Wild Goose Chase

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In yesterday’s blog I reported that taxis were no longer to be found along East St Helen Street on the basis of a notice on the Market Place. But today at lunchtime when I went to check out my facts I found there were no taxis along Queen Street where they are supposed to be. But you can buy or order local geese and turkeys from the butcher, down that way.

The taxis were still to be found at the top of East St Helen Street, where a similar notice had been put up and subsequently removed. Apologies to anybody who was led on a wild goose chase looking for taxis. The local authority may have agreed this but the taxi drivers have not.

Waitrose are staying open later….

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Waitrose are staying open later. They have been opening earlier for a couple of months now and are now staying open longer.
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This is the view from Queens Street to the Market Place. This narrow passageway is likely to be more used in future as there are taxi halts through there – intended to replace those on East St. Helen Street …
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and so notices saying ‘Taxi Rank This Way‘ and ‘East St. Helen St. Rank has Closed‘ .
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Perhaps cigarette bins have been there for a while but it is the first time I have noticed them on the Market Place. Some places also have chewing gum bins.

Green Gym – renewing a path near us

Christmas in Abingdon
Last time I saw the Green Gym working near us they were wood chipping some of the paths near the River Ock, litter picking, and planting trees. That was back in January. They were there again yesterday renewing a path I use most days.

The wood chip is provided by the town council staff. Everything chopped back in that area will either get left to decay naturally or recycled for paths.
Christmas in Abingdon
The trees planted back in January looked very small to start with. Some are still bunched up inside the protective sheath but others have made it to the next stage.

The Green Gym program can be seen here.

Magazine – Christmas in Abingdon 2011

Christmas in Abingdon
Paul and Mike from the Chamber of Commerce were handing out their new glossy magazine: Christmas in Abingdon 2011. Get a copy at ER Goffs and many other places.

In it I see that coming up to Christmas there are the following Market Place events…

1. Abingdon Extravaganze Evening – Thursday 1st December (from 5pm) – Theme Kings and Queens
2. Abingdon Christmas Craft Fair – Sat 3rd December (10am to 3pm)
3. Reindeer (and Santa) in the the Market Place – Sat 10th December (from 10:30am) – Two hours Free Parking will have started by then
4. Nativity in the Market Place (with donkeys) – Sat 17th December
5. Gift wrapping and  shopping advice service – Sat 24th December

(Text the word Abingdon to 64546 and get these dates direct to your mobile).

By the way, Hester and myself have stopped maintaining abingdondiary.co.uk after two years as we feel there are now better sites available.  Abingdondiary.co.uk will now redirect you to the Choose Abingdon What’s On where you can add your own events. I hope that will happen and it will take off. Also very good, and with more events at the moment is the Abingdon Town Council’s What’s On. To get info added to that email: enquiries@abingdon.gov.uk .