It's all change at Abingdon-on-Thames

9:30am Friday 24th February 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Ben Wilkinson, Crime Reporter. Call me on (01865) 425427

The Thames at Abingdon The Thames at Abingdon

ABINGDON was re-branding itself within hours yesterday of a decision to change its name.

Vale of White Horse District Council approved the bid from the now Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council on Wednesday night, in the hope the change will attract more tourists to the town.

Yesterday the town council was already adjusting mentions of the town and itself to the new name on its website and is planning to order new stationery.

Town council leader Sandy Lovatt said: “It will make a significant impact to the footfall of the town.

‘Thames’ is an iconic word.

“So is ‘Oxford’ and ‘history’ – they all attract tourists.”

He said the move, along with the offer of two hours free parking and a revamp of the shopping centre, would make Abingdon more appealing.

Heather Brown, manager of town promotion group the Choose Abingdon partnership, said: “‘Thames’ is one of the best-known English brand names with worldwide recognition.

“It’s no bad thing if Abingdon comes up on Internet searches when someone types in ‘Thames’. We have one of the best town riverbanks on the whole river and should be proud to emphasise it.

Town clerk Nigel Warner said there were no immediate plans to update the town’s entry road signs, but they were due for replacement.

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He added: “Things will be changed when they need to be changed.”

The ‘on-Thames’ suffix was dropped in 1974 when the town ‘moved’ from Berkshire into Oxfordshire.

But Alastair Fear, 54, who runs the Abingdon Blog, said: “For most people, Abingdon will remain unchanged.

“It is not the sort of thing that will roll of the tongue.”

Jane Warne, spokesman for Abingdon School, said it had no plans to change its name.

Comments (4)

11:14am Fri 24 Feb 12

camden says...

Ridiculous, Unnecessary and Totally Pointless. An expensive and foolhardy waste of taxpayers money when budgets are tight and all councils are cutting services double quick and holding out the begging bowl and claiming they are skint.
But hey ho! Go ahead and change the name of your town if you must, but take note,
For those of us who live in the REAL WORLD it’s not going to make a jot of difference”
Ridiculous, Unnecessary and Totally Pointless. An expensive and foolhardy waste of taxpayers money when budgets are tight and all councils are cutting services double quick and holding out the begging bowl and claiming they are skint. But hey ho! Go ahead and change the name of your town if you must, but take note, For those of us who live in the REAL WORLD it’s not going to make a jot of difference” camden

11:43am Fri 24 Feb 12

The Big Issue says...

It doesn't alter the fact it's a traffic nightmare, has a rough nightclub that doubles as a drunktank and has a crap stuck in the '80s shopping centre.
It doesn't alter the fact it's a traffic nightmare, has a rough nightclub that doubles as a drunktank and has a crap stuck in the '80s shopping centre. The Big Issue

3:21pm Mon 27 Feb 12

talltony says...

They're absolutely right we do have "one of the best town riverbanks on the whole river" - there's the beautiful Nags Head pub on the river - oh no that's closed down. There's the idyllic Abbey Meadows - oh no that's full of empty beer cans and chavs.

But I suppose away from the river Abingdon is quite lovely - particularly the town centre with it's bustling metropolis of shops. Oh no that's right, it's awful. I counted EIGHT empty shops at the weekend.

What a joke.
They're absolutely right we do have "one of the best town riverbanks on the whole river" - there's the beautiful Nags Head pub on the river - oh no that's closed down. There's the idyllic Abbey Meadows - oh no that's full of empty beer cans and chavs. But I suppose away from the river Abingdon is quite lovely - particularly the town centre with it's bustling metropolis of shops. Oh no that's right, it's awful. I counted EIGHT empty shops at the weekend. What a joke. talltony

5:35pm Tue 28 Feb 12

Neil B says...

At least the change is getting Abingdon-on-Thames into the news. There are many significant changes in the pipeline, some initiated by the previous administration, some by the present; together they should make the town an even better place. Just one concern; surely if the town has been re-branded, the entry signs should be changed quickly and must be designed for greater impact on and a warmer welcome for our visitors from near and far!
At least the change is getting Abingdon-on-Thames into the news. There are many significant changes in the pipeline, some initiated by the previous administration, some by the present; together they should make the town an even better place. Just one concern; surely if the town has been re-branded, the entry signs should be changed quickly and must be designed for greater impact on and a warmer welcome for our visitors from near and far! Neil B

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