The Ox pub sign has gone from its traditional place on the Oxford Road. There were once 60 pubs in Abingdon for a population of 5,000. There are now 17 for a population of 33,000.
Black Swan
Blue Boar
Boundary House
Brewery Tap
Broad Face
College Oak
Cross Keys
Grapes
Kings Head & Bell
Midget
Old Anchor Inn
Plough
Punchbowl
Saxton Arms
Spread Eagle
Stocks Bar
White Horse
The times they are a changing.
Any ideas what is too become of the ox site?
Tesco?
still plenty of pubs really – there’s more fun things to do in life than drink yet for some adults that seems to be their entire social life.
Interesting were this to become another Tesco, or hybrid of Tesco, as it would suggest a strategy whereby Tesco were ‘salting’ the town with stores with the intention of making it less attractive to competitiors … re. speculation about a supermarket in a redeveloped ‘Bury Street’. Local mini-markets could be a defensive ploy in that they could help take the cream off the turnover of competitive town-based supermarkets.
I think that if a pub is run well it can be the hub of a community and an excellent place to meet up with friends and get away from it all. Sadly there are only a handful of pubs in Abingdon run this way, which is why some are closing. With the property prices as they were it made more sense to sell off pubs that were in prime locations to be converted into flats or houses. I agree that there are better things to do than drink, but I think you should have a local so that at least you have the option.
In the old days, pubs were much more than drinking places.
My paternal grandparents ran a pub in Dorset (Holten Heath) , it was a meeting place for allotment society, hold their judging and shows, supply the kitchen with Garnmas home cooking, as well as skittles (outdoor and table top skittles), shove halpenny. etc (Dad was a carpenter so made many of these).
More of a Meeting place/social club as well…
A pub is so much more than a drinking hole. It is more often then not the hub of a community and a meeting place for many people. Yes there are still lots of pubs in Abingdon but this time in 10 years, the way things are going, there will probably be half that amount again.
Times are different and the drinking habits of this country has varied in as little as 10 years. There is a terrible binge drinking culture which usually means buying cheap alcohol from a supermarket instead of going to a pub.
There are some fanstaic ale pubs in Abingdon these days and they seem to do doing fine. According to recent statistics 45% of beer drinkers in this country have tried Real ale compared to 17% 5 years ago!! I think that says a lot. I strongly believe the trick to running a sucessful pub these days is well kept local Real Ale and good quality food at a reasonable price.
It’s still sad, some 25 years ago this Pub gave me my first part-time job. Back then it did good pub food and had lots of locals. Sad times if we get supermarkets instead of places were people meet.
I understand that changing a pub to a shop is not classed as a “change of use” and so does not need planning permission. That is how Tescos are getting their own way.
Please can someone explain why this rule was made in the first place and also who might be able to change it.
its a shame its gone.
lets hope the nags head doesnt become a tesco too.
the tesco where the fitz used to be looks so out of place…
CAMRA are urging the government to do all they can to help pubs at this time of crisis. Amongst many things they want the rules changes so that planning permission IS required before a valued pub will be lost for ever.
Further, a recent court judgement gives protection to pubs
that are under threat of demolition, as this type of work now comes under the heading of ‘permitted development’, which requires planning permission – Not that this would have saved the Fitzharris Arms
if the Ox becomes a Tesco then the shop a for doors along will be gone for good. That would be shame as he has been there for years.
Some blokes in the back of my taxi the other day were discussing this very point: it has been bought by a local developer they know and is going to be turned into flats.
If Dave is right that WOULD be a change of use and would have to have planning premission. If a) they don’t massively change the front exterior and b) they use the existing parking area for parking that sounds quite acceptable to me. If on the other hand they plan to knock it down and/or build on the car park that would need more careful thought and I should think the neighbours – especially those behind – would have views…
@Pat Changing the use from a pub to retail is effectively a ‘downward’ change of use, i.e. it is a change to a use which has fewer restrictions, and is therefore allowed.
@Tim At the end of the day it is down to people’s shopping habits. If everyone locally keeps using the current shop and don’t use the Tesco, then the Tesco won’t survive. However millions of people do choose to shop at Tesco.
@Hester – Any new building on the site would need planning permission. Converting the whole site to housing might well be the most lucrative development.
hello i live on oxford road road abingdon i just wanted you to please highlight the fact that tesco has started work at the ox pub my local it was a nice one too. tesco workers with tesco safety vests on were seen putting up boards around the pub and a digger digging the front.
$auther yo haveamazingblog