Abingdon riverside changes

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Work on the Grotto at Cosenors House is nearing completion. The work is to bring it back to a safe and usable condition without changing it too much.

Abingdon Lock has re-opened after a winter when the boat layby was being rebuilt. Hooks in the grass can be used as a temporary layby. Boats can now use the lock.

The new layby is nearing completion.

At the lock itself, crowd control barriers have been added to keep spectators away from people operating the lock – for the Covid-19 safety of everybody.

To improve the look of the barriers, children are being asked to print, and colour in sections of a long Narrow Boat.

The new boat house for the Kingfisher Canoe Club has been built and should soon be used, once Covid-19 guidelines allow.

For Covid-19 social distancing reasons, people wait if people are crossing the weir in the opposite direction.

Evening Walk

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I went for a walk as the lights were being turned on.

In front of Twitty’s Almshouses the bluebells are out. Bluebells usually flower from mid-April to late May, depending on the weather. If spring is mild they can bloom early. It was warm and sunny a week ago but very cold today.

Swans have the river more to themselves at this time of day. The noisy geese are back on land.

Later the scene looked peaceful but somebody was talking loudly on their mobile phone on the opposite bank, having an argument and not caring who heard.

In St Helen’s churchyard there are a smattering of gravestones. There could have been rows and rows of gravestones once – like other churchyards. These look ornamental.

Second Re-opening

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Notices are appearing in some shop doors to say that they are re-opening on 12th April.

Lots of us have had the vaccine. The second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic is going down.

Some shops in Abingdon town centre have a pile of junk mail waiting for them on the doorstep.

One hairdresser still has the Christmas Tree on display.

Bury Street has had a Spring Clean before next week’s re-opening.

Catering premises that have an outdoor area are also re-opening from 12th April. They expect to re-open indoors in May.

Oxfam is due to re-open, a couple of days later, on 14th April.

Shop safely! Let us hope that there won’t be a third wave.

Easter Monday – New Willow, Flag Half Mast, Pom-Poms, and Pavement Cleaning

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Hester has send me a picture of the new Willow that has been planted outside the Old Gaol to replace the one that was cut down.

On the County Hall the flag is flying at half-mast.

Dr Vernon Butt, Freeman of Abingdon and Past Mayor, died a year ago. At the time the Town Council were unable to mark his passing by flying the town flag at half-mast and so they are doing so to mark the anniversary of his passing.

Click here for a link to the Town Council’s news item.

The trees on the Market Place, in front of the County Hall, have been decorated with pom-poms and rainbows over Easter.

Today, a section of Bury Street was cordoned off while some workmen gave it a power clean. They were using a machine with a rotating wire buffer and water spray.