Modern Hedge Cutting

Hedge Cutting
I was sent some pictures a week or so back by K.R who was not altogether happy with the way that the hedge had been cut at the corner of Twelve Acre Drive and the Road to Radley Village.

It looks like somebody has bulldozed it with a very blunt instrument and the result is it has split and shredded the branches and main trunks of the hedge…. This method of hedge cutting is the worst because it leaves the hedge very vulnerable to disease and weakens the hedge too. It’s a messy job – there are bits of broken wood scattered all over the road around the roundabout and path, and all the grasses, thistles and wildflowers (some of which were very pretty and visited by bees) all around have also been indiscriminately mown close to the ground….”

Swan Upping 2013 during a heatwave + pool extra hours

Swan Upping
Thanks to Peter for sending me pictures on July 19th of the swan uppers toasting the Queen under Abingdon Bridge at the end of the Swan Upping (the annual census of swans on the River Thames between Sunbury and Abingdon).

In 2012 Swan Upping was cancelled because the river was running too fast. In 2013, swan fledglings hatched later than usual, after a cold start to the year. However, Swan Upping took place during a heat wave.

Due to that same heatwave, a report on the Friends of the Abingdon Outdoor Pool Website says opening hours were extended on Thursdays and Fridays from 6-8pm to cope with demand. The extension continues through the summer holidays so long as weather allows.

J.D.Wetherspoon and The Narrows

The Narrows
National pub chain J.D.Wetherspoon has a history of exploring a building’s past when it comes up with a name for a new pub. They did not use the previous use ‘Old Post Office’ when naming their new Abingdon pub. Instead the pub chain looked further back into bygone times and called it ‘The Narrows’.
The Narrows
Work began on July 18th and should be ready for opening by October, providing about 40 jobs.

Lorries, delivering building material, are requested not to park outside and make Abingdon’s High Street a new bottleneck. Gaffer taped maps show drivers all the way round the one way system …
The Narrows
to the site entrance in the Market Place Car Park.

New Bakery coming soon

New Bakery
After two weeks away on summer holidays, the first change I noticed on coming home was that the ex Abingdon News plus is getting ready to re-open as a shop selling ‘oven fresh savouries‘ and ‘cakes and treats‘. It has been furnished and painted and awaits a sign.
New Bakery
Good to see that work is also well underway at the Crown and Thistle, following my previous report which was seen as irresponsible in some quarters.

While on holiday I had a very select group of two people following my tweets from ‘Not Abingdon‘ . I have just got my suitcase back after bringing home a suitcase identical to mine. The other suitcase owner made the same mistake when we got back to Oxford in the dark. It was a case of mistaken suitcases.