Having been marketed as the Abbey Shopping Centre for the last few years it appears that the previous name ‘Bury Street’ is now making a come back. The shopping centre was getting spruced up today.
I gather that the bosses will be coming down next week for a launch.
There was the sound of people working inside the little wooded area over the dog walking field near the Tithe Farm Estate in Abingdon.
A group of young people were renewing the BMX track with rakes and spades. The track was not one built by a council but created abut 7 or 8 years ago, using earth tracks and bridges made with earth on wooden pallets.
It was a surprise to find some young people still trying to looked after it after all this time.
The Cabinet of the Vale of White Horse District Council have decided in principle to “the letting of part of the ground floor and the whole of the first and second floors of The Abbey House in Abingdon to Oxfordshire County Council … “
Although at an early stage of negotiations they have also agreed, to the “letting of part of the ground floor to the Citizens Advice Bureau ” who are currently next door in Old Abbey House.
Once both Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council and Citizens Advice have moved out of Old Abbey House the report by district council officers says “it could then be considered for disposal.”
The plan will involve moving the majority of the District Council Staff from Abingdon to Crowmarsh Gifford to share the South Oxfordshire District Councils offices – a 24 minute drive away, or a 47 minute bus ride.
The front desk people who answer questions at the District Council would remain in Abingdon, so the town would not be completely abandoned. They could potentially be joined by similar people from the County Council to create an enhanced front desk.
The leader of the district council Cllr Matthew Barber says “This is an ideal solution to the problem of vacant office space. We are able to join forces with the County Council who are looking for office space in Abingdon.”
Currently the County Council are at Abingdon Business Park and the lease is up in 2014.
The cabinet report on vale accommodation says (paragraph 4) about the vacant office space “ finding occupiers of that space would not be easy and potential savings would not be easy to come by.”
The report concludes “This is a Fantastic Opportunity for the Council.”
The Narrows opened during the second day of the Fair and looked to be doing a roaring trade.
However some things never change in Abingdon. There was Bell Ringing Practice on Tuesday evening at St Nics. At times they were edging it against the pumping volume of the Fairground.
Down West St Helen Street there was Pudding Night at Rosie’s Tea Room. On the menu was: poached pear with chocolate sauce, treacle tart with clotted cream, Eve’s pudding with custard – they were not tempted by candy floss or toffee apples just up the road.
And after a poor start to the season, and what seems to have been a radical change of players to cut costs, Abingdon United got their first league win, a half mile from the fair.
Thanks to Rob for sending some pictures of the Fair which has had two good days this year, and has drawn big crowds.
There were no live gold fish prizes to be won this year, but plenty of cuddly toys.
Easily the most popular creature in 2013 were Minions.