Traffic Changes This Week at Lodge Hill Junction

1 Reply

Drivers heading in and out of north Abingdon will see some changes this week as work around the Lodge Hill junction continues.

The Lodge Hill junction slip roads (and the short stretch of the A4183 between them) will be closed overnight on Wednesday 10 December from 8 pm to 6 am (Online information). Diversions will be in place, and advance warning signs have been put up .

From Thursday 11 December, the south-bound off-slip at Lodge Hill will remain open but with only one lane available while construction works continue. There will also be temporary traffic lights which will remain green until construction traffic needs to move. This will allow the southbound off slip realignment to take place.

More information at https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-travel/roadworks/major-current-roadworks/a34-lodge-hill-interchange.

Scaffolding Comes Down at 3 West St Helen Street

The scaffolding at 3 West St Helen Street has finally come down. It first went up in October 2024 when the building was found to be dangerous. There followed a long wait before work could begin to demolish and rebuild the end wall.

That reconstruction is now complete, and while the fencing and the blue site box remain for the moment, they should soon be removed, bringing to an end more than a year of disruption.

Before its closure, the ground floor was used by Pappy’s Afro-Caribbean Cuisine, which had only been open there for nine months. Three residents also lived in the flats above. Around twenty years ago the building housed Glendales, an electrical goods shop. We will now have to wait and see whether Pappy’s returns.

Here is how the building looked three weeks ago, as work on the wall neared completion:

Poppy Appeal Donations Rise £6,660 in Abingdon

Donations to this year’s Poppy Appeal in Abingdon have risen by 16%, reaching £47,911.25 with more still to come.

Clare Oldfield, Abingdon Poppy Appeal Organiser, said: “At a time when people are feeling the pinch, these figures are incredible – heartbreaking and humbling. They demonstrate the generosity of townspeople and show just how much the Poppy means to them.”

Royal British Legion Branch chairman Michael Barrett added that it had been “an amazing year”, praising the dedicated team of collectors and the town’s strong support.

Tesco Extra raised over £14,000, Waitrose £10,000, and the town’s sole house-to-house collector brought in more than £1,000. Abingdon pubs contributed £471, and local schools added £3,904. Nearby villages also made significant contributions.

This year’s appeal also featured a vintage military jeep, a rare 1945 ambulance, and the first Poppy Ball at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Anyone wishing to join the Poppy Appeal team can email abingdonpoppies@gmail.com

Mayor’s Christmas Party for residents

The Mayor’s annual Christmas Party for Abingdon residents took place at the Hilton Garden Inn and was enjoyed by many. Here are two guests heading home with their raffle prizes and goody bags.

Former Mayor Duncan Brown (pictured) acted as compere. The Mayor, Cllr Rawda Jehanli,(pictured), Deputy Mayor, and several town councillors were on hand to help throughout the afternoon.

Entertainment was provided by a choir from John Mason School and performing arts students from Abingdon & Witney College, both of whom also took part in the Extravaganza at the weekend. There was good food, and the Hilton Garden Inn generously provided the room for the occasion. The party was for residents over a certain age.