F Knight & Son, on Ock Street, have a modern looking building in the 1960s sense of the word modern. Earlier the building was used by Ballards who, if I remember rightly, traded in agricultural and garden machinery, and then changed to Ballards top end of the market car sales.
According to the name scratched into the girders the shop was built by a local builder, J Drew and Son.
Knights is a shops used by tradesmen and the general public for buying tools fixings, electrical, plumbing and decorating supplies.
This is one of my favourite shops in Abingdon and half the town doesn’t seem to know it exists.
It is superb; members of staff are knowledgeable and friendly – however small your intended purchase or enquiry.
Long may they flourish!
I couldn’t agree more – the staff are very helpful especially for DIY novices like me!
Wonderful place and don’t forget to look upstairs. Tremendous range of useful stuff and I’ve suggested to staff on a couple of occasions that they should rename the shop ‘Aladdin’s Cave’. Has it’s own parking.
Wonderful place and don’t forget to look upstairs. Tremendous range of useful stuff and I’ve suggested to staff on a couple of occasions that they should rename the shop ‘Aladdin’s Cave’. Has its own parking.
I must have walked past this shop thousands of time but never been in!
I agree with all the other comments. Don’t forget to take your “Choose Abingdon” card when you go as they are part of this scheme.
Agree heartily with all the above. A worthy successor to Beadle’s – and there’s no higher praise! (Besides they greet me with ‘Hello, young man’ and not many people do that these days!)
Wonderful shop and prices cheaper than the BIG diy shops
If I remember correctly, Ballards also sold cars from that site and used the showroom to display cars at one time. Was always drawn to see what unusual cars were on show in that window (probably early 1980’s) Invariably the cars were on Q plates so not sure of the history of them.
On a related note I recall a high powered Ford Escort colliding with that pillar rear end first, about the same era – the driver lost control leaving the town centre, travelling ‘just over the speed limit!’
I don’t know if its still the case, but I think a Q related to kit cars, but that is pub acquired knowledge so may be totally untrue 🙂
My wife and I have called it ‘The Four Candles” shop for many years for obvious reasons.
Couldn’t agree more, subperb shop and well worth a few extra quid to ahve knowledgeable staff, most of whom are good fun to boot. Excellent range, wood cutting and a wide range of building materials. Knights, Patesserie Pascal along with Hedges Butchers are all good examples of high quality shops off the beaten track. I hope the town continues to support these shops.
So many good independent shops in Abingdon. Long may they stay. Abingdon may need some new blood, but not to become a clone of other towns.
Iain – Q plates were not only used on kit cars, but for cars that were built from parts from a number of different cars or sources so the identity and therefore the age of the original car was unsure. Also used on imported cars where the original details/age of car were not known.
I don’t know what they do now
And don’t forget one of their most valuable features: they deliver to your home AND you can select WHEN! Priceless service all round from Merv, Andy et all.
I love that you can buy the quantity of nails, nuts, bolts etc that you need instead of buying a multipack.
Expensive and overpriced shop. Convenient location for me though.Staff are rude and unfriendly and rarely even acknowledge that you are stood in the queue. I think I must be going to a different shop to the one all the other people who have commented go to though!
I think you must have been James