less evening at the Sunningwell Festival under my brolly and it didn’t dent my enthusiasm for the Mamma Mia singalong one bit.
Keep on smiling!
Nice one Rachel.
Thinking about those singers at the river pageant –
I was also at Mama Mia! A pity Backstreeter wasn’t there to photograph the flying gazebos.
The new work should make it feel more like an open pedestrianised street suited for the center of an historic market town, with buildings of different shapes and styles, rather than the horrible bland shopping precinct it has been.
I didn’t realise they were going to demolish some of the shops and rebuild them… I expected just a superficial facade.
If you want a covered precinct, then perhaps Coxeter House could benefit from a revamp.
The canopies also functioned as smoking shelters, so it’ll be less fuggy.
Removing canopies will also improve security (which people wanted) by giving a better view for cctv
These Mama Mia singalong sessions get more outrageous every time. “Flying Gazebos” Was that an ’80s a capella group ?
@Spike – If it wasn’t – it should have been 😉
But it was a great evening – even if they did start by showing the film in reverse!
My husband got absolutely drenched in Abingdon Centre today. He had to go home and change his clothes. The old canopy was very welcome to shelter under. People should take an example from the other shopping centres under cover. I would be more inclined to shop if it was in the dry and warm. The only way that we can have something resembling a cafe society with outdoor tables to sit and chat at is to have it undercover.
I simply do not understand Janet’s comment. With the scaffolding that is up at the moment there is actually more cover than there has ever been in the precinct. So, I don’t know where your husband was today Janet but it couldn’t have been the Abbey Centre
I have to disagree with Janet. I really dislike cafes inside shopping malls where they put the tables outside the unit and try to pretend they are outdoors!
Can anyone remember Abingdon before the Bury Street redevelopment, how much retail space was there? We moved here in 1984 and can recall the cinema site, shops, businesses and pubs along Ock Street. There were also many such in the Vineyard-Red Lion pub, shell garage, coach operator and at least one shop -Roma shoes? The station yard was still there and so was the market and maltings.
I grew up in a historic market town in Wiltshire before it was ‘improved’ in the sixties. However all the former business and civic sites including the much loved cinema were all replaced with retail. The town though a bit shabby now, built its supermarkets on a former gas works and wood yard.
Abingdon by contrast seems to have built housing where the retail and commercial sites once stood. The retail core of the town seems much smaller than it did and has few larger units. Perhaps this is why bigger chains won’t come to the town up till now. Maybe the new bigger units will be successful.
The policy of change of use from commercial to housing should be rethought. Yes I know we need housing but shops should be part of the plan too as a town grows.
I think they meant to write “wot no canapés” due to too many buns being thrown?
Good riddance to those dank ugly canopies and the shabby pillars that held them up. Truly the spawn of a generation of architects who should be taken out and shot in front of their families for the construction atrocities of 1960s. However of course now the nicotine stained old biddies in their mobility chariots will be able to pelt at full speed up & down the the precinct without risk of slamming into non-flesh-and-blood vertical obstacles… ;O)
PS If you want to go outside and not get rained on I hear there is a fantastic new invention called an “umbrella”, I really think they’ll catch on… of course if you have the mind of a halibut you could always just get wet and then have to go home and change your clothes….ahem.
Shell Suit – I remember before the Bury Street precinct was there. There was a beautiful Corn Exchange, fire station and Victorian school building. Not to mention the lovely Queen’s Hotel on the market place.
How wicked it was to demolish them.
My goodness Pete you are full of human kindness! And I thought that Abingdon was full of kind and friendly people?!!
Thank goodness they have gone. Would I trade the occaisional use of a brolley for not having an embarrassing outdated town centre? It’s a no-brainer.
Well, the precinct was considerably brightened up today by the presence of a fantastic accordionist. When he started to play an authentic Argentine Tango (an obscure piece of music at that) I would have been tempted to dance…..alas no Antonio Banderas in sight! On a more serious note …he was very good and cheered the place up.
The rain will be nothing once it starts to snow during winter the area will turn into a skating rink. It was bad with a part canopy what will it be like without ant
Ytong to keep te snow out!!!
seriously, people need to get a life. Coat + Brolly = DRY.Doh!
Ellen, really. You should know by now that going ‘off message’ will bring Abingdon’s own Alistair Campbell and his little minions down upon you. Only on message comments allowed! Now where’s my brolly?
I think its only those steel framed canopies that are being removed. The brickwork corridors (held up by pillars), is to remain at either end.
The demolished units are being replaced with larger 2 storey units. (longer at the back taking up some of the parking spaces). Still not confirmed who is moving into them.
as a result rumours abound, Tesco? John lewis??.
I wonder if the planning will allow those canvas shop canopies, or fit those mega huge umbrellas in the centre ?.
So what is the difference rain is liquid, snow is rain that has iced up. Greetings from Australia – I miss my trips to Abingdon.
Sorry but the term “fantastic accordionist” is surely a typo, these evil marauders should stick to the cod ceillidh bands where they belong. Failing that they should be rounded up along with the equally dreadful pan pipes players (truly the work of the cloven-hoofed one himself) and shot in front of their families or failing that publicly flogged to their ends on farmers market day as a light diversion.
Pete – are you really a Mr J Clarkson???
Clarkson ?…. I have no truck with his trendy liberal leanings… ;O)