People who have lived in Abingdon more than a couple of years may well remember Salinas, a Lebanese Restaurant that used to be next to Skinny Hippo.
Mr Salinas, whatever his real name, also runs a more informal restaurant in Didcot, on Broad Street, called Salinas 2.
It looks like he he is coming back again to Abingdon, with a more informal looking Cafe / Bar where the Abingdon Flower Shop once was on Bath Street.
Most of the decorating has already been done. The front is painted Salinas-brown. It will be opening soon.
This is a very brave move indeed this street has terrible footfall probably the worst in town .They will also have to compete with weatherspoons opening round the corner plus the other 114 other coffee shops in town . The traffic was awful in Abingdon Saturday down ock street all round vine yard this was all the Abingdon people getting out of town to shop elsewhere . I must say it is nice to see the unit open rather than closed i wish the owners all the best .
Ive just moved to Abingdon and was dismayed at the number of empty shops. I will definitely be going to Salinas as I love Lebanese food.Great news!!!
The Lebanese flatbreads at the old salinas were wonderful – can certainly recommend them.
At least some traders are more positive than some townspeople. ….BTW anyone driving round Ock St/Vineyard through town cannot possibly be “getting out of town to shop elsewhere” unless they have absolutely no sense of direction… mind you I never tire of wondering at the utter muppets sitting static the queues rather than using the entirely empty 40mph ring road ??!?
I doubt that the average Weatherspoon customer is interested in a Lebanese Restaurant, so they are hardly competing.
More good news for Abingdon, and good luck Salinas
Well I walked past today and saw that they were open – on a kind of pre-run to test out the machines etc.
I was tempted to go in and try Coffee and Baklava. It was absolutely lovely!!! The cafe decor is very welcoming and smart inside. Everyone should go and encourage this new venture – we have too many businesses closing through lack of support from the townspeople.
The food in the old Salinas was lovely – good to see them back.
I agree that Bath Street has been looking a bit neglected recently but this should help – there is quite a nice little clutch of businesses at that end of the street now – hopefully they will attract more.
Re Moody man’s comments, I drove into town on Saturday – car parks by the Vale were full and I had to go right to the top of the multi-storey!
Hester i am sure poundland was very grateful as that is all you see people carrying is poundland bags .
Moody Man, maybe you would be a happy man if you p**sed off and lived somewhere else. You obviously arent a fan off Abingdon! Also try looking at things from a more possitive angle. That should help your mood problem.
Oh moody man, restaurants, pubs and cafe’s are the best thing about Abingdon, we wouldn’t have so many if the town couldn’t support them.
Look how well the kings, tap and nags do.
pizza express and ask are always busy enough and the new spoons will just bring more people into town of an evening.
the reason most people in Abingdon only have poundland bags is because there is very little else to buy at the moment.
As lovely as it is to support independent shops, there has to be a calling for them,
Just wait till the abbey centre offer new tenants 3 years free, we will get some big names in and the town will boom…..for a while anyway
Abingdon is on the up, stop being so negative and get with it!
Most of the traffic problem on Saturday was caused by large numbers of people going to model railway exhibition (some sources of directions were sending people through the town). Also, a broken down van in Ock Street, only for about 15 minutes, but, as usual, the slightest problem causes traffic chaos. Until this is sorted, then people are reluctant to drive in to Abingdon to shop.
Welcome back Salinas and all the best for the future . I went to see some local independent shops Saturday . The Honey pot florists & sweet chocolate sweet shop they were very friendly and very helpful and are great assets to the town it was nice to meet you both . I will visit more independents this week and i advice local people to do the same . The more shops we support the more the town will grow and more shops will open again. The opening of Salinas gives Abingdon something else for people to go into town and try so it is a good thing .
James the town is great if you serve food and coffee but for anything else the town does not support . When did you last go and spend money in the sweet shop , fine guitars, Badgers, robert gatward jewelers , friend and co jewelers , skinny hippo Mary brooks Ybuynu,No tag, Pure marie ,eileen, etc etc . I bet you you and your wife if you have one had a coffee looked round new look and m&co and qs went into poundland bought some undersized version of the true item and went home . @Native i bet i have lived here longer than you and i have seen my beautiful town ruined by the over development of houses and the appalling traffic system . We are a market town trying to be a small city .
I was busy handing out leaflets outside costa to advertise my shop . I bet now my shop will be so busy it will need a revolving door lol .
Moody man – take a chill pill and relax a little. Just because you feel negatively about the town doesn’t mean that other people who don’t share your view haven’t got a valid perspective.
Just on a personal note, I for one would take your views more seriously if you had the gumption to post your comments under your own name rather than some anonymous pseudonym.
Iain i forgot that there is only one Iain in this town why have you not put your full name if you have so much gumption for people to reveal themselves . Yeah you put Iain big deal its hardly DNA is it . You lot on here make me laugh you keep saying to me dont feel negative about the town you are the same people moaning about the house planning , the traffic , the flooding , the parking . Do you have a business in town most of you have not ask some local independent shops how great their trade is from the lovely loyal Abingdon people . You can not solve problems if we sweep it under the carpet this town needs something quick or it will be a ghost town .
Iain Littlejohn – contact details freely available via town council.
Yes I do run my own business from Abingdon.
Yes I care about the town, enough to stand for council and try and do something positive. Of course I don’t think everything is perfect, but i dont just moan anonymously – I try and do something constructive, as do many other posters you’ve had a pop at.
iain no wonder you have not got anything negative to say you are a councillor you are hardly going to admit to the poor job your office is doing . You have introduced 2hr free parking big whoop now people rush back to their cars they have coffee have a chat and now its time to rush back . You want people to shop in town make all parking free NOW!
Moody man – I notice you move quickly on from my supposed anonymity and lack of business credentials whilst guarding your own jealously.
I am pleased the vale council have funded two hours free parking, but not being a vale Councilor myself I am unable to comply with your most graciously phrased request.
Iain trust me there is no jealousy at all if that is what you meant to spell . Yeah you have a business in Abingdon but you are hardly retail are you .
Your point being?
… And I meant jealously exactly as I spelled it
no such word
With such jealousy would be better English then
correct thanks i will be able to sleep now
…only point I’ll concede – mr anonymous
it will make no difference if you are anonymous or not you have your name on here is that going to make any difference to the town tomorrow…no . You can not keep sugar coating how bad Abingdon is the houses are overpriced over crowded the shops are struggling and the traffic is terrible and the people in Abingdon are fed up .
Just for the record, I run a retail business in Abingdon and on Saturday we were extremely busy – don’t recognise your ‘driving out of town’ comment Moody Man.
Also for the record, I am constantly amazed by the incredible support of people in the town – and the people who travel *to* Abingdon to support us. Saturday also saw several new people in the shop recently moved into the area – all loved the town, all chose to move here.
Sure, retail is bl**dy tough at the moment and Abingdon has plenty of problems that it needs to overcome. But we operate in a business under more threat than most when it comes to Internet, Amazon, new technologies, etc.
What I will tell you is that *every* market town up and down the country is under incredible pressure, and some will not survive as viable retail centre. My view from my shop is that Abingdon has a lot of people working very hard to transform the town, and address issues not of their own making.
I’m proud to be in Abingdon, and would rather be here than a score of other market towns I could mention. But presumably I am biased too, with a vested interest in talking the town up? Ah well…
Well said Mark
I live in Abingdon and i said it was great to see a shop open . I just think more could be done to help people of Abingdon in business or not in business such as lower rates free parking new signs on a34 etc .
Business rates are set by central government
A34 signage is controlled by highways agency – both Tory and liberal councils have lobbied for change in signage, and continue to do so, but little success so far
The conservative administration of vale has introduced 2 hours free parking already, to much opposition from the opposition. It is not a cheap policy and already represents a significant investment in Abingdon retail businesses.
Life’s not simple moodily man
And before you pick me up on my typing I meant moody
Moody man – you are clearly passionate about the town you live in. Me too.
What shall WE do about it?
I am just a resident, but happy to look into ploughing a furrow….
(Backstreeter, if moody man wants it, please feel free to pass my email address on to him via private message, thanks)..
Oh dear gentlemen, fisticuffs at dawn? I was sad to see the flower shop go as it had been there for years. Yes we seem to have lots of eating establishments. I like dining out so like plenty of variety. When we had a large influx of service personnel apparently there were numerous pubs also. I believe in looking at thing analitically and looking at other successful towns and what draws people in. Wallingford seems to have lots of popular events. They solve the parking and traffic problem by industrial estates offering parking and the town organising a shuttle bus from the estate.
Thank you to everyone for their positive comments so far. We’re very excited to be opening today in Abingdon and look forward to welcoming you all to Salinas soon.
Great news that Michael is bring Salina’s back to Abingdon. Well done Michael. I wish you the best of luck.
Janet, some good ideas here I reckon. The worry though, and no doubt part of the angst, is that similar ideas have been suggested before – but without any joy.
I can think of a number of great initiatives that have been “put out there” but they have never come to anything. Perhaps for good reason? But there’s never any feedback (or follow up); so it seems. In the end frustration sets in as “nothing seems to happen”.
Perhaps the questions are being asked in the wrong place, or in the wrong way….? Unfortunately there seems to be no offical forum for dialogue (or is there)?
Back to the topic in hand – always enjoyed Salinas and am chuffed they’re back; looking forward to eating there again soon!
I dont know if anyone has noticed but we have closed the shop in Abingdon after 4 and a half years – signs were put up last week in the window, Saturday was to be the last day.
The facts are :
We only need to average £65 a day to cover all costs
Average per day since Xmas £30.
We will continue with the online side of the business including selling via FB and supporting local events.
Saturdays have never been a problem and local customers are always so nice, in the weeks since Xmas we have taken £12 some days, and not seen a customer for 3 hrs.
We are currently exploring an option to retain the lease and trade only on Saturdays from the shop to maintain a presence and allow customers to buy bigger qtys and collect online orders.
Maybe it will then pick up in the next 12 months and we can fully open again.
I have tried everything over the last 24 months to provide Abingdon with a shop reminicient of childhood and a fun place to take your own children.
I will post here as soon as i know what we can do, BackStreater maybe a post with a piccy might help our cause.
This will be the last chance to save it.
David and Kristina
Sweet chocolate – that’s a real shame…I hope things continue to go well for you online and things pick up for the shop…
I’m just curious (and, off work with a poorly child…a little bored, so please bear with me!), one assumes that “the powers that be” and/or “interested parties” are doing all they can to help the town, promote the positives and address the negatives; with that in mind, have you, will you, do you, get approached by anyone with regards “an exit interview”? Does anyone ask what you think may help/have helped?
I know it isn’t game-over for you, but I would have thought that your opinions on the town/trade/being a retailer would be a source of massively valuable feedback for anyone who is looking to address any of the issues that affect the town.
Choose Abingdon, CoC, Councils….? Is anyone interested in the factors that may have led to your decision to close the shop? Or, perhaps you don’t think it would be useful?
That’s a very constructive suggestion Daniel. I think the choose Abingdon manager does this sort of thing informally but formalising it might be a good idea. I’ll raise at choose Abingdon board later this month (26th) for you.
David & Kristina – sorry to hear you’re not able to continue. We’ve always enjoyed coming to your shop and my daughter Emma will be sad to hear you’ve closed. I hope you can make Saturday’s work.
Michael – delighted you’re back in Abingdon. Salinas was our favourite restaurant in the town and we’ve popped in to the Didcot one a few times. We’ll be in to see you soon.
Mark – yours is one of the shops I’m always confident to recommend and will happily keep doing so.
Daniel – good idea.
And on this issue I agree fully with Iain. I’m all for constructive criticism, and often provide my own, but Moody Man’s comments are just so negative about everything that they carry no credibility at all.
So sorry to see Sweet Chocolate close. I did enjoy my visits – you were the only shop in Abingdon I ever bought sweets – but I don’t really buy many sweets, so I am afraid that didn’t contribute much to your profits.
I hope you can continue in some form.
thanks for all your positive messages, will know tomorrow if we will be opening on Saturdays ongoing – fingers crossed.
Daniel , Iain, we have spoken to choose Abingdon and CoC in the past, and participated in most events, such as opening late on Tuesdays in the weeks leading up to Xmas, the first to weeks we saw no customers between 5 – 8pm, and i saw none in any of the shops that took part in Stert Street either.
I have not spoken to either organisation recently – my only gripe would be when its this tough for independents, paying to participate in the choose Abingdon loyaltiy scheme or for local advertising is a no no. One publications rep comes in and asks for £650 to take out an add, more than we have taken some months, so i would say the are out of touch with whats really happening. I have spoken to many of the independents in the last 2 weeks and the message is the same, footfall is down 25 – 30% since xmas and for most people this is more than their profit margin.
Why? simple for me
global recession , people not spending
traffic into Abingdon is never good at weekends
No new anchor shops yet in the precinct, just empty units to look at.
Poundland and tesco – this is a personal one for me, last year we were struggling we brought in a new American range, now tesco and Poundland have started doing the same, and just before xmas, tesco don’t do this anywhere else that im aware of. I like competition and they will never do proper handmade tradditional sweets but this really didn’t help.
This is by no way an Abingdon problem though, visiting MK a few weeks ago, which used to be a full of shops, at least one in every 3 is now vacant… Online is easier, cheaper, and the overheads as 10 times less. to fix this local authorities need to better support and encourage independents. Offer to cover rent for a year, if its a success pay it back interest free?
The overiding issue though is footfall = no sales = cant cover costs.
Hope this is constructive enough!!!
Neil, tell Emma IF we cant sort Saturdays she will be able to order her fav sweets via our FB page. hopefully this will soften the blow. Sorry
i’ve always thought a big problem for abingdon is that the shops are so spread out – probably a side effect of being in traditional streets rather than a single undercover centre.
if i go to the town centre i don’t tend to venture out of the main bit.
Another shop closing do you get the idea now all you people who keep saying be positive how the hell can you be positive if your shop is taking £12 per day . Why don’t you speak to the people in the independent shops they will tell you the truth about how good it is not the people on here guessing i have spoken to them and i do not work for the council as i am just concerned . the shops traders have the facts and accounts . The shops employ local staff who get wages to spend in other shops can you see the picture . NO shops No WORK
I met Dave And Kristina Saturday they are lovely people and it is a shame for them to close . I agree with them why not offer Independents free rent for a year before you offer it to the big retailers who are worth millions we want to work in our town and serve our local people big retailers could not care less . The independents are here TODAY we are serving the community TODAY and giving them reasons to come to the town . We will gladly take one of the big units tomorrow if it is free . We was not offered any discount rent or rates .
we have managed to sort out a deal to open on Saturdays, please let anyone know , we really want to make this work , more details on our FB page
oh and one more thing the photographers down west st Helens is closing end of this month too . Dont forget to stay positive everyone .
@Sweet chocolate Thats great news i hope you get busy enough so you can fully open again . Please feel free to advertise in our shop all the best .
thanks Grant, will pop in and see you soon.
Michel Llamas is the proprietor and He is a local Abingdon man. I wish him well here. His cafe in Didcot serves great food and his coffee is exceptional.
Such good news that Sweet Chocolate will open on Saturday. My Children would have been devestated if it had shut permanently. we will re-double our efforts to spend money with you, but everyone is feeling the pinch and this is putting pressures on spending. My wife and I have just discussed this and no more money spent at Poundland on Haribo.
I would like to see Choose Abingdon at more local School fetes and fairs. I can’t see any issue with them attending and promoting the town and we need to get more parents and families involved and thinking about how best to support the town centre.
We try and support local as best we can, often choosing to buy in abingdon over online where possible.
Is there a way that vouchers could be given out in store to support others I.e. free coffee in x if you buy something in y. We do have the abingdon card thing but that rewards repeated spending where as we need to get them in the door in the first place.
Advertising all the shops available in town in a magazine with vouchers would be a better idea but too costly for most. But it’s a way to show off what abingdon has that others believe it hasn’t. For instance I’m sure a lot will be popping to millets to spend the voucher from the magazine that just came through the door.
There is a new Thai restaurant opening too in town
Our business is a service, not a shop and the best thing people can do to help us is talk about us to other people.
I have a couple of ideas which I’ve been kicking around with the Chamber but have had a lukewarm response to so far.
One is a Talk about me Tuesday. One business is designated for each Tuesday and all the other businesses talk about the designated business to all their customers that day. You’d have an A4 sign in your window telling people whose Tuesday it is and it could be something as simple as adding it at the bottom of your emails or telling people about what this business does when you serve them. Like for example, “Did you know that Lewis Baker sell silicone bakeware?” or “Masons sell all manner of beads which little girls love.” It would only take a few seconds to mention someone’s business and it could become a Tuesday ‘Thing’ where people start to ask you whose business it is this week and have a laugh about it as every shop they go into will tell them something fun about it!
The other is a buddying of similar shops – perhaps with discounts as The Strolling Mum says. If people come to your shop asking for X but you don’t sell it, you can recommend Y who do. Similarly they would recommend you for things that you sell that they don’t. Tokens or slips of paper with the shop address could be given for the buyer to take to the buddied shop and whoever gives out the most tokens each month could get a surprise gift or treat.
Neither of these things cost any money but do need a lot of people on board and a bit of co-ordination. I can do the co-ordination but does anyone want to do either or both these things or have a way to improve them that won’t cost money?!
all sounds good, would also be good if people on here identified which business they own / run so we can put names to faces…
We need a forum for the shop owners, this has started a really good debate!
thanks for your support Nick R
just a thought, a facebook page would be good for abingdon independents, with all shop owners able to post offers, vouchers, stuff about promotions and what they are doing? good idea? im happy to set it all up.
A couple of thoughts.
First of all, taxpayer funded parking was supposed to greatly increase footfall in our shops. From what has been said here, ir does not seem to be working. Given the level of public funding, is there any monitoring of its effectiveness? If it is not working, then perhaps the money could be better used in other ways to promote local business / trading?
Secondly, it seems to me that the retail environment has changed a lot over the last couple of years, but rents and business rates seem to be based on outdated expectations of the income of shops.
Put simply, shops are not earning as much as they were ten years ago, so councils and landowners ought to reduce their expectation of income per shop, if they want retaillers to survive. This does not seem to be happening.
How about producing a local independent shop map of the town centre. I know a lot of people who do come to the town don’t realise what’s there. It could be updated regularly perhaps with theme’s and shopping idea’s, for example spring/Easter shops could provide images/info on what they sell for that season.
It could even be linked in with local attractions and history, I know that we don’t promote them as much as we should and Abingdon is such an historic town, not just a 1960’s shopping precinct.
DavidofAbingdon
The thing with commercial rents in general is that the beneficiaries are pension funds. The whole of the Bury Street/Abbey whatever is owned by Scottish Widows and everyone knows who they are and what they do.
The tricky thing is that there are a lot of pensioners relying on pension payouts from these companies and that number of pensioners is growing, not shrinking. This makes the pulls towards increasing rents bigger than the pulls towards reducing rents to lessee.
If a building isn’t owned by a pension fund or similar it is often owned directly by an individual or by a trust who are more often than not baby boomers as well.
It’s the boomers who whinge about things not being as good as they think they should be but it is also that generation who are benefiting most from rents and therefore good pensions.
Those of us still under 40 are struggling and we don’t have a big comfy cushion to look forward to.
I am speaking generally, of course, as I don’t really want to get into a tit for tat of who is the poorest or whatever but I think you get my point.
David Willett’s book The Pinch is fascinating if this kind of thinking interests you.
@Debbie I had the same thought last night too. Powers that be is it possible to get a notice board in a more prominent location with a map of shops. Backstreeter does a fab job with his yearly comings and goings map too something similar to that.
@Rachael taking your idea a step further an A4 size advert board at tills showing off local shops. Could be updated monthly.
Who is behind the new we love abingdon twitter account? Was great to see chamber doing a bit of promo work last night on twitter but more is needed
Does anyone want to get together one day next week to talk about how to get some of these ideas moving? Perhaps we could meet in the Library round their big table during the day or in the pub one evening?
Rachel – the other one- I would be happy to meet. Please can you ask Backstreeter to put us in direct touch?
Good and positive ideas appearing on here (unlike boring moody man). But they need to be co-ordinated. How many independents on here belong to Chamber of Commerce, who are working hard for the town? As a shopper they’ve encouraged me into the town on a number of occasions.
take my comments as positive criticism as now people are starting to get together to change things . I have said we can not keep pretending things are ok when they are clearly not . I am looking forward to seeing what you guys on here do to help these businesses all the best from me slightly less moody man
Very interesting comments. Clearly there are very many positive, motivated, risk takers,( yes running your own business is a risky option), out there and it would be a real shame if this discussion doesn’t catalyse a concerted effort to add to the good work already being done to make Abingdon a more attractive shopping venue. Two things I’d like to add, there are businesses other than independent shops to consider and there are other shopping destinations other than those in the town centre; these should not be overlooked. This may not be a welcome suggestion but I will make it anyway. We have a Chamber of Commerce and Abingdon Business Alliance (we belong to the latter); I think the two should get together and benefit from the shared energy which is presently dissipated across two groups. For clarity Linda, Paul and I run Saturn Fitness and Wellness and Therapy Centre at Peachcroft Shopping Centre.
No one is saying things are ok oh King Moody, we are just saying they aren’t as bad as you make out.
This year all the new flats at the old gaol should be filled, thats a few hundred new people all within walking distance of the town centre, no cars, no need for the free parking, no issues with traffic (appart from the extra they may cause when they want to go else where)
There will be new shops in the new units (it may just be a second poundland, maybe a iceland if we are lucky)
The crown and thistle is going to have a mulit million pound refurb, that with the old gaol the broad face, the nags and the kings will create a restaurant quarter.
The town looks good, a lot of the independents will survive, sadly a few won’t unfortunately its the world we live in at the moment
We will be on Abingdon Market Place this Saturday from 10-2 if anyone would like to come forward & meet us.
@Rachel (post 61). I am no economist, but if high rents and rates is what is forcing retail businesses to close at the rate of one shop every hour (source: Telegraph, 18 Feb) then I would rather get a reduced return from occupied units than no return from vacant units.
David of Abingdon I agree with you however as i discovered the government now charge the landlord for rates even if it empty . The Landlord who owns our shop was paying £6500 for a empty unit this is why the Rates people do not care if it is open or shut .
David of Abingdon: a quick Google search reveals all manor of answers to your query – and a fair few suggestions to help (but surely those positive words are being heeded as we speak, by those who know what to do with them…aren’t they)?
Anyway, one interesting point I read was that many high street properties are owned by property companies. If they reduce the rent they reduce the capital value which affects their balance sheets and share price.
Scottish Widows for example only needs to have “70%” of the precinct let inorder for them to meet ‘target’. And, as we are now told and taught (from school onwards)…why do more than you have to?
How about producing a local independent shop map of the town centre.
A great idea and one which a local school/students should take on-board as an Art project
James, re 68, remember the town centre should be for all Abingdon residents, not just the few who live in the inner village. Maybe you’ve given the game away! Are you turning the clock back, Tories/merchants/ establishment in the centre and the Whigs/workers not welcome?
Daniel what you said is true our shop is owned by a trust it is impossible for the landlord to lower the rent . For example if you have a £300,000 house for sale and the buyer wants it for buy to let if the mortgage is £2000 per month but the house will only rent for £1000 a month it is not business viable and it would never sell . This is what is happening with many shops and tenants the landlords would love to help but they simply cant .
we will be open this saturday , and will have to make the rent this week to survive and decide if we continue…
Well done sweet chocolate – Maybe moody man will pop in for some sour drops?
Re James (68)
I had heard that only 50% of the old goal had been sold and that they were struggling to sell any more now that the best ones had been taken, also there is no interest in the Resturants in the complex, are you in the Knowledge or just hoping?
Iceland in town would be good idea though
@ Rachel #55
(“I have a couple of ideas which I’ve been kicking around with the Chamber but have had a lukewarm response to so far.” )
just curious, why do you think good ideas only get lukewarm receptions?
Also related i guess to posts #34 and 37?
WHat is the relationship between good ideas and positive action (or lack there of)? What or where is the “ideas forum”, what’s the mechanism in place to hear, listen, process and produce an outcome (or explain why not)? Where does the record of such initiatives reside so that shortcomings can be re-dressed and obstacles to good yet failed initiative overcome?
I’m happy to discuss off blog if prefered.
The council(s), the CoC, Choose Abingdon, Abingdon Business Alliance – is there anyone else out there representing anyone else? Just a quick skim read over this thread it seems like there are lots of groups seemingly trying to give their “members” what they think they need. Are any of them giving them what they actually want?
So what happens now?
Daniel
My gut says that although I have a business, I don’t have a shop so I am not someone whose ideas should be considered. Also, I am a bit bouncy, happy and not very deferential so that doesn’t help!
I am at a loss as to how to move forward really as the ABA and the Chamber are forever split due to personality clashes; the town council has good members but is gripped by forces beyond the control of the mere resident and there is no overarching organisation or person holding all of this together and holding people accountable to each other. Choose Abingdon should fulfill this role but in reality it appears to be a huge data collecting giant which does not yet know how to use these data for anyone’s benefit.
My email is: elf in the garden @ yahoo.co.uk (without the spaces) if anyone wants to contact me directly.
Rachel, I am merely a resident and my thoughts or ideas come even further down the food chain than yours!
Having said that, yours (mine and indeed anyone’s) ideas should be considered, which is the very nub oh my gripe/issue/concern, and in my view is why for all the good that does happen in town…it could be so much more.
I’ll drop you a line soon…see if we can forge a way forwards. I’m not particularly bouncy, or happy…but you never know, perhaps meeting in the middle will prove useful!
guys im happy to participate in any ideas , you have my email, Daniel / Rachel…
i do agree though many organisations representing trade in Abingdon, but all with there own agenda…
we will be open again this Saturday 16th march…
Rachel & Daniel,
Although I am not a business, this is only my opinion on the business groups in Abingdon. They look to me to be like any other volunteer group (to which I am part of a few in Abingdon) there seem to be a lot of people with very good ideas, then once it is agreed to take the idea forward, those people who have suggested it are suddenly busy or unavailable, so it falls to the same few people from whichever group to action it. Then when it doesn’t get done, those people with the idea start shouting about how good it would have been & how nobody listenes to them. We need more people in Abingdon to stick with it & actually do something.
Peter, I am also not a business. The oly interest I have in Abingdon is that it’s where I have chosen to live and raise a family.
Compared to growing up in South London, this place is truly wonderful. Everyone thinks things can be better – I have sat in my armchair and ranted with the best of them, and I think that you are spot on.
Even in my few yers here I’ve seen some f the same issues ome up over and over, without resolution. I am certain that some more seasoned Abingdonians may scoff at my naievity….but having sat in stunned exasperation on many occasions I feel prepared to try and do something about it – although I don’t know what, or even if I can. But, if nothing else I hope to at least find out what obstacles are in the way, to see first hand that the slow cogs of change do indeed turn slowly, or that it’s truly fruitless to even attempt anything.
For my own sake, and for those around me, it’s time I put up or shut up….
Peter,
The trouble I have is getting anyone to agree to take any ideas forward! I think I lack the gravitas……
Daniel, Rachel et al. I am happy to meet up with a few of you next Monday or Tuesday evening – venue to depend on how many are interested. I am not going to publish my e-mail address on here but I am not difficult to track down. If you would like to meet up, get in touch..
I can’t promise to bring a magic wand but might be able to help with some suggestions as to how you can take your positive idas forward.
Abingdon is a great town. Like most places, it needs a little work, but there are a lot worse places to live. People need to get behind local businesses, and Salinas is a great cafe. Family friendly and reasonably priced. the food is good and you can get an actual cooked breakfast, which is a rare thing in Abingdon!