What’s Streaming in Abingdon

The last event
The posters in the window of Oxfam, Abingdon are like a time capsule on what was just about to happen before we went into Coronavirus lockdown and all public events stopped.
The last event
The What’s On section on the Town Council site has a cascade of cancelled events.
The last event
Two days ago the June 2020 Town Crier, published by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council, and Round & About Magazine dropped through the front door together.

Round & About had no Idle Ramblings about forthcoming community events, and the Town Crier had no What’s On.

We could do with a What’s Streaming in Abingdon to find – in one place – the streamed concerts and church services, virtual jumble sales, Zoom fitness classes and Instagram art exhibitions.

The last newsagent

The last newsagent
The last dedicated small newsagent in Abingdon has closed. That makes 4 closures in the last year.

It was on Northcourt Road, near a Co-op supermarket that also sells newspapers. Newsagents have been closing down across Britain with competition from supermarkets and petrol stations. Many people now get their news online.

WH Smith continue to operate and sell newspapers and magazines, and much more besides.

Building Work and Face Coverings

Developments and Face Covering
There has not been a lot of building work at the front of the new Ock Street retirement flats during the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

What has changed during that time is people’s perceptions of what they value. Our town centre garden may be small but it has been a blessing during the sunny days when we were staying at home. The parks and green spaces around Abingdon town centre were another blessing.
Developments and Face Covering
The Fairacres Phase 2 development has continued during the lockdown and most of the metal structure is now in place.
Developments and Face Covering
Lidl are coming but I have not heard what businesses will follow.

The long term impact of the pandemic on businesses is unknown. In the short term there will be a greater need for social distancing in stores. Online shopping, and click and collect became more important during the lockdown.
Developments and Face Covering
PPE has become an everyday term. The advice on wearing face masks and coverings has changed. PPE allows trades people to work in people’s houses, and will be a way to open up smaller businesses. Face coverings will become compulsory for people using public transport in England from Monday 15 June. More and more people are wearing face coverings in Waitrose.

Paul Smith’s thought for today is Black Lives Matter … https://www.abingdon-st-helens.org.uk/TFTD/Paul_Smith_2020_06_09_TFTD.mp3.

Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon

Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon
We walked out this evening along St Helen’s Wharf in Abingdon. The wharf was in shadow apart from where a low wall let the sunlight through.
Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon
Along Wilsham Road we saw the first fast moving rowing boat we had seen since the start of the lockdown.
Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon
It was a Sunday evening and there were not many cars parked – just the usual line of fibreglass boats with tarpoulines.
Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon
At Abingdon Marina a parent swan was guarding three cygnets. They were all busily preening themselves and not posing for the camera. Preening is a bird’s way of grooming its feathers to keep them in the best condition.
Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon
A lot more boats were moored at the Marina.
Evening Walk by the River Thames in Abingdon
We walked round the Marina Park and looked across the River Thames to where Swift Ditch ends. There is an elegant wooden bridge put there for the Thames Path.