Wetherspoon plans a pub in old post office

7:00pm Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in Abingdon Photograph of the Author By Ben Wilkinson, Crime Reporter. Call me on (01865) 425427

Abingdon Chamber of Commerce president Paul Townsend outside the town’s former post office Abingdon Chamber of Commerce president Paul Townsend outside the town’s former post office

PUB giant JD Wetherspoon is preparing to invest more than £1m to open a new bar in Abingdon town centre.

The chain has filed a planning application to convert the old Post Office in the High Street, but it could not tell the Oxford Mail when it could open.

However, Hilary Collis, landlady at the Blue Boar, in Bath Street, said many landlords would not be able to compete with Wetherspoon’s low prices.

She said: “For the pubs it will be disastrous, but for the town it’s good.

“We have enough pubs closing and we don’t need more. It’s definitely going to close off some pubs.”

The Nags Head, in Bridge Street, is currently shut and the Ox Inn in Oxford Road and the Fitzharris Arms in Thornhill Walk were converted into Tesco Express supermarkets last year.

Stratton’s nightclub in the town centre closed last month.

But Paul Vanstone, landlord at the Midget, in Midget Close, and chairman of Abingdon Pub Watch, said a Wetherspoon pub could be good for Abingdon.

He said: “I think town centre pubs will be against it, as Wetherspoon sells cheap beer.

“But with the nightclub closing, the town has died. It might bring a bit of life back into the town centre. I think it’s probably a good thing, but whether they get it is another matter.

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“But it’s been a derelict building for quite some time. It can only do the town good and stop people leaving.”

Paul Townsend, Abingdon Chamber of Commerce’s president, said: “It has got to be good that somebody is going to invest in the town and that building is looking awful. It will make the place look nicer.

“We have lost quite a lot of pubs over the past few years, so it will probably fill the void left.

“It could bring a lot of people back into the area.”

JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We believe that a Wetherspoon pub will be an asset to Abingdon and encourage more people into the town, as well as new investment.

“Our style of pub is very popular with people of all ages and we believe that it will have a positive effect on the town.”

When asked about the theme of the pub, he said: “The fact that it was a former post office might well be reflected in the pub’s name and also in some of the displays in the pub.”

He added: “The fact that planning has gone in is a very positive step in the right direction and the company awaits the outcome of the planning decision.”

The Post Office moved to the Co-op, in West St Helen Street, in January 2009, after more than a century in the High Street.

Vale of White Horse District Council hopes to make a decision on the application to change to the use of the building next month.

Although the firm has not applied for an alcohol licence yet, Mr Gershon said Wetherspoon pubs were usually open from 8am until midnight, with some opening until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Nine years ago the company lost a controversial battle to open a pub at the town’s former Congregational Church, in Pulpit House, which is now an Ask pizza restaurant.

Comments(42)

wizardofox2 says...
9:35pm Wed 23 May 12

This can only be good news for Abingdon where i'm told one town centre pub charges £20 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a quid for a packet ofr crisps! wait till you lot get a "spoons" we have two in Oxford, Fish & chips and a pint for a fiver, a pint for £1.99 and a bottle of wine for £5.99 !

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Feelingsmatter says...
9:47pm Wed 23 May 12

As the president of Abingdon Chamber of Commerce, I would expect a shirt and tie at the very LEAST from Paul Townsend.

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LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
9:55pm Wed 23 May 12

wizardofox2 wrote:
This can only be good news for Abingdon where i'm told one town centre pub charges £20 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a quid for a packet ofr crisps! wait till you lot get a "spoons" we have two in Oxford, Fish & chips and a pint for a fiver, a pint for £1.99 and a bottle of wine for £5.99 !
Yeah but it is vinegar for £5.99 only good enough to go on your chips. Expect to pay £11-12 in Wetherspoons for a wine designed for drinking. But then again if it is aimed at the Preston Rd types, they could do two bottles of Sarsons 4 glasses and straws for £3 and make a fortune.

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wizardofox2 says...
7:10am Thu 24 May 12

Take your point about the President of the Chamber of Commerce Feelings, but then again isn't that typical of Abingdon (and echoing Lord Peter's last sentence?) he's a right scruff bag compared to other towns Presidents, every photo I've ever seen of this chap he's allways wearing the same gear, did they take a job lot of pic's of him all on the same day and just wheel one out when they need one? Going back to Lord Peter's remarks though £11-12 a bottle is still cheaper than £20 !

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Simon33 says...
7:47am Thu 24 May 12

Good surname for the slovenly pres!

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colbart says...
9:41am Thu 24 May 12

It could be a good thing, in Oxford some pubs which closed have completely changed, taken the chance to refurbish and capture an alternative Market.

Real Ales seems popular at the moment, many Theme pubs seem to be dissapearing.

Be interesting to see what they will call it, in keeping with The Post Office 'theme'.

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Andyrooo says...
10:23am Thu 24 May 12

I’m glad that this is finally going ahead. Bringing some big names to the town is exactly what it needs. I have been to quite a few Wetherspoons and they are always busy. They offers good value for money for food and drink which is not available in Abingdon at the moment so yes it will fill a void.
I don’t think the other pubs need to worry. As it has been said before, Wetherspoons offer a different service to other pubs in Abingdon. They should be rising to the challenge as was said in a previous article by the manager of the Kings Head & Bell. Bottom line, if you don’t like it don’t go there!
The comments about certain areas of Abingdon and Paul are really unnecessary and do not help in a time when the town is trying to change, update its image and bring more custom in.
Paul is a dedicated hard working chap and works 12 hours a day as well as being the President of the C of C. Probably doesn’t have time to slip into a suit every time the Herald call on him.
It seems to me that the same people always have a negative response to positive articles about Abingdon. If you hate Abingdon so much, don’t come here and certainly don’t project your negative comments onto people who like it here.

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Agnes_c says...
10:46am Thu 24 May 12

We have to make sure this actually happens this time! Didn’t Wetherspoons try and get into the Pulpit house before which eventually became ‘Ask’? I love the KHB and the Tap, but I can’t keep affording £4 a pint. I’m not so keen on the Grapes, Blue Boar, Black Swan so it would be good to have a new bright pub with drinks at a decent price. I for one would come into the town centre more frequently if it didn’t cost £40 just for two of us to go out for a few drinks. Our ‘local’ is the Spread, which is great, but gets booked up for food so you can’t just turn up of an evening and expect to get a meal. Hurrah I say :-)

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TrevtheGeordie says...
12:30pm Thu 24 May 12

Whoopee a certain Ock St pub will have to charge a more competitive price if this goes down.

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TrevtheGeordie says...
12:31pm Thu 24 May 12

Whoopee a certain Ock St pub will have to charge a more competitive price if this goes down.

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Abingdon Rob says...
1:23pm Thu 24 May 12

"The comments about certain areas of Abingdon and Paul are really unnecessary and do not help in a time when the town is trying to change, update its image and bring more custom in.
Paul is a dedicated hard working chap and works 12 hours a day as well as being the President of the C of C. Probably doesn’t have time to slip into a suit every time the Herald call on him.
It seems to me that the same people always have a negative response to positive articles about Abingdon. If you hate Abingdon so much, don’t come here and certainly don’t project your negative comments onto people who like it here"

well said Andyrooo

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wizardofox2 says...
2:03pm Thu 24 May 12

Abingdon Rob etc, you just don't get it, do you? we don't come into Abingdon anymore, that's the whole point we're trying to make and all the time you're complaining about negative comments just remember they are real comments, the traffic is a nightmare, the shopping experience is not good, the pubs are ripping people off, and according to the experts foot fall is going down, when will you realise the difference between nagativity and the truth?

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Andyrooo says...
3:50pm Thu 24 May 12

wizardofox2 wrote:
Abingdon Rob etc, you just don't get it, do you? we don't come into Abingdon anymore, that's the whole point we're trying to make and all the time you're complaining about negative comments just remember they are real comments, the traffic is a nightmare, the shopping experience is not good, the pubs are ripping people off, and according to the experts foot fall is going down, when will you realise the difference between nagativity and the truth?
But you’re making negative comments about POSITIVE actions. Yes the traffic is a nightmare and probably won't get any better. The oldest town in Britain was not designed for the 21st century. But the shopping will improve with the redevelopment, the pubs will have to buck their ideas up with spoons coming in and yes there is what some people may consider undesirables living here.
All this coming from someone who lives in Oxford? C’mon! Shopping facilities out dated, traffic’s a nightmare, pubs expensive, plenty of undesirables. The similarities are uncanny.
The main point is that things are improving but it won’t happen overnight and being nasty about our town and the people in it won’t help and is unnecessary.

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wizardofox2 says...
4:19pm Thu 24 May 12

But you've had years to sort the place out, there was a time when Abingdon was the place to be, the premier town of the county, but now you've lost out to Didcot, Wantage, Witney, Banbury, Thame etc etc. Sorry if people in Abingdon are fed up with being the butt of things crap in the county, but you've brought it on yourselves. Strikes me the only negative thing in town is the council, I guess the residents are pretty naffed off with them too?

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Andyrooo says...
4:45pm Thu 24 May 12

wizardofox2 wrote:
But you've had years to sort the place out, there was a time when Abingdon was the place to be, the premier town of the county, but now you've lost out to Didcot, Wantage, Witney, Banbury, Thame etc etc. Sorry if people in Abingdon are fed up with being the butt of things crap in the county, but you've brought it on yourselves. Strikes me the only negative thing in town is the council, I guess the residents are pretty naffed off with them too?
Man you really have got it bad for Abingdon. Again with the nasty comments... Did you get a parking ticket here once or a dodgy kebab?
Valid points about all those towns with the exception of Wantage. They have all had their various upgrades and now it's Abingdon's turn. Yay for us!
Whatever the problems have been it's not been the fault of the residents and we didn't bring it on ourselves.
There are still plenty of positive things about Abingdon which don't revolve around the town but seeing as you don't come here any more you wouldn't know.
You may have missed one of my subtle points earlier but Oxford is no better so you concentrate on your City and we will do the same for Abingdon. Cheers.

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Iain L says...
5:16pm Thu 24 May 12

Well saiD Andyroo.

OXford Wizard - I think it's you that doesn't 'get it'.

And more importantly please lay off tge president of our chamber - he works really hard to make Abingdon a better place - I regularly see him setting up market place activities and the like - who cares whether he wears a suit or not.

Ignore this anonymous coward Paul and keep up the good work. Those of us who actually live in tge town greatly appreciate your efforts.

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Iain L says...
5:21pm Thu 24 May 12

And sha

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Iain L says...
5:23pm Thu 24 May 12

And shame on you feelings matter - presumably its only your own feelings you're refering to!

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orangefoot says...
6:15pm Thu 24 May 12

I am also posting to defend Paul on his record of hard work for Abingdon and his enthusiasm about Abingdon and its future.

What he wears to work is irrelevant. If you want to start picking on people based on what they wear to work come and pick on me, not him!

Now, about Wetherspoons: what great news. Hopefully the application will be successful. Other Wetherspoons I have visited have been very welcoming of large families great for families which is more than I can say about ASK!

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wizardofox2 says...
7:17pm Thu 24 May 12

Orange foot, you've totally contradicted yourself, when I drove a taxi in Abingdon for a living Weatherspoons applied for a licence in the very building that ASK is now in, but the Abingdon Maffia (all the licencees) got together and opposed the application, hence ASK arrived in your town, had it not been for the funny hand shake brigade Weatherspoons would of been there 10 years ago. As for your Chamber of Commerce President I don't know what he does or does not do, but he doesn't look very busines like.

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LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
7:52pm Thu 24 May 12

From normal Abingdon people I have spoken to, late on, The Grapes and Strattons, are no go areas for anybody without an ASBO, and look at somebody for more than a few seconds and it is goodnight Vienna. How people can compare yourselves to Oxford is beyond belief. Even in the early hours of a Saturday morning I would choose to walk alone in B/B/Leys than around Abingdon Town Centre, not having a dig just telling the truth.

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wizardofox2 says...
8:31pm Thu 24 May 12

And didn't the Herald do a story about a chap who had an Italian restaurant who had his window kicked in for the sixth time in two years? nuff said !

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orangefoot says...
9:04pm Thu 24 May 12

wizardofox2 There is no contradiction in what I said. I am well aware of the history of ASK and Wetherspoons in Abingdon and as I am not part of the Abingdon Mafia (if such athing exists) nor a Mason or a town councillor I was not party to the decision to choose ASK over Wetherspoons all those years ago.

If you don't like coming to Abingdon any more that is fair enough; I rarely go to Oxford but I don't hang about on the Oxford news items criticising what happens in your neck of the woods.

Are you just a mischief maker or do you have an axe to grind based on some Abingdonian trauma visited upon you in a past life?

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Iain L says...
11:36pm Thu 24 May 12

Well said orangefoot. I live in Abingdon now but also lived in oxford for four years.

Both are nice places but very different. But I think anyone adversely comparing crime in Abingdon to oxford has a screw loose. I'm thinking of the guy who got stabbed outside the fox and hounds near where I lived for example - sure Abongdon has the odd fight of a Friday night but according to the pcso I was talking to on Monday we've one of the lowest crime rates in the country

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wizardofox2 says...
6:42am Fri 25 May 12

Orange etc, but you're perpetuating your own bad news, Everytime I look at this, there's another gloomy report from someone living in your place, at least once a month that chap from the Chamber of Commerce appears in a photo reporting doom and gloom, you're precinct didn't start on time (with photo) your Hall/building in the middle over-run ruining local business (more pics) then I remember him outside an empty shop (oh, another photo) if you want to start to promote Abingdon you've got to get your OWN people to start saying good things about it (and I don't just mean the few on here) stop your man spreeding doom and gloom, oh, then two weeks ago there was another bod from a youth club at the south of town saying Abingdon, yes Abingdon, rates in one part as one of the 25% of the most deprived areas in England, along with Salford and Tooting, You need to take your rose coloured specks off and get to grips with those amongst you who keep pedaling the bad news that others like me pick up on.

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Iain L says...
8:08am Fri 25 May 12

Goodness knows what your specs are tinted with Oxford wizard.

Paul is an extremely positive individual, but he does not write the articles that appear in the paper and has limited ability to did ate the tone of the articles. Whilst in Abingdon we appreciate that articles are written to sellpers there is some frustration in the town at the weight of down beat articles which doesn't reflect the excitement I see around town around a number of areas which have been negle ted for many years finally being addressed for the better.

To correct your comment above, Abingdon is not in the 25% most deprived areas. Caldecott ward within the town does have much social deprivation (alongside many other Oxford wards such as temple Cowley, cutteslow and blackbird leas) and the article inspired by a good community action group (sarp), supported by the local authorities, taking positive action to make things better for the area.

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Iain L says...
8:10am Fri 25 May 12

'Dictate' not 'did ate' - sorry

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colbart says...
10:23am Fri 25 May 12

It was the window of Lemoncello that was smashed (on several occasions). That time they 'blamed' Strattons Nightclub (who had a late night licence). This is now closed and being converted into a Gym.

Window breaking is an 'old' story. In the past larger windows in all the main streets got smashed, the Insurance companies insisted they replace large windows with small panes of glass. in wooden framework. My old Barbers/Hairdressers was a target for a while.

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jnewco81 says...
11:55am Fri 25 May 12

What a depressing looking street

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wizardofox2 says...
12:38pm Fri 25 May 12

You're not allowed to say that jnewco81 or you'll be accused of spreading negativity (the truth) about Abingdon !

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Joris Bonson says...
12:56pm Fri 25 May 12

If Abingdon was a horse it would have been shot by now.

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wizardofox2 says...
3:28pm Fri 25 May 12

Not sure I'll be on here anymore, just had a pop up from the herald stating that by using this site you agree to them planting cookies on your PC !

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online_reader says...
4:30pm Fri 25 May 12

wizardofox2 wrote:
Not sure I'll be on here anymore, just had a pop up from the herald stating that by using this site you agree to them planting cookies on your PC !
The law's changing so they have to tell you. Most websites have always done it. How do you think the comments page remembers who you are?

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Joris Bonson says...
4:36pm Fri 25 May 12

Break out your tin foil hats, the mail is trying to read your MINDS

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AbingdonKing says...
6:18pm Fri 25 May 12

I don't see what all this moaning is about. An empty shop is being filled. This is one of 3 in the High Street Which have all sat empty for a long time & all 3 will be open soon. Add this to the work on the county hall almost finished & when the shopping centre is finished & full, then Abingdon will have almost 100% occupancy.

As for the comments about Paul from the Chamber, if the only thing you have available to "have a go at him" about is his clothes, then he must be doing a pretty good job !

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Abingdon Neil says...
7:40pm Fri 25 May 12

A few points:

1 Paul works extremly hard as President of Abingdon Chamber of Commerce. I don't always agree with him but he deserves praise for his efforts;

2 The level of vacancies in Abingdon shops is about half the national average;

3 I disagreed with the decision not to allow Wetherspoons to open in the other venue and will be delighted if they open in the old Post Office;

4 The Vale has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and Abingdon, even in the town centre at night, is generally a safe place to be;

5 There have been a number of very positive initiatives to improve the town centre in recent years, including the Market Place and War Memorial refurbs, the Abbey Grounds project and the current County Hall project. All are steadily improving the town. Even the Stert Street part of the traffic changes worked, even if traffic remains a problem;

6 I have never regretted moving to Abingdon, it's a great place to bring up a family. I also happen to enjoy the proximity of Oxford, although I wouldn't personally want to live there.

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the wizard says...
9:22pm Fri 25 May 12

Well this Wizard grew up in Abingdon during the 50's,60's and 70's when it was a vibrant town with a good town centre and a great many pubs. My favourite as was Mr Warwick's Arms in Ock St, run in those days by the lovely Mrs Heavens.

Time passes by, people, places and things change, very few places ever seem to beat change.

I now live in Witney and that is more through job demands and circumstance as opposed to desire. We now have a Spoons here and many folk use it, but generally during the day I would suppose the losers are the cafes and not so much the pubs. It offers a different service, and yet before it opened all our landlords were making the same noises as you find reported above. The place is clean and tidy and seems to be well staffed at all times. To be fair, I don't think the other established pubs have noticed much difference in their trade one bit. Anyway, a bit of decent competition will probably make the other pubs work harder to keep their regular punters happy.

As goes the rest of the town, well its hardly the subject of the article is it, and there are plenty of worse places than Abingdon, and Oxford, although a Japanese friend of mine commented that he thought Oxford to be very scruffy and in some places like a slum, his words not mine, and his command of English is superb.

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LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
10:16pm Fri 25 May 12

the wizard wrote:
Well this Wizard grew up in Abingdon during the 50's,60's and 70's when it was a vibrant town with a good town centre and a great many pubs. My favourite as was Mr Warwick's Arms in Ock St, run in those days by the lovely Mrs Heavens.

Time passes by, people, places and things change, very few places ever seem to beat change.

I now live in Witney and that is more through job demands and circumstance as opposed to desire. We now have a Spoons here and many folk use it, but generally during the day I would suppose the losers are the cafes and not so much the pubs. It offers a different service, and yet before it opened all our landlords were making the same noises as you find reported above. The place is clean and tidy and seems to be well staffed at all times. To be fair, I don't think the other established pubs have noticed much difference in their trade one bit. Anyway, a bit of decent competition will probably make the other pubs work harder to keep their regular punters happy.

As goes the rest of the town, well its hardly the subject of the article is it, and there are plenty of worse places than Abingdon, and Oxford, although a Japanese friend of mine commented that he thought Oxford to be very scruffy and in some places like a slum, his words not mine, and his command of English is superb.
But is East Oxford, Oxford let alone England? The council uses it as a dumping ground and has turned it into a Ghetto, so i think that your Japanese friend may be 100% correct. But the council have gone further with their plan and are turning Ryder Close into much the same, to the anger of the people that payed £500,000+ for their houses just around the corner.

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the wizard says...
1:20pm Sat 26 May 12

Peter, I don't really want to get sucked into the racial and ethnic arguments which surround this other issue, all I set out to do was comment on Whetherspoons in the old Abingdon Post office.
One thing the population of Abingdon can be assured of is the waiting time to get served in Spoons will be far less than it ever was when it was a Post Office, no matter what your colour or creed.

As goes Oxford City Council, well the good people of Oxford voted them in, and they can vote them out at the next election if dis satisfied with the councils policies and agendas.

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LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
4:15am Sun 27 May 12

the wizard wrote:
Peter, I don't really want to get sucked into the racial and ethnic arguments which surround this other issue, all I set out to do was comment on Whetherspoons in the old Abingdon Post office.
One thing the population of Abingdon can be assured of is the waiting time to get served in Spoons will be far less than it ever was when it was a Post Office, no matter what your colour or creed.

As goes Oxford City Council, well the good people of Oxford voted them in, and they can vote them out at the next election if dis satisfied with the councils policies and agendas.
Who mentioned race or ethnicity? I did not see it anywhere in my post.

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davyboy says...
4:23pm Sun 27 May 12

brilliant, look forward to it. somewhere to go for a night out without taking out a second mortgage good for food too.

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Abingdonperson says...
4:04am Tue 29 May 12

Lemoncello's is situated on the taxi rank which sadly contributed towards the window issue.
Strattons has been closed down, and I assume that you have not been in the Grapes to make such a comment about requiring an ASBO to get in, as it has an almost trouble free record, which cannot be said for other own town centre venues.
Wetherspoons will be an asset to the town, but they are also an intelligent company and wont need to undercut prices by much.

Finally, comments about 'normal people' (whom is defining normal, or just normal by your standards ) or Pauls clothing (would you complain on his brand of suit if he were to wear one) are not really needed.

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